AM ERICAN SO CIETY FOR CYBERNETICS Number 3
NEWSLETTER
Edited by Allenna Leonard August 1980
EFLECTIONS ON THE FESTIVAL By Shelly Clemson AFTERTHOUGHTS - EDITORIAL COMMENT By Roger Conant Participants in the First Annual Cybernetics estival at Sunset, Maine basked in sunshine, We will not convince the world tha t we have omaraderie, and participative labor for two anything worthwhi le to offer as a group/disci ovely days. Roger and Shirley Conant, hosts pline, if we cannot apply our understandings tc f the "happening", survived the brief trans ourselves. Do we understand self-organization! ormation of their summer homestead into a Then we should be able to bootstrap and self onference center. ASC folk from Washington, D.C. organize into a li:vely society. Do we under aryland, Virginia, Orono, ME., Chicago (Conant's stand circular causality? Then we should be Lnter home), New Hampshire (Larry Heilprin's able to apply positive feedback to our own op nmner home), Boston and Jakarta, Indonesia erations. Do we understand control and commun ~arry Clemson's parents) gave the meeting a ications? Then we need to modify the design of Lobal perspective. our own existing channels of communications anc Despite the overall mood of casual raillery, develop new ones to enhance both our internal ~ighty issues were the order of the day. Basic interactions and those wh;ich we have with the ;sumptions, such as the proper role of profess external environment. Tf we fail we shall not >nal societies, the unique mission of ASC, and only be an organizational flop, we shall as te desirability and rate of membership expansion practitioners have given a'l!lple evidence that !re on the agenda. Strategy sessions concent~ cybernetic insight is just an airy notion. tted on implementation of a fall membership Could that be? I like to think not and offer :ive, short and long range conference partic a few thoughts on the society's communications. >ation for 198ü-82 and beyond, the role of the We are a loosely coupled system, widely >urnal and the Forum, and exchange activities scattered, lacking in critical mass of members .th other organizations. One popular proposal except in a few places such the D.C. area where LS the increased use of the News Letter as .a tight personal bonds are _possible . through reg >rum for ideas; a kind of medium for cybernetic ular informal meetings. To succeed as a societ .alogue. Roger Conant suggested the inclusion communication through printed media is crucial. : 'fundamental questions 1 as a thought-provoking To meet this need our present formal publicat :arting point. Another intriguing Suggestion ions are only peripher ally useful and for a ts an idealproblern exchange with Soviet number of reasons. They are only published in rberneticians. frequently, they have long lead times, they ad Cybernetics, when not explicitly discussed, mit only of well reasoned polished final drafts :ill simmered noisily beneath the surface. The and thus do not foster spontaneaus discussion, Lestion of whether or not we were organizing and last but not least they are prohibitively trselves cybernetically (i.e. practicing what expensive. I believe that this· newsletter offe· ! profess) was raised frequently, and the the best vehicle for dynamic printed communic >ncepts of self-organization, autopoiesis, ations. I predict that ASC will succeed or fai !edback, and requisite variety provided the according to the success of. the newsletter. >gnitive breakthroughs that moved the group For the newsletter to succeed it must >ward consensus at several points during the a) have very rapid turnaraund and it must be !ekend. published frequently·, b) be both interesting People who had attended the April Planning and informal so that all or most members will >nference in Washington were eagerly looking both read and contribute to it and c) it must >rward to the implementation of more of the not impose such an overwhelming task that no on >nference's recommendations. Frank Leonard will be willing