Abstract
The essay is an independent reflection on the cyclical nature of our experience and its positive and negative aspects. The starting point here is primarily Luhmann's notion of autopoiesis, in his distinction between the system and its environment, which, however, is again part of the system.
This is taken as the basic hermeneutical principle of similar cycles, from geometry to literature. As such, the essay also serves as an extensive introduction to the volume "Devouring One's Own Tail".