American Society for Cybernetics the Heinz Von Foerster Society

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American Society for Cybernetics the Heinz Von Foerster Society

American Society for Cybernetics The Warren McCulloch Award of the American Society for Cybernetics is awarded to The Heinz von Foerster Society for an extensive, prolonged, deep and successful commitment to the furtherance of the work of Heinz von Foerster and other cyberneticians concerned with second-order cybernetics and related approaches and understandings. Beginning with a major interview book with Heinz von Foerster (“Der Anfang von Himmel und Erde hat keinen Namen: Eine Selbsterschaffung in sieben Tagen” about to appear in English translation), members of the Heinz for Foerster Society have promoted second order cybernetics in general, and the work of Heinz von Foerster, Gordon Pask, Ernst von Glasersfeld and Richard Jung in particular, in the conferences and lectures they have funded and promoted over the past 10 years. Emerging from their first conference, the book “An Unfinished Revolution” is a key critical and reference work covering the progress so far of second-order cybernetics. Together with the publishers echoraum, they have also published a series of books on mainly second-order cybernetic topics, with authors including ASC members; and recently began a new series with the book “Trojan Horses,” which emerged from the ASC’s 2010 conference held in Troy, NY. The Heinz von Foerstar Society has been successful in directing new public attention to cybernetics in both the English and the German speaking worlds. Theirs is a major contribution to the furtherance of cybernetics, both in terms of public attention and publicity, and in the continuing development of our subject area. Ranulph Glanville President of the American Society for Cybernetics 2013/08/01.

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Overview of Contributions
Overview of Contributions he first papers address the epistemological sentationalism”). Evidence for the first comes e.g. status of representation and possible catego- from connectionism which has demonstrated that T rizations. These rather general consider- brain-like structures can function without explicit ations about representation are followed by contri- representations. Arguments for the second are of a butions that focus on computational approaches, philosophic nature denying the possibility of speak- especially on how meaning can be simulated in arti- ing of fixed entities of the world, and, instead, pro- ficial devices, and how meaning can be grounded. posing that the “things” are defined only with Solutions are offered on various levels, among them respect to their user and thus cannot be “mapped” symbol grounding and system-theoretical consider- onto the brain of that user. Matthias Scheutz inves- ations to representation. Various disciplines inde- tigates the ontological status of representations, and pendently arrive at emphasizing the importance of questions whether they are entities on their own; he actions for representations and the necessity to argues that whether something counts as represen- close the sensory–motor loop; examples from the tation of something else is dependent on the level of perspective of computational approaches (“embod- description. By talking about a mental structure rep- iment” into an environment), the neuroscientific resenting something in the world, one implies that perspective (“top-down” processes), the psycholog- these two things exist on two different ontological ical perspective and others are presented. Several levels. This is not true, however, since the mind and papers address the role of social interactions—in the things of the world are both entities within our particular language—as a means of stabilizing sys- cognitive experience.
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Neuerscheinungsdienst 2017 ND 08
Neuerscheinungsdienst Jahrgang: 2017 ND 08 Stand: 22. Februar 2017 Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (Leipzig, Frankfurt am Main) 2017 ISSN 1611-0153 urn:nbn:de:101-201612064955 2 Hinweise Der Neuerscheinungsdienst ist das Ergebnis der Ko- blikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; de- operation zwischen der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek und taillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über der MVB Marketing- und Verlagsservice des Buchhandels http://dnb.dnb.de abrufbar. GmbH. Ziel dieser Kooperation ist zum einen die Hebung Bibliographic information published by the Deut- des Qualitätsstandards des Verzeichnisses lieferbarer sche Nationalbibliothek Bücher (VLB) und zum anderen die Verbesserung der The Deutsche Naitonalbibliothek lists this publication in Aktualität und Vollständigkeit der Deutschen Nationalbi- the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic bliografie. In der Titelaufnahme wird der entsprechende data are available in the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. Link zu den Verlagsangaben direkt geschaltet; ebenso Information bibliographique de la Deutsche Natio- alle anderen möglichen Links. nalbibliothek Die Verleger melden ihre Titel in einem einzigen Vor- La Deutsche Nationalbibliothek a répertoiré cette publi- gang für das VLB und den Neuerscheinungsdienst der cation dans la Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; les données Deutschen Nationalbibliothek. Dieser zeigt somit alle bibliographiques détaillées peuvent être consultées sur Neumeldungen von Titeln an, die auch in das VLB ein- Internet à l’adresse http://dnb.dnb.de gehen. Die VLB-Redaktion leitet die Meldungen an die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek weiter. Die Titel werden oh- Die Verleger übersenden gemäß den gesetzlichen Vor- ne weitere Änderungen im Neuerscheinungsdienst der schriften zur Pflichtablieferung zwei Pflichtexemplare je Deutschen Nationalbibliothek angezeigt. Die Titelanzei- nach Zuständigkeit an die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek gen selbst sind, wie auf der Sachgruppenübersicht an- nach Frankfurt am Main oder nach Leipzig.