to serve as editor and take on ; planning a follow-up meeting in Toronto this the responsibility of getting i .t out. tnuary. At that time, some of us hope to Another vehicle for communications that we tve additional opportunities to get tagether in have is conferences. Too often our meetings and 1all, stimulating discussion groups that conferences have centered on organizational >ncentrate on cybernetics theory and ideas. housekeeping matters and/or on the eternal que ~tails of organizational logistics will be stion What is cybernetics? Too seldom do we get 1nned from these sessions!! It's amazing how to address the sum and subs·tance of cybernetics 1ch details tend to expand and devour all CONANT (cont'd) railable time and space. Only strict vigilance Lll check their growth! CLEMSON (cont 'd)
~- ~ AMERICAN SOCI ETY FOR CYBERNETICS Nurober 3
NEWSLETTER
Edited by Allenna Leonard August 1980
REFLECTIONS ON THE FESTIVAL By Shelly Clemson AFTERTHOUGHTS - EDITORIAL COMMENT By Roger Conant Participants in the First Annual Cybernetics Festival at Sunset, Maine basked in sunshine, We will not convi.nce the world that we have comaraderie, and participative labor for two anything worthwhile to offer as a group/disci ovely days. Roger and Shirley Conant, hosts pline, if we cannot apply our understandings tc of the "happening", survived the brief trans ourselves. Do we understand self-organization! f ormation of their summer homestead into a Then we should be able to bootstrap and self bonference center. ASC folk from Washington, D.C. organize into a li:vely society. Do we under ryland, Virginia, Orono, ME., Chicago (Conant's stand circular causality? Then we should be inter home), New Hampshire (Larry Heilprin's able to apply positive feedback to our own op home), Boston and Jakarta, Indonesia erations. Do we understand control and commun Clemson's parents) gave the meeting a ications? Then we need to modify the design of 1lobal perspective. our own existing channels of communications anc Despite the overall mood of casual raillery, develop new ones to enhance both our internal eighty issues were the order of the day. Basic interactions and those which we have with the ~ sumptions, such as the proper role of profess external environment. If we fail we shall not anal societies, the unique mission of ASC, and only be an organizational flop, we shall as he desirability and rate of membership expansion practitioners have given ample evidence that ere on the agenda. Strategy sessions concent~ cybernetic insight is just an airy notion. ated on implementation of a fall membership Could that be? I like to think not and offer rive, short and long range conference partic a few thoughts on the society's communications. pation for 1980-82 and beyond, the role of the We are a loosely coupled system, widely Jurnal and the Forum, and exchange activities scattered, lacking in critical mass of members Lth other organizations. One popular proposal except in a few places such the D.C. area where 3.S the increased use of the News Letter as .a tight personal bonds are _possible through reg Jrum for ideas; a kind of medium for cybernetic ular informal meetings. To succeed as a societ Lalogue. Roger Conant suggested the inclusion communication through printed media is crucial. E 'fundamental questions 1 as a thought-provoking To meet this need our present formal publicat tarting point. Another intriguing Suggestion ions are only peripher ally useful and for a 3.S an idea/problem exchange with Soviet number of reasons. Th.ey are only published in rberneticians. frequently, they have lang lead times, they ad Cybernetics, when not explicitly discussed, mit only of well reasoned polished final drafts till simmered noisily beneath the surface. The and thus do not foster spontaneaus discussion, ~estion of whether or not we were organizing and last but not least they are prohibitively ~rselves cybernetically (i.e. practicing what expensive. I believe that this· newsletter offe· : profess) was raised