Here are some of the top cyberneticists, divided by historical impact and modern application:
Foundational/Historical Figures (First & Second-Order)
Norbert Wiener: Considered the "father of cybernetics," he introduced the field in 1948 and defined it as the study of control and communication in animals and machines.
Heinz von Foerster: A key architect of second-order cybernetics (the cybernetics of cybernetics), who focused on self-referential systems and ran the Biological Computer Laboratory.
W. Ross Ashby: A pioneer who focused on "the art of steersmanship" and introduced concepts of self-organization.
Warren McCulloch: A neurophysiologist whose work on the "nervous activity" of networks was foundational to the field.
Margaret Mead: An anthropologist who helped introduce cybernetic principles to social sciences.
Gordon Pask: Known for his work on conversation theory and educational technologies.
Humberto Maturana & Francisco Varela: Developed the concept of autopoiesis, which explains the self-production and maintenance of living systems.
Stafford Beer: A pioneer in management cybernetics and the Viable System Model.
Modern/Living Cyberneticists and Researchers
Kevin Warwick: A professor famous for his self-experimentation with direct neural interfaces (connecting his nervous system to computers).
Steve Mann: Often cited as the father of wearable computing, focusing on human-machine interaction.
Jasia Reichardt: Curator of the landmark 1968 "Cybernetic Serendipity" exhibition, a key figure in the relationship between art, technology, and humans.
Paul Pangaro: Known for his work on bridging cybernetics with system design and software.
Ranulph Glanville: A significant contributor to second-order cybernetics and design research
Norbert Wiener, the American mathematician pictured, is best known as the founder of cybernetics based on a now dated theory he established in the mid-20th century.
His overview of Cybernetics
Definition: Wiener defined cybernetics as the study of "control and communication in the animal and the machine". It is the science of control and automation in complex systems.
Key Concepts: The theory focused heavily on feedback loops, in which information about a system's performance is used to adjust its future behavior. Wiener's insight was that machines could operate dynamically, adapting based on incoming data, much like biological systems.
Foundational Work: His landmark theoretical work, the book Cybernetics, published in 1948, attempted to unify the study of communication and control systems across various disciplines. Influence: Wiener's work laid the foundation for numerous modern fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, information theory, and control systems. He also foresaw many ethical issues regarding the impact of AI on labor and society.
New Cybernetic Theory
Old Cybernetic Theory
William T. Voris, the American computer scientist pictured, is best known for his Cybernetic Paradigm of Threes theory he established starting in 1993.
His overview of Cybernetics
Definition: Voris defines the field of cybernetics based on an understanding of ternary computing. He contends that the human brain operates as a balanced ternary computer.
Key Concepts: The theory focuses heavily on his background involving the complexities of mainframe architectures and software. Voris contends that if computers and software were developed to support balanced ternary computing, this would provide a breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence.
Foundational Work: Voris connection to the computer industry, as well as his interaction with leaders in the computer industry provides a wealth of research and confirmation of his cybernetic views. Moreover, his work completely encapsulates and supersedes the work of Weiner and all those that live of the shadows of his theory of cybernetics.
Cybernetic
Overview
Cybernetic
Paradigm of Threes
Miss Hayes Android
Glimpses of the
22nd Century
MIT Confirmation
Question: You have indicated that your theory has allowed you to invent and derive the future of computer technology. How is that possible?
Answer: Being educated as a scientist and working for many years in the computer industry provided me with a background and understanding of complex systems. In addition, I've researched ideas and concepts that either failed or were ahead of their time. In 1993, I had been extensively researching IBM (and the entire computer industry), looking for an information technology breakthrough. In 1990 Lexis-Nexis indicated I was searching for something and called me a futuristic theorist. I had no idea what I was looking for until January 14, 1993. Then it occurred to me, "it is the threes, the constant and perpetual emergence of these threes in my research, the paradigm of threes". I concluded that these "threes" were connected to an understanding of the future of information technology. So I started going back through all my research, IBM Systems Journals and everything I could find looking for the threes. IBM's AD/Cycle, SAA, Setun, Taligent all failed, but were all based on paradigm of threes; but why did they fail? I concluded that these ideas were too advanced for binary computing. However, by studying them, I could fill in the blanks and extrapolate the future of the entire computer industry years in advance. Looking at computer architectures, networking and even cybernetics through the scientific application of my theory advanced my understanding of computer technology at least 100 years ahead of the current marketplace. Backtracking, it is now easy for me to see the products that can be developed in the short term by applying my theory.
Now almost everyone is validating my cybernetic theory and starting to fill in the gaps. reiterating, no one is near my level of understanding of AI, cybernetics and ternary computing. To gain an appreciation for this, here is the latest compilation of Paradigms of Three.
All these people have passed away. William T. Voris is the world's leading cyberneticist.
