PUBLISHED BY TIIE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR , VOLUME 111, NUMBER 4, DECEMBER, 1970

NEVVSLEITER

POST-CONVENTION ISSUE

Editorial Convention Report

The Newsletter will publish any letters FOURTH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM HELD IN WASHINGTON addressed to the following topic Ed. A convention must be called a success There was a qualifying opinion, how­ when it breaks evcn fin anciall y, when ever, which should not go unrecorded. We are and we recognize some o f the papers given refer to, o r are Each year the meetings are held in a ster­ "cybernetics" when wc comc across it, built upon, work presented at previous ile audito rium far removcd from a sur­ but so far no one has defin ed "cyber­ meetings of the Spo nso ring society, and rounding environment wh ich easily pro­ netics" so that academicians are able to when the turn-out is the largest in several motes individual discourse. All audito­ specify a curriculum fo r it. Such is the years. All of these conditions were met at riums are sterile, perhaps, but it seems thesis of this editorial : The ASC sho uld the Fourth Annual Symposium of the that there are never amiable coffee shops, devise a curriculum for students majoring Society, which was held in Washington on or pastoral enclaves where quiet talks can in cybernetics. lt should define the October 8 and 9. Equally important was take place. Perhaps we just don't live a general principles to be included in such a the fact that five invited international style of life which any Ionger can gener­ curriculum, and then illustrate the appli­ speakers attended, but that they were ate enough demand for them. A high cation of these principles by reference to balanced by many younger, previously registration fee, coupled with an expen­ particular courses. u nknown scientists getting their first sive hotel may dissuade many from com­ Cybernetics is the science of control of exposure within the ASC. Most of the ing. It certainly makes li fe difficult for !arge systems. defines attendees were able to go home fee ling the student attendees. Four parallel ses­ a !arge system as one in which "The that they had seen o ld friends again, sions are also hard to follow, especiaUy accepted methods of solving sets o f first transacted some business, attended sev­ when they do not adhere to their time order differential equations Iead to solu­ eral outstanding talks, gotten some new schedules. The lecture format is a well­ tions which are opaque." Von Foerster ideas, and bee n involved in the workings known method for one-sided dialogue. then suggests the development ofa se ma­ of a new society which is starting to gain Certainly a ca n pro­ tic Ievel of analysis of modcls. Stafford some mo mentum in an exciting subject mote interaction to a greater extent than Beer, o n a different approach, argues that area. it has so far managed to do. (Ta page 2) computer models today do not really give us any close association with reality in !arge systems and to correct the Situation we should begin by first developing a theory of computer models. This gives us two parts o f a curriculum - the theory and practice o f !arge systcm computer models, and the theory and practice of solutions of differential equa­ tio ns. Since both Beer's and Von Foerster's arguments are based on the inapplicability of such methods, any Cur­ riculum must thirdly include adequate training for the rejection of well-tested me thods. Now comes the difficult part - what width of experience of complex systems should be included in a curriculum? Should business students only be con­ cerned with business-type problems? Sho uld biology majors only be concerned wi th ecosystems? The answer would appear to be "no," since a cybernetics Crayton Walker, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, UCLA, delivers curriculum which,(Continued on page 2) his paper, "Steady-State Behavior in a Class of Camplex Systems." DECEMBER 1970/2 Editorial Personals Society Co­ (from page 1) was too specifically Sponsors Meeting directed in its breadth of examples would New Publications by Members end up as just a set of Operationsresearch The American Society for Cybernetics adjuncts to present academic Sub­ Leonard C. Silvern has written a new will join with the Institute of Manage­ divisions. A better answer would be to book, "Principles of Computer - Assisted ment Sciences, the Ame rican Society for attempt a maximum breadth o f experi­ lnstruction Systems," the six th book in Public Administration, and the Opera­ ence without such a width leading to an the se ries Systems