frequently, and the the best vehicle for dynamic printed communic Jncepts of self-organization, autopoiesis, ations. I predict that ASC will succeed or fai :edback, and requisite variety provided the accor.ding to the success of. the newsletter. Jgnitive breakthroughs that moved the group For the newsletter to succeed it must Jward consensus at several points during the a) have very rapid turnaraund and it must be :ekend. published frequently·, b) be both interesting People who had attended the April Planning and informal so that all or most members will Jnference in Washington were eagerly looking both read and contribute to it and c) it must Jrward to the implementation of more of the not impose such an overwhelming task that no on Jnference's recommendations. Frank Leonard will be willing to serye as editor and take on s planning a follow-up meeting in Toronto this the responsibility of getting it out. 3.nuary. At that time, some of us hope to Another vehicle for communications that we 3.Ve additional opportunities to get tagether in have is conferences. Too often our meetings and nall, stimulating discussion groups that conferences have centered on organizational oncentrate on cybernetics theory and ideas. housekeeping matters and/or on the eternal que etails of organizational logistics will be stion What is cybernetics? Too seldom do we get anned from these sessions!! It's amazing how to address the sum and subs·tance of cybernetics uch details tend to expand and devour all CONANT (cont'd) vailable time and space. Only strict vigilance ill check their growth! CLEMSON (cont 'd) AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CYBERNETICS Nurober 3
NEWSLETTER
Edited by Allenna Leonard August 1980
REFLECTIONS ON THE FESTIVAL By Shelly Clemson AFTERTHOUGHTS - EDITORIAL COMMENT By Roger Cona,nt Participants in the First Annual Cybernetics Festival at Sunset, Maine basked in sunshine, We will not convince the world tha,t we have comaraderie, and participative labor for two anything worthwhile to offer as a group/disci lovely days. Roger and Shirley Conant, hosts pline, if we cannot apply our understandings tc of the "happening", survived the brief trans ourselves. Do we unders·tand self-organization: formation of their summer homestead into a Then we should be able to bootstrap and self conference center. ASC folk from Washington, D.C. organize into a lively society. Do we under Maryland, Virginia, Orono, ME., Chicago (Conant's stand circular causality? Then we should be winter home), New Hampshire (Larry Heilprin's able to apply positive feedback to our own op surnmer home), Boston and Jakarta, Indonesia erations. Do we understand control and cornmun (Barry Clemson's parents) gave the meeting a ications? Then we need to modify the design o global perspective. our own existing channels of communications an Despite the overall mood of casual raillery, develop new ones to enhance both our internal weighty issues were the order of the day. Basic interactions and those wh~ch we have with the assumptions, such as the proper role of profess external environment. Tf we fail we shall not ional societies, the unique mission of ASC, and only be an organizational flop, we shall as the desirability and rate of membership expansion practitioners have given alJlple evidence that were on the agenda. Strategy sessions concent~ cybernetic insight is just an airy notion. rated on implementation of a fall membership Could that be? I like to think not and offer drive, short and long range conference partic a few thoughts on the society's communications ipation for 1980-82 and beyond, the role of the We are a loosely coupled system, widely Journal and the Forum, and exchange activities scattered, lacking in critical mass of members with other organizations. One popular proposal except in a few places such the D.C. area wher was the increased use of the News Letter as .a tight personal bonds are .possible through reg forum for ideas; a kind of medium for cybernetic ular informal