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The Place and Meaning of Computing in a Sound Relationship of Man, Machines, and Environment
Proceedings ICMC|SMC|2014 14-20 September 2014, Athens, Greece The place and meaning of computing in a sound relationship of man, machines, and environment Agostino Di Scipio Electroacoustic Music Dept., Conservatory of L'Aquila, Italy [email protected] ABSTRACT other than digital in order to make sense of what in the world can be computed - provided there is anything really The following is a revised version of the text prepared by computable in music-related activities (a problematic the author for his keynote speech at the opening session question, often debated years ago). However, today the of the International Computer Music Conference 2013 particular manner in which digital technologies are sided (12.08.2013 Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre, by, and integrated in, different but overlapping techno- logical layers, seems to be increasingly significant to Perth, Western Australia). It bears on conceptual changes practitioners. This is clear from live performance prac- that have taken place, along the decades, in the shared tices where computing devices do not represent some- notion of "computing" as relative to creative practices of thing standing on its own, and are rather embedded in a sound- and music-making. In particular, the notion of larger "performance ecosystem" (Waters, 2011) where computing is considered vis a vis the relationship, either other technogical layers and agencies play an (equally?) implicity established or deliberately designed by practi- important role, whether they are human agencies (per- tioners, to the (necessarily hybrid) technological infra- formers), mechanical agencies (music instruments and structures of their work, as well as to the surrouding various infrastructures), or devices ranging from basic physical space where such practices take place.
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Kant, Cybernetics, and Cybersecurity: Integration and Secure Computation
Kant, Cybernetics, and Cybersecurity: Integration and Secure Computation Jon K. Burmeister and Ziyuan Meng College of Mount Saint Vincent Drew University [email protected], [email protected] Abstract1 This paper argues that Kant’s philosophy of mind sheds light on Heinz Von Foerster’s cybernetic thinking, and that both thinkers help us identify dubious theoretical assumptions within computer science and cybersecurity. Specifically, these two thinkers discuss the importance of integration within systems, a position which contrasts with a reductionist form of thinking currently common in computer science. We argue that such a reductionist and narrowly technocentric approach leads to the design of insecure software systems. To develop an improved theory of security and vulnerability, we look for inspiration to Kant and von Foerster. Our approach focuses on two types of integration within Kant’s philosophy of mind – the “unity of apperception,” and the unity of the mental faculties – and then traces these same themes in the thought of von Foerster. Building on that, we argue two points: 1.) a secure software system never directly takes its structure or operations from the external environement, and 2.) the more integrated a software system is, the more secure it is. To illustrate these points, we analyze a case study of a code injection attack against a vulnerable web application, and show how such a system is vulnerable to cyberattack when it fails to maintain its integrated form in response to inputs from the environment. Keywords: Philosophy of Mind, Cybernetics, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Kant, Heinz von Foerster, Integration, Reductionism. 1. Introduction The philosophical tradition of German Idealism and the field of cybernetics share a common impulse: both strive to think systematically and at a high level of generality, with the goal of discovering foundational principles that apply across a wide variety of domains.
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What Is Radical About Radical Constructivism?
What is Radical about Radical Constructivism? Karl H. Müller This article will become an exercise in cognitive mapping of constructivist territories or landscapes. In this sense, the proposed map on different domains of constructivism is, by necessity, the territory. The subsequent explorations will start with Ernst von Glasersfeld’s account of what constitutes Radical Constructivism (RC). The aim is to assemble a set of building blocks and fields of discourse which, in conjunction, form the core of RC Glasersfeld-style. Subsequently, a quick overview will be given on the structure and organization of Second-Order Cybernetics (SOC) as developed and proposed in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s by Heinz von Foerster, who, together with Humberto R. Maturana, Francisco L. Varela and Ernst von Glasersfeld, formed the core-group of RC.1 Mapping RC and SOC across different arenas, an interesting trade-off can be constructed between the radical building blocks of RC or SOC and their degree of diffusion. Towards the end, a few strategies will be outlined how RC and SOC, in conjunction, could be utilized as a radically new framework which so far has only been occasionally utilized or explored. 1 Radical Constructivism à la Glasersfeld Ernst von Glasersfeld, in combination with Siegfried J. Schmidt (1987, 1987a), was largely responsible for the label of Radical Constructivism (RC). In 1974 von Glasersfeld wrote an article about Jean Piaget and the radical constructivist epistemology (Glasersfeld 1974). In 1981 Ernst von Glasersfeld produced the most influential article for the promotion and the diffusion of RC, namely his “Introduction to Radical Constructivism” in Paul Watzlawick’s widely distributed reader “Die erfundene Wirklichkeit” or, in English, “The Invented Reality” (1984).
