In Memoriam Humberto Maturana (1928–2021)by Fritjof Capra

May 7, 2021

Humberto Maturana, who passed away on May 6 at the age of 92, was one of the greatest biologists of the twentieth century. His theory of autopoiesis and cognition, developed in collaboration with Francisco Varela, provides a clear scientific answer to the age-old question “What is Life?”. It is based on two revolutionary insights: that the essence of biological life is a certain pattern of organization (a self-generating network of metabolic processes); and that all living organisms continually regenerate themselves by interacting cognitively with their environment. Based on these two insights, Maturana and Varela created the first scientific theory that unifies mind, matter, and life.

Maturana’s theory of autopoiesis and cognition forms the very core of my synthesis of the new systemic understanding of life. I began to develop this synthesis in the 1980s when I first met Maturana, and during the subsequent decades had numerous discussions with him in the United States, Brazil, and in Chile. In these discussions I was not only impressed by his intellectual brilliance but also very touched by his affectionate demeanor. He always treated me as a dear friend whom he was happy to see.

I still fondly remember the last time I saw Humberto when I visited him in his home in Santiago in January 2018. He had invited a group of his graduate students, and our animated discussions went on for several hours (including over lunch), during which he was totally sharp and concentrated, speaking clearly and beautifully, never seeming to tire.

Humberto told us the story of autopoiesis, which began in his childhood when, at the age of 10, he made toys for himself and became interested in how things function, and how they can be made. At the same time, already at this young age, he was interested in what living beings are and what happens when they die. I could not help noticing that these two interests were reflected more than 40 years later in the title of his seminal book “De máquinasy seres vivos” (“Of machines and living beings”).

During our conversation, Humberto emphasized that, rather than asking “What is Life?”, he asked “How do living beings function?”. He thought that this was an important difference, which led him to pay attention to the circular organization of the living, and eventually to the notion of autopoiesis.

We also spoke about the need for transformative learning in our time, and Humberto agreed with me that this is achieved most effectively in a learning community where people are intellectually challenged while, at the same time, feeling emotionally secure. Humberto emphasized that there must be complete honesty in the conversations of such a learning community.

Over the last 30 years, Humberto Maturana has had a decisive influence on my scientific thought and writing, and the memory of his great warmth and humanity will be with me forever.