meetings. To succeed as a socie dialogue. Roger Conant suggested the inclusion communication through printed media is crucial of 'fundamental questions 1 as a thought-provoking To meet this need our present formal publicat starting point. Another intriguing suggestion ions are only peripher ally useful and for a was an idea/problem exchange with Soviet number of reasons. Th.ey are only published in cyberneticians. frequently, they have lang lead times, they ad Cybernetics, when not explicitly discussed, mit only of well reasoned polished final draft still simmered noisily beneath the surface. The and thus do not fester spontaneaus discussion, question of whether or not we were organizing and last but not least they are prohibitively ourselves cybernetically (i.e. practicing what expensive. I believe that this· newsletter off, we profess) was raised frequently, and the the best vehicle for dynamic printed communic concepts of self-organization, autopoiesis, ations. I predict that ASC will succeed or fa feedback, and requisite variety provided the according to the success of. the newsletter. cognitive breakthroughs that moved the group For the newsletter to succeed it must toward consensus at several points during the a) have very rapid turnaraund and it must be weekend. published frequently·, b) be both interesting People who had attended the April Planning and informal so that all or most members will Conference in Washington were eagerly looking both read and contribute to it and c) it must forward to the implementation of more of the not impose such an overwhelming task that no o eonference's recommendations. Frank Leonard will be willing to serve as editor and take on is planning a follow-up meeting in Toronto this the responsibility of getting it out. January. At that time, some of us hope to Another vehicle for communications that we have additional opportunities to get tagether in have is conferences. Too often our meetings an small, stimulating discussion groups that conferences have centered on organizational concentrate on cybernetics theory and ideas. housekeeping matters and/or on the eternal que Details of organizational logistics will be stion What is cybernetics? Too seldom do we ge banned from these sessions!! It's amazing how to address the sum and substance of cybernetic such details tend to expand and devour all CONANT (cont'd) available time and space. Only strict vigilance will check their growth~ CLEMSON ( con t 'd) ASC Membership 1980
M. Brewster Abele Jean A.H. Bourget Charles H. Dym 23 Russell Ct. /1211 2780 RO\o.'att 2511 Mass. Ave. Newtonvi1le, Mass. 02160 Ottowa, Ontario, K2B 6PI Washington, D.C. 20008
George Ainsworth-Land Jerald S. Brodkey Leila Engman 1333 Lopaka Place 2074 Abington Rd. 14908 Talking Rock Kailua, Hawaii 96734 Cleveland, Ohio 44 106 Gaithersburg, MD. 20760
l-1ichael G. Allen Phylis Carr William C. Doak Jr. 721 Hollow Tree Ridge Rd. 30 \\falker Ave. Apt. 1!411 Darien, Conn. 06820 Gaithersburg, Md. 20760 2727 Duke St. Alexandria, VA. 22314
M.A. Arbib Barry Clemson Kenneth L. Farrimond, HD . 164 Aubin Wood Rd. 33 Pond Street 914 Oak Hills Med. Bldg. Amherst Mass. 01002 Orono, HE. 04473 San Antonio, Tx. 78229
Geurge Au~tin Roger Conant Charles A. Fink Loma Linda Vnivcrsity 08 Seo Wicc Box 4348 3305 Brandy Court Rm. 2539 School of Hedicine Q,icago, Ill. 60680 Falls Church, VA. 22024 Loma Linda, Calif. 92350
Kosmas Balkus N.A. Coulter, Jr. Lawrence Fleming Dept. of Urban & Reg. Plan. 123 Clinical Sei. Bldg. 229H P.O.Box 1843 Florida State University University of North Carolina Philadelphia, PA. 19105 Tallahassee, Fla. 32306 Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514
Stafford Beer Paul F. Dell Parker Foley Cwarel ISAF Pont Creuddyn Dept. of Psychiatry &· Behav. 7501 Rhode Island Ave. #2 LLanbedr P.S. Dyfed University of Texas Medical College Park, MD. 20740 SA48-8ppPG Wales U.K. Galveston, Texas 77550
A. Bhanos Don Driscoll Charles 0. Francais 10402 Forest Avenue 9021 Contee Road Defensa 113-8 Piso Fairfax, VA. 22030 Laurel, Md. 20811 1065 Buenos Aires Argentina