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What Is Systems Theory?
What is Systems Theory? Systems theory is an interdisciplinary theory about the nature of complex systems in nature, society, and science, and is a framework by which one can investigate and/or describe any group of objects that work together to produce some result. This could be a single organism, any organization or society, or any electro-mechanical or informational artifact. As a technical and general academic area of study it predominantly refers to the science of systems that resulted from Bertalanffy's General System Theory (GST), among others, in initiating what became a project of systems research and practice. Systems theoretical approaches were later appropriated in other fields, such as in the structural functionalist sociology of Talcott Parsons and Niklas Luhmann . Contents - 1 Overview - 2 History - 3 Developments in system theories - 3.1 General systems research and systems inquiry - 3.2 Cybernetics - 3.3 Complex adaptive systems - 4 Applications of system theories - 4.1 Living systems theory - 4.2 Organizational theory - 4.3 Software and computing - 4.4 Sociology and Sociocybernetics - 4.5 System dynamics - 4.6 Systems engineering - 4.7 Systems psychology - 5 See also - 6 References - 7 Further reading - 8 External links - 9 Organisations // Overview 1 / 20 What is Systems Theory? Margaret Mead was an influential figure in systems theory. Contemporary ideas from systems theory have grown with diversified areas, exemplified by the work of Béla H. Bánáthy, ecological systems with Howard T. Odum, Eugene Odum and Fritj of Capra , organizational theory and management with individuals such as Peter Senge , interdisciplinary study with areas like Human Resource Development from the work of Richard A.
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Is Glasersfeld's Constructivism a Dangerous Intellectual Tendency?
Riegler, A. (2007) Is Glasersfeld’s constructivism a dangerous intellectual tendency? In: Glanville, R. & Riegler, A. (eds.) The importance of being Ernst. Echoraum: Vienna, pp. 263–275. Is Glasersfeld’s Constructivism a Dangerous Intellectual Tendency? Alexander Riegler Paper type: Conceptual paper Approach: philosophical–epistemological School: Radical Constructivism Purpose: Radical Constructivism has been subject to extensive criticism and denigration such as that it is a naturalized biologism which supports an “anything goes” philosophy of arbitrarily constructed realities. In an extreme case RC is equated with intellectual silliness. These accusations are to be refuted. Approach: Based on the concept that cognition can work only with experiences, we investigate the question of where their apparent order comes from. Arguments are presented that favor the amorphousness of the “external” world. To support the idea of “internal” order we review results in formal network research. Findings: The properties of networks suggest that order arises without influence from the outside. Conclusions: RC based on network models (a) does not need any empirical support and is therefore no biologism nor naturalism, (b) forgoes arbitrariness, and (c) goes beyond narrative (armchair) philosophy. Key words: amorphousness, naturalism, closure, reality, random Boolean networks, scale-free networks, small-world networks. INTRODUCTION Radical Constructivism (RC) has been subject to extensive criticism and denigration. The most frequent accusations include the allegation of simply repeating old (and often outdated) philosophical positions. RC is reproached for being: a naturalized biologism which refutes itself as it gets caught in argumentative circles; a form of extreme idealism that unavoidably results in solipsism; an “anything goes” philosophy claiming that realities are arbitrarily constructed, which makes all constructions of the same standard irrespective of whether they are science or voodoo; or a flavor of postmodernism with applications to literature and education only.
