ABSTRACT
The conception of living systems as autonomous systems allows understanding of the hermeneutic constructivist view of personal knowledge as a speci®cation of realities. It also explains how language and knowledge emerge as outcomes of the changes of a living system in its relationship with the environment. The reality which appears to exist external to us and independent from us emerges parallel to the emerging of knowledge, and is therefore closely tied to life: to live is to know (see section 2.4.4).