Belgian EHI
Larry J. Bidinian Vadim Drozin Nicholas H. Fritz, Jr. Div. Behav.& Soc. Sei. Dept. of Physics 2330 S. Queen Street Dept. Gov. & Politics Buckwell University Arlington, VA . 22202 University of Maryland Lewisburg, PA . 17837 College Park, Md. 20742
Alan H. Blair Bonnie Dunning Abe Goldblatt 1121 Pekay St. S.W. 5363 Essex Ct. /1150 3321 Stanford St. Vienna, ~· 22180 Alexandria~ v~. 223lt \\;1at.t.svi.\.1.e, l
Bill Halal P.T. Johnson-Lenz James R. Geiser, Assoc.Prof 1550 44th Street N.W. 695 Fifth Street Math and Computer Science Washington, D.C. 20007 Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034 SUNY College at New Paltz New Paltz, New York 12561
Carl Hammer Stuart Katz Joyce C. Little Sperry Univac Psychology, Univ. of Georgia 723 Nottingham RD 2121 Wisconsin Ave. N.W. Athens, GA. 30602 Baltimore, MD. 21229 Washington, D.C. 20007
John Hayman Frederick Kile Al Kreger Auburn University Res. Consultant for Social 5514 Westbard Ave. Box 1018 Aid Assoc. for Lutherans Bethesda, MD. 20016 Clanton, Ala. 35045 Appleton, Wisc. 54919
William E. Hanna Jr. Louise H. Klein ~ Alfred Locker 632 Crocus Drive 550 Coventry Rd. Hetzendorferstr 58- 60/7/5 Rockville, Md. 20850 Berkely, CA. 94707 A1120 Vienna, Austria
L.B. Heilprin Douglas E. Knight Christopher R. Longyear 4800 Berwyn House Rd. 1000 Westchester Ave. Univ. of Washington College Park Maryland White Plains, N.Y. 10604 English, Dept. GN-30 20740 Seattle, Wash. 98195
Howard J. Hiltqn HUC · Felix Kopstein Anthony J. Menezes 5480 Wisconsin Ave. Science Center 6520 Chaffee Rd., Apt. 171 Chevy Chase, MD. 20015 Wayne, PA. 19087 Des Meines, Iowa 50315
Paul S. Henshaw Klaus Krippendorf Jean F. Matthew 6050 Camina Esquina Annenberg Sch. of Commun. 5666 Heathwood Ct~ Tucson, Ariz. 85718 University of Penn·. 19104 Virginia Beach, VA. 23462
S.R. Hoffman Frank and Allenna Leonard Allan Mitchell & Carol Gibsan P.O. Box 3096 10270 Wilde Lake Terrace 19333 Vallco Parkway Burlingon, VT, 05401 Columbia, MD. 21044 Cupertino, Calif. 95014
Daniel Howland Robert Leong Kumpati S. Narendra Bu3iness Administration Systems in Ed. & Training Dept. of Engineering & Ap.Sci. Ohio State University 1555W. Olympic Blvd. Yale Unive10sity Columbus, Ohio 43210 Los Angeles, CA. 90015 New Haven, Conn.
Iemp~, 1"\.L...LLoVU~ (cont'd) S~~rNG THE WORD OR FUNgus
er Aided Manufacturing (CAM) The extremely broad applicability of individual with an engineering background cybernetics has led to the suggestion that ferably a combination of mechanical and content areas members work in and their ctrical)with experience in applying CAM conferences would be good places to set up n an electrical/electronics manufacturing cybernetics side workshops, publications, etc. etting is required to advise maRagement of l This is the yeast or fungus model of organic oncepts and practicalities of CAM and related growth. Please share your ideas for the echnology. Responsibilities also include advancement of symbiosis between ASC and roviding substantive contributions to course other groups in a short piece for the News ontent to the technology transfer training Letter or a longer one for the FORUM. ffort and assisting in its evaluation. QUESTIONMRE SHINGTON, D.C. GROUP MEETINGS The initial responses to the Mark your calendars now for D.C. group ASC Questionaire have oeen very !etings on September 17, October 15 and 1 interesting. I:f YßU haven t yet mailed IVember 19 at the· Irbn Gate Inn at 1734 yours please do it as soon as you can. St. N.W. in Washington. Professor rf yDur questionaire is lost or strayed, tbramaniam from India will be the September let me (~llenna Leonard 10270 Wilde Lake 'eaker. Cocktails will start at 5:30, dinner Tr. Columbia, Md. 21044) know and I 1 11 : 6:15 and his talk at about 7:00. The Iron send another. The sooner we get the .te is convenient to the L bus lines and is responses the sooner we can analyze them tar the Dupont Circle subway stop. and start making Connections.
