▁any ▁outcome ▁but ▁defines ▁the ▁orient ational ▁boundaries ▁of ▁the ▁real ▁path find er , ▁which ▁is ▁action ▁itself . ▁Par s ons ▁comp ares ▁the ▁constit utive ▁level ▁of ▁society ▁with ▁No am ▁Ch om sky ' s ▁concept ▁of ▁" deep ▁structure ". ▁ ▁As ▁Par s ons ▁wrote , ▁" The ▁deep ▁structures ▁do ▁not ▁as ▁such ▁art ic ulate ▁any ▁sentences ▁which ▁could ▁convey ▁coh er ent ▁meaning . ▁The ▁surface ▁structures ▁const itute ▁the ▁level ▁at ▁which ▁this ▁occurs . ▁The ▁connecting ▁link ▁between ▁them ▁is ▁a ▁set ▁of ▁rules ▁of ▁transformation , ▁to ▁use ▁Ch om sky ' s ▁own ▁phase ." ▁The ▁transform ative ▁processes ▁and ▁entities ▁are ▁generally , ▁at ▁least ▁on ▁one ▁level ▁of ▁empir ical ▁analysis , ▁performed ▁or ▁actual ized ▁by ▁myth s ▁and ▁relig ions , ▁but ▁philosoph ies , ▁art ▁systems , ▁or ▁even ▁semi otic ▁consumer ▁behavior ▁can , ▁in ▁principle , ▁perform ▁that ▁function . ▁ ▁Un ified ▁concept ▁of ▁social ▁science ▁Par s ons ' ▁theory ▁reflect s ▁a ▁vision ▁of ▁a ▁un ified ▁concept ▁of ▁social ▁science ▁and ▁indeed ▁of ▁living ▁systems ▁in ▁general . ▁His ▁approach ▁diff ers ▁in ▁ess ence ▁from ▁Nik las ▁Lu h mann ' s ▁theory ▁of ▁social ▁systems ▁because ▁Par s ons ▁reject s ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁systems ▁can ▁be ▁aut opo iet ic , ▁short ▁of ▁the ▁actual ▁action ▁system ▁of ▁individual ▁actors . ▁Systems ▁have ▁im man ent ▁capac ities ▁but ▁only ▁as ▁an ▁outcome ▁of ▁the ▁institution