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From Med to Foster: Why is cybernetics so reflective?
Cybernetics, as an interdisciplinary subject, explores the principles of systems, control and communication, and has formed a diverse and complex thinking system. Especially after the rise of secondary cybernetics, the power of reflection in this field has become even more profound. In this context, the contributions of Meade and Foster undoubtedly provide a new perspective for us to understand the development and significance of cybernetics.
The origin and development of cybernetics
The concept of cybernetics originated in the 1940s. In the early days, it mainly focused on control systems and information transmission. With the deepening of academic discussions, cybernetics has gradually evolved into a discipline that explores human interaction and social systems. During this period, Mede's speech in 1967 was a watershed. She proposed that cybernetics should be responsible for social consequences, emphasized the role and participation of observers, and then introduced the concept of secondary cybernetics.
Made describes cybernetics as "a way of seeing things and a language for expressing what you see." This view prompts people to rethink the position and role of the observer in the system.
Core viewpoints of second-level cybernetics
Level 2 cybernetics, that is, self-reflective cybernetics, is a reflection on cybernetics itself. Foster mentioned that "control of control, communication of communication" is an important concept. Level 2 cybernetics emphasizes the interaction between the observer and the observed system, and focuses on the initiative and responsibility of the participants.
Forster argued that cybernetics must acknowledge the existence of observers, which makes it a reflective science.
Discussion on ethics and self-awareness
In the framework of secondary cybernetics, ethical issues have gained new attention. Foster criticized objectivity in traditional science and advocated a different ethical perspective. He believed that ethics should be implicit in actions rather than explicitly stated. This has profound implications in fields as diverse as systems design and family therapy.
What Foster calls "ethics-enabled ethics" is actually a call for deep reflection on behavior.
The application and impact of secondary cybernetics
With the development of secondary cybernetics, it has shown a wide range of influence in the fields of design, education, artistic creation, management and organization. For example, in the field of design, many designers and scholars are influenced by the theory of cybernetics, emphasizing the application of systems thinking and interactive design. In terms of education, the introduction of radical constructivism prompted a challenge to traditional teaching methods and instead focused on learners' active participation and reflective abilities.
In terms of artistic creation, the concept of secondary cybernetics has also inspired many contemporary artists, who have explored the importance of participation and interactivity in artistic works.
Thoughts and prospects for the future
For the future development of cybernetics, we may be able to draw strength from deepening reflection. The ethics and responsibility emphasized by Schfest and Meder will be mentioned again when facing new technological challenges. In today's society, with the increasing popularity of artificial intelligence and data technology, the reflexive thinking advocated by cybernetics may provide new guidance for future human interaction and system design.
In this era of reflection and innovation, how can cybernetics continue to guide us in understanding the relationship between humans and systems?
