[pcp-discuss:] Fwd: Query about feedback

From: Francis Heylighen (fheyligh@vub.ac.be)
Date: Mon Mar 05 2001 - 10:00:59 GMT

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    >From: "Andrew Gunner" <andrewg@netspace.net.au>
    >To: <PCP@vub.ac.be>
    >Subject: Query about feedback
    >Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2001 22:29:55 +1100
    >X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
    >Importance: Normal
    >
    >
    >
    >Hello
    >
    >I have worked as a problem gambling counsellor for four years - and I am
    >doing a masters degree by research into the nature of problem gambling.
    >
    >Is there some way in which I can post this question onto the PCP mailing
    >list
    >
    >I am taking a systems approach to problem gambling and looking at how the
    >pattern of organization of problem gambling could be presented as a system
    >of feedback loops - including several critical deviation amplifying feedback
    >loops.
    >
    >I have been influenced by many authors including:
    >· Capra, “The Web of Life”
    >· Gleick “Chaos”, and
    >· Maruyama “The Second Cybernetics: Deviation Amplifying Mutual Causal
    >Processes”
    >
    >I want to find a reference that discusses and classifies feedback systems.
    >Maruyama and Capra cover two forms of feedback loop: (a) amplifying and (b)
    >damping feedback. Lyn Hoffmann presents Bateson's ideas of symmetrical and
    >complementary relationships as two forms of amplifying feedback loop. I find
    >myself asking questions that I hope others have sorted out and presented.
    >For example,
    >
    >Reversible and irreversible feedback loops
    >Maruyama presents the example of the weathering of rock as an example of
    >amplifying feedback, i.e. water gathering in an indentation freezing and
    >cracking the rock enabling more water to gather the next time. This process
    >is clearly not reversible. While an increase in the water gathering causes
    >an increase in cracking, reduced water gathering cannot reverse the cracking
    >of the rock. Has some author discussed the reversibility of feedback
    >processes?
    >
    >Other categories of feedback loop
    >Are there other relevant categories of feedback loops? Has some author
    >written about categories of feedback processes?
    >
    >Modelling of systems using feedback loops
    >As I write it occurs to me that perhaps the aspect of the system that needs
    >to be in the feedback loop is the rate of cracking. An increase in water
    >gathering would cause increased rate of cracking and a decrease in water
    >gathering would cause a decrease in the rate of cracking. Has some author
    >discussed the modelling of systems using feedback?
    >
    >I have scanned the engineering library, but most of these texts seem to
    >focus on control theory – deviation-damping feedback. I found Mees (1981)
    >“The Dynamics of feedback systems”. This may be useful, I am still to read
    >it further.
    >
    >Thanks
    >
    >Andrew Gunner
    >Melbourne Australia

    _________________________________________________________________________
    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>



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