Re: [pcp-discuss:] New Paper: Cybernetics and Second-Order Cybernetics

From: Gavin Ritz (garritz@XTRA.CO.NZ)
Date: Fri Feb 23 2001 - 23:31:09 GMT

  • Next message: Francis Heylighen: "[pcp-discuss:] Fwd: 2nd SEE (semiosis.evolution.energy) Conference"

    Francis
    I am unable to find your paper. What is is the title of your paper?
    kindest
    gavin

    Francis Heylighen wrote:

    > As I announced some time ago, I was invited to write a review paper
    > on cybernetics for the Encyclopedia of Physical Science & Technology
    > (3rd ed.), (Academic Press). The final version of the paper is now
    > ready, and available at
    > http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/Papers/Cybernetics-EPST.pdf
    >
    > Although it is obviously very difficult to summarize all the main
    > ideas of cybernetics in a single paper without remaining very
    > superficial, I think my co-author Cliff Joslyn and I have managed to
    > do a quite decent job, and I would recommend the paper to anybody who
    > wants to get an introduction to and overview of the main concepts
    > (e.g. variety, feedback, closure, control, constructivism, ...) and
    > principles (e.g. law of requisite variety, requisite hierarchy,
    > self-organization, ...) of cybernetics.
    >
    > Where possible, the ideas have been made explicit using simple
    > formulas and diagrams. Since this is meant for a "hard science"
    > encyclopedia, we have focused more on the "hard" ideas, and less on
    > the philosophical, social and psychological implications, although
    > these are implicit throughout the article.
    >
    > We thank Val Turchin and Ranulph Glanville for reviewing the
    > manuscript and suggesting improvements. Although the Encyclopedia
    > requested us to write the paper in an "authoritative" manner, as if
    > we were expressing the general consensus in the field, it is obvious
    > that such a consensus does not really exist, and therefore the paper
    > should be read as our own view on cybernetics. Still, I think we have
    > managed to include most of the ideas that cyberneticians generally
    > agree upon, although other authors might have liked to put the
    > emphasis differently.
    >
    > -----------------------------------------
    > Cybernetics and Second-Order Cybernetics
    >
    > Francis Heylighen
    > Free University of Brussels
    >
    > Cliff Joslyn
    > Los Alamos National Laboratory
    >
    > Contents
    > I.Historical Development of Cybernetics
    > I.1.Origins
    > I.2.Second Order Cybernetics
    > I.3.Cybernetics Today
    >
    > II.Relational Concepts
    > II.1.Distinctions and Relations
    > II.2.Variety and Constraint
    > II.3.Entropy and Information
    > II.4.Modelling Dynamics
    >
    > III.Circular Processes
    > III.1.Self-Application
    > III.2.Self-Organization
    > III.3.Closure
    > III.4.Feedback Cycles
    >
    > IV.Goal-Directedness and Control
    > IV.1.Goal-Directedness
    > IV.2.Mechanisms of Control
    > IV.3.The Law of Requisite Variety
    > IV.4.Components of a Control System
    > IV.5.Control Hierarchies
    >
    > V.Cognition
    > V.1.Requisite Knowledge
    > V.2.The Modelling Relation
    > V.3.Learning and Model-Building
    > V.4.Constructivist Epistemology
    >
    > Bibliography
    > --
    >
    > _________________________________________________________________________
    > Dr. Francis Heylighen <fheyligh@vub.ac.be> -- Center "Leo Apostel"
    > Free University of Brussels, Krijgskundestr. 33, 1160 Brussels, Belgium
    > tel +32-2-6442677; fax +32-2-6440744; http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/HEYL.html
    > ========================================
    > Posting to pcp-discuss@lanl.gov from Francis Heylighen <fheyligh@vub.ac.be>

    ========================================
    Posting to pcp-discuss@lanl.gov from Gavin Ritz <garritz@xtra.co.nz>



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