New Horizons for Second Order Cybernetics

Cybernetics today consists of two branches: 1) technical cybernetics that many people are familiar with – personal computers, GPS devices, the internet and on-line banking and 2) theoretical cybernetics. The latter is similar in breadth and depth to physics, though much less developed. Whereas physics provides a general theory of matter and energy that underlies the engineering disciplines, cybernetics offers a general theory of control and communication that underlies biology, social science and artistic fields. As a general theory of regulation, cybernetics includes theories that explain processes in the human body, among groups of people, organizations, nations and the world as a whole.

The most innovative development in theoretical cybernetics has been the work on “second-order cybernetics”, a term introduced by Heinz von Foerster in the mid 1970s. According to von Foerster first order cybernetics is concerned with observed systems; second order cybernetics concerns observing systems. Despite the progress that has been made, this work is not widely known. To illustrate the advancements, a recent book, New Horizons in Second Order Cybernetics, has been written and edited by Alexander Riegler, Karl H. Mueller and Stuart A. Umpleby. Part I consists of six target articles, each followed by several commentaries and a response by the author of the target article. These contributions address philosophy of science, mathematics, psychology, consciousness, design and drama. Part II considers why the work in second-order cybernetics is not more well-known after four decades. The principal reason is that second-order cybernetics uses an epistemology of constructivism, whereas the scientific community is committed to an epistemology of realism. However, cybernetics has influenced and been influenced by many fields – philosophy, mathematics, social science, biology, and engineering. The current concern with increasing communication among disciplines will likely lead to more interest in the common language that cybernetics offers.