?ORTRAil 0~ TH~ ~TißT ~ ~BE.RNETrClAN Cartoonists Wanted These who are skilled at making drawings an Orte idea that came out of the Maine cartoons can contribute to the readability and 1rainstorming was to have an art show of humor of Cybernetics Forum by submitting ,sc presenters and participants. This occa s ional cartoons. See the book, What' s So rould add another dimenslion to -our percep Funny About Science, Los Altos~ Calif. William :ion of who we are. Poets, painters, photo Kaufmann, Inc., 1970. as an example. ;raphers.potters and weavers are reported Advertising Manager Wanted :o abound in ASC. Think about bringing Advertising in the Forum will improve our ·our portable artwerk for axbibit at the financial posture and provide useful informatir ~oronto Conference. Apyone who has or for our members. We need someone who will rould like to have experience in setting solicit ads for the Forum. Likely advertisers tp an exhibit of this nature please get are publishers of books and other journals in .n touch with Stuart or Bill Reckmeyer. the field, micro-computer manufacturers and iill is handling other conference plans companies making or programming industrial robc tnd will know who to contact for space. re might also want to think about planning If you would like to work on this important taE tn appropriate bash to celebrate our arts. or contribute cartoons or photographs (or articles for that matter) please write Vadim ~ OUND: One Drozin, Cybernetics Forum editor, Department of Physics, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA. In Maine, the round wa-s dubbed fitting 17837 :or the marehing and chowder songs of a iociety dealing in circular causality. A QUESTIONS 'irst try was assembled by Stuart and ulenna. To the tune of Freres Jacques ... Please send your guiding question in for inclusion in an article (probably in the FORUM Cybernetics. Cybernetics. with a small B & W photo suitable for printing Change appears. Change appears. See us now adapting. See us now ALSO FOR THE FORUM ••. adapting. Several of us who were in Maine (and else Model: Beer's. Model: Beer's. where) have taken photographs of ASC people an. activities. Prints would be much appreciated )ther entries are most earnestly solicited. for a write up in the FORUM on the festival 1lease submit to News Letter. and for inclusion in other articles. Carolyn O'Connor Michael J. Quinn Eugene W. Rypka, 10009 Blue Coat Dr. 287 Macpherson Avenue Fairfax, VA. 22030 P.O. Box 8273 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Albuquerque M4V 1A4
Akira Ishikawa 92 New Street Rammohan K. Ragade Osvaldo Sangiori Systems Science Institute Rua Barao do Rio Pardo Newark, NJ. 07102 University of Louisville 05662-Morumbi Louisville, Kentucky 40292 Sae Paulo BRASIL
Prof. Ada Luk P.O. Box 1860 James B. Rechen H.H. Sayani Hong Kong 7848 Briardale Terrace 5706 Gaueher Drive Derwood, MD 20855 College Park, MD 20740
Clark J. Maust, JR. 5803 Wolf Road Bill Reckmeyer Rosalind Schulman Orlando, FLA. 32808 2374 Tulip Road The Philadelphian 8B25 San Jose, CA 95128 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130
Roy Mitchell 01-B.P. 1850 Allen H. Reid Aretee Gordon T. Shahin Abidjan - 01 8787 Frederick Road 2107 Callaway Street Ivory Coast Ellicott City, MD 21043 Washington, D.C. 20031
Ursula Nogic Larry Richards 5227 42nd Place 17204 Hoskinson Rd. Elaine Shalowitz Hyattsville Maryland Poolesville, MD. 20837 5603 Huntington Pkwy 20782 Bethesda, MD 20014
William C. Moore Dr. William D. Richards, Jr. Louise B. Speck, Ph.D. 1819 H. Street N.W. Dept. of Communication Washington, D.C. 20006 2506 Palmer Avenue Sirnon Fraser University Glenwood Springs Burnaby, BC Colorado 81601 Canada V5A 1S6 Mark Ozer 3000 Conn. Ave. N.W. Herbert Robinson Leonard Starobin, Washington, D.C. 20006 Box 17107 Speech Dept Fountain Hills, Ariz 85268 Univ. of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
WLiliam Paris Fernando Rosas, M.D. 501 Slaters Lane #607 Centro Me'dico Frederick Steir Alexandria, VA. 22314 Carrera 11 No. 9723 Ap 501 Annenberg School of Communica. Bogata, Columbia University of Pannsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104
Jeffrey Perrone Steve Ruth 3685 17th Street 6204 Colmac Drive Doreen Stegg Falls Church, VA 22044 San Francisco, CA. 94114 1616 Hepburn Deive Villanova, PA 19085
David C. Ryan, Jr. Ellen G. Stolarik Dr. D. Pratt 2814 63rd Place 4310 Van Buren Street Faculty of Education Cheverly, MD 20785 Queens University University Park, MD 20782 Kino~tnn . ~RnRrlR K7M ~AA T HOUGHTS FROM THE PAST Lest anyone think that our current efforts towards re-creation are breaking new ground , it seems fitting to do an instant re play from the pages of the Autumn 1974 issue of the FORUM. A Forum for Cybernetics