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CHK 22(2-3).Book
Cybernetics and Human Knowing. Vol. 22 (2015), nos. 2-3, pp. 169-182 ASC American Society for Cybernetics a society for the art and science of human understanding Second-Order Cybernetics, Radical Constructivism, and the Biology of Cognition: Paradigms Struggling to Bring About Change Robert J. Martin1 This column is a journey that considers both the failure of second-order cybernetics (SOC), radical constructivism (RC), and the biology of cognition (BoC) to achieve wide acceptance, particularly in science, and the opportunities for SOC, RC, and BoC in the social sciences and other disciplines. I. Introduction: For most human beings, the concept of objectivity frames one’s view of the world without being aware that it has been so framed. There is a tradition going back to Xenophanes, born in the sixth century BCE, who pointed out that we can’t know that we see the world as it is, “for if he succeeds to the full in saying what is completely truth, he himself is nevertheless unaware of it” (Glasersfeld, 1984, p. 25). This has never been popular or a widespread idea. Heinz von Foerster consistently pointed out the idea that we invent the world rather than discover it—a concept that is one of the underpinnings of second-order cybernetics and radical constructivism, and a concept that is supported by Maturana’s explanation of cognition in his famous paper, “Biology of Cognition” (1970). Many of us had hoped that the work of Glasersfeld, Foerster, and Maturana would substantiate these ideas in science by providing close reasoning and evidence for them, but this did not happen.
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How Cybernetics Connects Computing, Counterculture, and Design
Walker Art Center — Hippie Modernism: The Struggle for Utopia — Exhibit Catalog — October 2015 How cybernetics connects computing, counterculture, and design Hugh Dubberly — Dubberly Design Office — [email protected] Paul Pangaro — College for Creative Studies — [email protected] “Man is always aiming to achieve some goal language, and sharing descriptions creates a society.[2] and he is always looking for new goals.” Suddenly, serious scientists were talking seriously —Gordon Pask[1] about subjectivity—about language, conversation, and ethics—and their relation to systems and to design. Serious scientists were collaborating to study Beginning in the decade before World War II and collaboration. accelerating through the war and after, scientists This turn away from the mainstream of science designed increasingly sophisticated mechanical and became a turn toward interdisciplinarity—and toward electrical systems that acted as if they had a purpose. counterculture. This work intersected other work on cognition in Two of these scientists, Heinz von Foerster and animals as well as early work on computing. What Gordon Pask, took an interest in design, even as design emerged was a new way of looking at systems—not just was absorbing the lessons of cybernetics. Another mechanical and electrical systems, but also biological member of the group, Gregory Bateson, caught the and social systems: a unifying theory of systems and attention of Stewart Brand, systems thinker, designer, their relation to their environment. This turn toward and publisher of the Whole Earth Catalog. Bateson “whole systems” and “systems thinking” became introduced Brand to von Foerster.[3] Brand’s Whole Earth known as cybernetics. Cybernetics frames the world in Catalog spawned a do-it-yourself publishing revolution, terms of systems and their goals.
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For Heinz Von Foerster)
Designing Our World: Cybernetics as Conversation for Action Heinz von Foerster Lecture ’17 University of Vienna 20 June 2017 Paul Pangaro, Ph.D. Chair and Associate Professor MFA Interaction Design Program College for Creative Studies, Detroit [email protected] RSD5Heinz / vonToronto, Foerster Canada ’17 / Vienna/ Paul PangaroJune 2017 / Designing / Paul Pangaro Conversations for Socially-Conscious Design 1 MFA Transportation Design MFA Color & Materials Design MFA Integrated Design MFA Interaction Design College for Creative Studies, Detroit [email protected] RSD5Heinz / vonToronto, Foerster Canada ’17 / Vienna/ Paul PangaroJune 2017 / Designing / Paul Pangaro Conversations for Socially-Conscious Design 2 Paul Pangaro, Ph.D. Chair and Associate Professor MFA Interaction Design Program College for Creative Studies, Detroit RSD5Heinz / vonToronto, Foerster Canada ’17 / Vienna/ Paul PangaroJune 2017 / Designing / Paul Pangaro Conversations for Socially-Conscious Design 3 MFA Interaction Design RSD5Heinz / vonToronto, Foerster Canada ’17 / Vienna/ Paul PangaroJune 2017 / Designing / Paul Pangaro Conversations for Socially-Conscious Design 4 MFA Interaction Design HeinzRSD5 von / Toronto, Foerster Canada ’17 / Vienna / Paul June Pangaro 2017 // DesigningPaul Pangaro Conversations for Socially-Conscious Design 5 Heinz von Foerster ’17 / Vienna June 2017 / Paul Pangaro 6 Knowledge – Organisation – Society Heinz von Foerster and the Biological Computer Laboratory International Heinz von Foerster-Congress 2003 at the Wittgenstein-House Thursday, November 13 Friday, November 14 Saturday, November 15 Conference Openings Alfred Inselberg Robert Martin 9:00 a.m. Pille Bunnell BCL and the Visualization of Inventing the World One – 11:00 a.m. Ilse König Multidimensional Geometry Conversation at a Time: the Once and Allenna Leonard Lars Löfgren Future Invitation of Heinz von Foerster Andreas von Foerster From Wittgenstein’s Language- Paul Pangaro Thomas von Foerster World Thesis to Holistic Language The Past-Future of Cybernetics: Moderator: Karl H.
