Local Wisdom in a New Paradigm: Applying System Theory to the Study of Local Culture in Indonesia

Human sociality can be understood as a complex organism. Almost all aspects of life can be interpreted phenomenologically as part of a larger life system. Adopting an appropriate perspective for understanding life and interpreting social reality is crucial in determining the direction and orientation of human progress. The aim of this paper is to describe a new methodological approach to discovering the nature of social reality in the study of culture in Indonesia. By adopting a philosophical perspective, this research aims to provide a fresh approach to studying local wisdom in Indonesia. This paper presents a philosophical framework for approaching the study of local wisdom (kearifan lokal): First, human social systems are systems of self-reference; second, human sociality is actualized within contingent social systems. Local wisdom can be understood as a social and communicative system that fosters self-organization (autopoiesis) within a culture.