What the world needs now is just one more learned joumal. It should be stodgy, recondite, arrogant and humorless. Above all, its reasoning, preferably couched in arcane mathematical notation, should be subtly trivial or inconclusive. The persistent general reader's reward at the end of most articles should be an urge to yawn, or a quickly suppressed anxiety fit about the adequacy of his (or her) intelligence and education. Each author should find the articles preceding and following his own either irrelevant or incomprehensible, except that a few contributors should find here a comfortable place to rattle acadernic credentials at a very few others. The outward and inward aspects of this joumal, if it is to command a respected place in the vast morass of professional literature, must be formal and forbidding to invoke suitable feelings of awe and credulity. It is in the shadow of this specter that the FORUM, this Summer, has been transmogrified from a merely chatty newsletter for a rather small society into a- yes!- journal. This quarterly, in the words of Roy Herrmann, " ... will become the arena for spiritual fights to clarify complex issues in a way that makes it dynamic, instructive and good reading material." The "complex issues" are those of Cybernetics and o! tne world. The "spiritual fights" are likely to be over what Cybernetics is and may become. Shall we Iook, in the FORUM, to define Cybemetics by what cyberneticians do? Will non-technical English suffice to express and dispute the polyglot philo sophic and scientific beliefs, concepts, techniques and actions which are uniquely Cybernetics? Are we embarking on an Old Testament journey? "Let us build us... a tower, whose top may reach Ünto heaven; and Iet us make us a name ... " Just such grand aspirations seem to motivate many cyberneticians. Warren McCulloch, in 1953, addressed a joint session of the American J\cademy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The theme of the meeting was the Unity of Science, and McCulloch's talk was entitled, "Mysterium Iniquitatis: Of Sinful Man Aspiring into the Place of God." Most strikingly and eloquently, he spoke of his profound faith in the view of organism as mechanism, and of his certainty that the enigma of the miild-or brain-is soluble at least partly through techniques used in other scientific domains to crack other problems. Many of McCulloch's views and methods, if not his specific preoccupations and larger-than-life personal endowments, characterize other cyberneticians. He was driven by a restless, voracious hunger for knowledge and closure. In seeking keys to unlock the mysteries of the mind he was quick to grasp and devour implications and applications from many scientific specialties. He saw science as a universal entity rather than as fragmented compartments. He had no hesitation in-and a large capacity for-learn ing and extrapolating knowledge and techniques drawn from other fields of inquiry. His immense energy, dramatic presence and flair for language enabled him to carry off with superb grace the role of eclectic. In any sense that it is possible to be one in the twentieth century, he was a Renaissance Man. Cyberneticians share-in addition to belief in the centrality and power of the concepts of communica tion and control-the conviction that scientific methods, data and analogies constitute a practical unity. Whatever his specialized field of training or work, the cybernetician strives to be pan-disciplinarian in his attack on any problem. Nor is betonging to the classification of cybernetician limited to members of societies or graduates of programs which sport the term Cybernetics in their titles. As Cybernetics emerges more articulately and distinctly, more scientists will become aware that they are using cybernetic techniques and, indeed, are cyberneticians. As recently as ten to 15 years ago, the designation Cybernetics was often regarded with some embarrassment as a usage which had been preempted by science-fiction writers, Europeans, con-men and cranks. Now there is a growing acceptance of the term in academic institutions and professional circles. If more cyberneticians would write of their thoughts and works in laymen's terms-for regardless of our best efforts to master other fields we remain, humanly, laymen in all but a few-the discipline of Cybernetics m:ight come into its own as a powerful master science. With all due respect to the growing technical Iiterature in Cybernetics, the FORUM addresses that part of the discipline which is most difficult-communications. Here is the challenge to cyberneticians: Can you describe your accomplish ments without resorting to jargon and abstruse or superfluously technical exposition? This will be the FORUM.