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Redalyc.El “Constructivismo Operativo” De Luhmann. Una Caracterización
Enfoques ISSN: 1514-6006 [email protected] Universidad Adventista del Plata Argentina Becerra, Gastón El “Constructivismo operativo” de Luhmann. Una caracterización relacional con el constructivismo de inspiración piagetiana y el constructivismo radical Enfoques, vol. XXVI, núm. 2, 2014, pp. 29-54 Universidad Adventista del Plata Libertador San Martín, Argentina Disponible en: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=25955330003 Cómo citar el artículo Número completo Sistema de Información Científica Más información del artículo Red de Revistas Científicas de América Latina, el Caribe, España y Portugal Página de la revista en redalyc.org Proyecto académico sin fines de lucro, desarrollado bajo la iniciativa de acceso abierto EL “CONSTRUCTIVISMO OPERATIVO” DE LUHMANN Una caracterización relacional con el constructivismo de inspira- ción piagetiana y el constructivismo radical1 Gastón Becerra Resumen El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo caracterizar al “constructivismo operativo” del soció- logo alemán Niklas Luhmann a partir de una caracterización relacional con dos corrientes del constructivismo epistemológico: el de inspiración piagetiana y el constructivismo radical. Se proponen tres ejes para la presentación de cada uno de los tres programas: la caracterización del rol activo del sujeto epistémico; el problema del status del conocimiento y su relación con la realidad; y el problema del origen del significado conceptual y la relación individuo- sociedad. Sobre la base de estas caracterizaciones se evalúa en qué aspectos el programa cons- tructivista de Luhmann diverge o converge con las otras dos corrientes de constructivismo epistemológico. Palabras claves: Constructivismo operativo - Niklas Luhmann - Constructivismo piagetiano - Constructivismo radical Abstract This paper aims to characterize the “operative constructivism” of Niklas Luhmann from a comparison with two other streams of epistemological constructivism: Piaget-inspired cons- tructivism and radical constructivism.
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Cybernetics Forum the Publication Oftheamerican Society for Cybernetics
CYBERNETICS FORUM THE PUBLICATION OFTHEAMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CYBERNETICS FALL 1979 VOLUME IX NO. 3 A SPECIAL ISSUE HONORING DR. HEINZ VON FOERSTER ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT IN THIS ISSUE: Heinz Von Foerster: A Second Order Cybernetician, Stuart Umpleby. 3 An Open Letter to Dr. Von Foerster, Stafford Beer . 13 The lmportance of Being Magie, Gordon Pask . ...... ........ ....... ... .. ........ ... ...... 17 The Wholeness of the Unity: Conversations with Heinz Von Foerster, Humberto R. Maturana . 20 Creative Cybernetics, Lars LÖfgren . 27 With Heinz Von Foerster, Edwin Schlossberg . 28 Heinz Von Foerster's Gontributions to the Development of Cybernetics, Kenneth L. Wilson ........ .. .. 30 List of Publications of Heinz Von Foerster . 33 The Work of Visiting Cyberneticians in the Biological Computer Laboratory, Kenneth L. Wilson . 36 About the Autho ~$. 40 © 1979 American Society for Cybernetics BOARD OF EDITORS Editor Charles H. Dym Frederick Kile V.G. DROZIN Dym, Frank & Company Aid Assoe/ation for Lutherans Department of Physics 2511 Massachusetts Avenue, N. W. Appleton, Wl 54911 Buckne/1 University Washington, DC 20008 Lewisburg, PA 17837 Mark N. Ozer TECHNICAL EDITOR Gertrude Herrmann The George Washington University Kenneth W. Gaul School of Medicine and Conference Calendar Editor 111 0/in Science Building Health Seiences Buckne/1 University 1131 Unlversity Boulevard West, 12122 3000 Connecticut AvenueN. W. Lewisburg, PA 17837 Washington, DC 20008 Si/ver Spring, MD 20902 ASSOCIATE EDITORS Charles I. Bartfeld Doreen Ray Steg School of Business Administration, Harold K. Hughes Department of Human Behavior & The State University College American University Development, Potsdam, NY 13.767 Mass. & Nebraska Aves. N. W. Drexel University Washington, DC 20016 Philadelphia, PA 19104 N.A.
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