The question of knowledge versus competency in contemporary curricula is controversial. In this article we endeavour to show that the controversy has much to do with the way society is conceptualized as either a class differentiated or a function differentiated society. We examine Michael Young’s input to the curriculum debate concerning the question of knowledge with the aim of showing that his knowledge-centred approach, which considers class and status to be the main structuring influences on society, does not address the problems captured by a function differentiated perspective (society differentiated in function systems). We demonstrate that to understand knowledge adequately in the context of the challenges of a modern function differentiated society it is better conceptualized within a competency context. Finally, we argue that criticism from a class perspective does not adequately target specific problems arising from function differentiation.

当代课程中知识与能力的问题是有争议的。在本文中，我们努力表明，争议与社会被概念化为阶级分化社会或功能分化社会的方式有很大关系。我们检查了迈克尔·杨对关于知识问题的课程辩论的投入，目的是表明他以知识为中心的方法，认为阶级和地位是对社会的主要结构性影响，并没有解决由差异化功能捕获的问题。视角（社会在功能系统中分化）。我们证明，要在现代功能分化社会的挑战背景下充分理解知识，最好在能力背景下对其进行概念化。最后，