Engineering of Educa­ tions Research Society of America, under inadequate degree of depth. tion, from Education and Training Con­ the primary sponsorslu p of the National sultants, Los Angeles. Bureau of Standards, to hold a joint The abovc discussion is neither definitive meeting in Gaithersburg, Maryland, May nor necessa rily complete. But there is Ed Dewan has a paper " Dynanuc Sta­ 24- 26, 1971. Title of the conference is enough to make the point. This news­ bilization o f the Van der Po l Equation," The Fourth Joint Meeting of Operations letter could usefully accept the function coming in Proceedings o f the Symposium Researchcrs in the Federal Government of a dialogue towards the d esign of a on Feedback and Dynamic Control of and the Private Research Sector. Also much needed cybernetics curriculum. Plasmas. cooperating are the Association for Com­ Al ex S. Fraser puting Machin ery, and the Mathematical University-ofCirrcinn11ti- On NSF Committee AssDciat1on of--America. Myron Coler and Larry Fogel have been For further info rmatio n, write or invited to se rve on the Subcommittee on phone: Dr. Roy 1-lerrmann, Department Meeting Communication and Education for the of Management Science, Hall of Gove rn­ NSF-sponsored National Institute of ment - Room l 03, The George Washing­ The Institute of Management Seiences Ecology. ton University, Washington, D. C., 20006. (TIMS) will ho ld its XVUI Internatio nal (202) 676-6072. Meeting in Waslungton, D. C ., on March 23 - 25. Title of the meeting is "Interna­ Prexy Gives Talk tional Horizons of Management Science." Carl Hammer, ASC President, addressed For m ore informatio n contact J ack the fifth annual conference of the Pierre Moshman, Moshman Associates, lnc., Teilhard de Chardin Society in October in 6400 Goldsboro Road, Washington, D. C. London. Also o n the program were Frank OFFICERS 20034. (202) 229-3000. George and . Carl Hammer - Presidcnt Edmond M. Dewan - Vice President, Awards Program Roy Herrmann - Vice President, Symposia and Convention Report Programs Douglas E. Knigltt - Vice President, Publi­ Awards and Federation cations and Public Affairs 01arles P. Lecltt - Vice President, International Relations (Continued from page 1) William C. Moore Vicc President, Project The in vited speakers and sessio n chair­ national cybernetic groups. Ross Ashby Development men must be given great credit. Meredith A. Brickman Brown - Treasurer and Stafford Beer will continue negotiat­ Lewey 0. Gilstrap, Jr. - Secretary Thring, , Ross Ashby, Heinz­ ing the topic with tho.sc o ther--societies Von Foerster, Julian Bigelow and Stanley who have shown interest. About 125 DIRECTORS Auerbach set the tone for the whole con­ members voted, with almost no dissenting Heinz vo11 Foerster Chairman ference. Stafford Beer, in his keynote votes. John J. Ford - Executive Director address, challenged all to join in the solu­ Lawrence J. Fogel - Immediate Past President The Wiener Medals were not awarded Sau/ Amarel tions of the problems of mankind. He at the conference as has been the custom Alexander Fraser provided a framework for the understand­ Harold K. Hughes in the past. The committee decided that ing which will be needed, and titled his George T. Jacobi the two day time which they had for talk " The Liberty Machine." It sh ould be Douglas E. Knight consideration was too sho rt, and that a Robert Pos required reading for anyone who still has better choice could be made by waiting Herben 1\1. Robinson that curious trait called "concern." Com­ until year's end. The 1970 award will be Stephen 1-. Sherwood ing issues o f The Journal will carry the EDITOR many high quality presented papers. They made at next year's symposium. Stafford Beer was give n th e first Warren will prove to be a continuing treat until Jolzn D. White - Honeywcll , lnc., 2701 rourth Avenue South , Minneapolis, Min­ next year's conference. M cCullough Memorial Plaque, a new award created in memory of our ASC nesota 55408. founder and first President. Heinz Von The ASC NEWSLETTER is published four Among the highlights: lt was decided Foerster, in maki.ng the presentation times a ycar by the American Society for at one of the noon luncheans that the stated: " His numerous accomplishments Cybernetics, c/o Dr. Carl Hammer, 2121 Wis­ consin Avenue N.W., Washington, D. C. 20007, ASC would participate in the establishing are well-known to all of us and of such for ASC members. Single copies free. Annual of a loose international federation excellence that the choice was unani­ dues are $15 for mcmbers and $5 for student between the different national and inter- mous. members.