BACK ISSDES AVAILABLE Mitton S. Katz Back issues of the Forum and the Journal abound with such thought provoking stuff. The society has a fair supply of many back issues which are avail able to ASC members at a discount. Contact Barry Clemson for additional information and details on how to complete your library and reference files. B. Clemson, 33 Pond Street, Orono, Maine 04473.
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--- . ------:_.... ___ _ - - ______.._ I AM ERICAN SOC IETY FOR CYBERNETICS
2475 Virginia Ave. NW, #411 Washington, D.C. 20037 August 20, 1980
Dear ASC member, Subaccounts are now available through ASC for participating in the Electronic Information Exchange System (EIES) at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. A price list is enclosed. For someone using an average of 5 hours per month connect time, the yearly cost would be $420. Subaccounts are primarily for sending and receiving messages, and for taking part in conferences of interest to the member. ASC members who plan to use larger amounts of time an EIES should consider a Class I or Class II account. These are private accounts which allow the user to sign an when he or she wishes, and which allow an entry in the EIES directory. Class I accounts provide a private conference space and a notebook of 200 pages. Response times also are better. As we build up the number of Class I memberships, we will be able to offer Class li accounts (currently none available) an a 1 Class II/3 Class I basis. If you would like to receive an introductory packet about EIES, please contact: Ms. Anita Graziäno Computerized Conferencing and Communications Center New Jersey Institute of Technology 323 High Street Newark, New Jersey 07102 (201) 645-5211/5212 lf you would like to open an account, please complete and return to me the EIES-ASC Application Form. I am happy to assist you however I can. Si ncere ly, ~~~\>{~ Mary G. Whittaker(KIP,398) ASC User Consultant Paul Studer Paul S. Windrem State U College of Arts&Sci. 3100 Tice Creek Drive, #3 School of Library & Info. Sc. Walnut Creek, CA 94595 Geneseo, N.Y. 14454
Carlis Taylor Fred Bernard Wood 1005 Hopewell Avenue 2346 Lansford Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20012 San Jose, CA 95125
George Tracz Ronald R. Yager 40 Edenvale Cres. Iona College Islington, Ontario New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801 Canada M9A4A4
Martin Zwick Stuart Umpleby Systems Science Program 3811 Calvert Street, N.W. Box 751 Washington, D.C. 20007 Portland State University Portland, Oregon 97207
John Voevodsky 177 Gaya Road Portoia Valley, CA 94025
Heinz Von Foerster Box 399 Pescadero, CA 94060
Guennady G. Vorobyov Sei. Council of Cybernetics Academy of Sei. 40, Vavilov B-333 USSR 117333, Moscow
Crayton \Jalker Mngt. & Admin. Seiences University of Connecticut Storrs, Conn 06268
Mary G. Whittaker 24 7 5 Virginia Avenue, #411, NI-l Washington, D.C. 20037
Tom Wickenden 103 Madison Street Ithaca, N.Y. 14850
Rolf Wigand Dept. of Communication Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85281