Sociocybernetics of Science Versus Science of Sociocybernetics: Language of Industry Revolution 4.0 As a Niche for and Against Future of Sociology

Social theories—beliefs about relations between variables in the social environment—are often used in making judgments, predictions, or decisions (Anderson&Sechler, 1986).

Sociological theories&frameworks for testing different hypothesis are conservative Symbolic Interactionism, Conflict theory, Functionalism, and their contemporary constituents&branches i.e. Feminism, Critical theory, Labeling theory, Structural Strain theory, Rational Choice theory, Game theory, Sociobiology, Social Exchange theory, Chaos theory etc.

Common science-specific language used for interpretation of confirmed or rejected hypothesis within any theory, blenches before new cause-and-effect digital ‘language’ of Industry Revolution 4.0 which is closer to programming, AI, automation, and more distant from variability, analogue representations of the World.

Industry 4.0 is a collective term for technologies and concepts of value chain organization. Within the modular structured Smart Factories of Industry 4.0, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the physical world and make decentralized decisions. Over the Internet of Things (IoT), CPS communicate and cooperate with each other and humans in real time. Via the Internet of Services (IoS), both internal and cross-organizational services are offered and utilized by participants of the value chain. (Herman et al, 2015)

This informational ‘bouillon’ of revolutionizing theories forces ‘sociologist of the future’ to become less scientist in sociology, and more statistician and reporter of effects of automated Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), or a politician that ‘recycles’ everything sociology was.

Agents which supported conservative role of sociologist emanated from demands of global religious institutions, national self-determinations, educational frameworks, scientific cross-disciplinarity, from global United Nations to local non-government organizations and individual actors. Modern sociologist aspires toward synthesis of conceptual frameworks with modern digitized and automated cyber-physical systems. International market, global companies, entrepreneurs holds automation of successful business protocols as a niche for perpetuation and growth of profit – often out of scope, tools and methods of common definition of sociology.