Prlnted in U. S. A . by MCBA ASC NEWSLEITER/3 Journal of Cybernetics Letters

Scripta Publishing Corporation has an­ Action-Oriented Memory for a Perceiving To the Editor: nounced a new "essential serics in elec­ System: The Basic Model," by Michael A. Everyone knows that the whole nation is tronics and cybernetics." This series will Arbib, University of Massachusetts, and hurting financially; whether we are in include the Journal of Cybernetics, which R.ichard L. Didday, Colorade State Uni­ academia, industry, or gove rnment, we all in part will contain the transactions of versity; "Strategie Compromise and feel the pinch. The problems of makmg a the American Society for Cybernetics, Modeling in Automatie Recognition of living, traveling to the ASC Symposium along with o ther important contributions Continuous Speech; an Hierarchical Ap­ or even paying dues, however, are not as in the information and control sciences. proach," by N. Rex Down and Charles C. great, as serious, or as tragic as the dis­ Four issues of the journal are anticipated Tappert, lßM Corporation; " Design of so! u tion of organizations and teams each year, totaling about 600 pages. The Computerized Pattern Recognition which is also taking place. While it may first issue should arrive some time in the Systems and Some Comparison to Human take months, or even a year or two, to first quarter of 1971. Pattern Recognjtion," by Earl E. Gose, find new jobs for the people displaced, to University of lllinois; "Theory of Tasks: The journal will publish Substa ntive rebuild teams, groups and organizations Organization of Heirarchical Hybrid Con­ original papers in -the theory of !arge will certainly take many years if not dec­ tra! Systems," by Pcter H. Green, Uni­ purposive interacting systems, computers ades. l am certain that such damage has versity ofChicago; "Embedding Fields: A and automata, applied mathematics, arti­ already been done, and some of it may bc Mathe matical Concept for Machine ficial in telligence, cybernetic devices, irreversible. Members of the ASC have Learning with Applications to Data," by robotics, and game and information been among . the Ieaders in science and Stephan Grossberg, MIT; "Engineering theories. lt will also feature important industry for some time; are we about to Robotics: Results on Autonomaus Auto­ contributions on applications of cyber­ abandon that leadership? matons," by Louis L. Sutro, MIT. netics (specifically, computer science) to As l recall, the word ecology was dis­ problems of society, medicine, and bi­ Some of the translated papers include: cussed at the 1968 meeting of our society ology, as weil as other articles in which "A Pair Algebra over a Free Automaton," - it is now in everyl;>ody's month. Yet, the use of mathematical modeling and by Teruaki Aizawa, NHK Technical Re­ who cares about people - ecology, the computer simulation illurninates analogies search Laboratories, Tokyo; " Representa­ inte raction , communication and control betwcen man and machine. Each issue of bility in Dete rministic Multi-Tape among them? What is the ASC going to the journal will include a special Trans­ Automata," by A. Y. Makarevskiy, Insti­ do, in light of current trends, that will lation Supplement designed to acquaint tute o f Engineering Cybernetics, Moscow; have an influence on the Situa tion? English-speaking scientists with major "Synthesis of an Automaton ßased on a papers o riginally published in other Set of Experiments," by M. A. Spivak, Janguages. Yours truly, University of Saratov; and "Minimizing Forthcoming afferings tobe published the Number of States in a Sequential S. L. Sherwood, M.D. include: "A Time for the Future," by Machine with 'Don't Care' Conditions," Chairman, ASC Membership Edward E. David , Jr., scie nce advisor to by Naoki Yamabe, Kenichj Taneguchi, President Nixon; "The Organization of and Tadao Kasami , Osaka University.

Coming Events

January 21 - 25 Annual Meeting, American Mathematical Society and Mathematical Association of America, Atlantic City, N. J ., contact: Dr. Gordon Walker, American Mathemati­ cal Society, P.O. Box 6248, Providence, Rhode Island, 02904.

March 22 - 24 Second Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation, Association for Computing Machinery, Los Angeles. Con­ tact Dr. R. G. Tobey, Applied Mathema­ Keynoter Stafford Beer delivers his address "The Liberty Machine," at the Fourth tics Division, Argonne National Labora­ Annual Symposium of the ASC. To the left is Julian Bigelow, and on the right is tory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois, Gordon Pask. 60439. DECEMBER 1970/4

Chapter News

Washington Chapter

The ASC Wa shington Chapter has arranged a coordinated series of talks directed toward man in social systems. The speakers will make their presen ta­ tions immediately following lunch, begin­ ning at 12:00 noon at Blackie's House of Beef Restaurant, 22nd and M Streets W., Washington, D. C. Travelers and others wishing to altend please notify Lewey Gilstrap at 893-5450 before noon on the Tuesday preceeding the meeting.

Featured speakers and dates are: Humberto Maturano speaks before a plenary session of the Fourth A1111Ual ASC Dec. I 0, 1970 - ''An Approach to a Symposium. Cybernetic Model of Man for Use in Societal Systems Simulations," by William B. Gevarter. Jan. 14, 1971 - "Social System Simula­ tion," by Peter House. Feb.19, 197 1 - "Technological Fore­ casting," by Carl Hammer. Mar. 18, 197 1 - "An Empirie Model of the Development of a R egion," by J ohn McLain. Apr. 15, 197 1 - "Cybernetics in lnter­ national Relations", by John Ford. May 13, 1971 - "Cybernetics and the Control · of Economic Systems" , by Roy Herb Robinson, ASC Director, and Ed Dewan, ASC Awards Vice President, chat with Herrmann. Julian Bigelow who was Chairman of the session on Cybernetics and Public Policy.

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