Second-Order Cybernetics as a Fundamental Revolution in Science

IF 2.2 3区哲学 0 PHILOSOPHY

Constructivist Foundations Pub Date : 2016-01-01 DOI:10.1142/9789813226265_0003

S. Umpleby

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引用次数: 31

Abstract

> Context • The term “second-order cybernetics” was introduced by von Foerster in 1974 as the “cybernetics of observing systems,” both the act of observing systems and systems that observe. Since then, the term has been used by many authors in articles and books and has been the subject of many conference panels and symposia. > Problem • The term is still not widely known outside the fields of cybernetics and systems science and the importance and implications of the work associated with second-order cybernetics is not yet widely discussed. I claim that the transition from (first-order) cybernetics to second-order cybernetics is a fundamental scientific revolution that is not restricted to cybernetics or systems science. Second-order cybernetics can be regarded as a scientific revolution for the general methodology of science and for many disciplines as well. > Method • I first review the history of cybernetics and second-order cybernetics. Then I analyze the major contents of von Foerster’s fundamental revolution in science and present it as a general model for an alternative methodology of science. Subsequently, I present an example of practicing second-order socio-cybernetics from within. I describe some consequences of doing science from within, and I suggest some new horizons for second-order cybernetics. > Results • Second-order cybernetics leads to a new foundation for conducting science and offers important contributions for a new way of organizing science. It expands the conception of science so that it can more adequately deal with living systems. > Implications • Second-order cybernetics extends the traditional scientific approach by bringing scientists within the domain of what is described and analyzed. It provides models of research processes for when the scientist is within the system being studied. In this way it offers a new foundation for research in the social sciences, in management science, and in other fields such as the environmental sciences or the life sciences. >

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作为科学基础革命的二阶控制论

•“二阶控制论”这个术语是由冯·福斯特在1974年作为“观察系统的控制论”引入的，既包括观察系统的行为，也包括观察系统的行为。从那时起，这个术语被许多作者在文章和书籍中使用，并成为许多会议小组和专题讨论会的主题。•在控制论和系统科学领域之外，这个术语还没有被广泛了解，与二阶控制论相关的工作的重要性和含义还没有被广泛讨论。我认为，从(一阶)控制论到二阶控制论的转变是一场根本的科学革命，并不局限于控制论或系统科学。二阶控制论可以被看作是一般科学方法论和许多学科的科学革命。•我首先回顾了控制论和二阶控制论的历史。然后，我分析了冯·福斯特的科学基本革命的主要内容，并将其作为一种替代科学方法论的一般模式提出。随后，我将展示一个从内部实践二阶社会控制论的例子。我描述了从内部进行科学研究的一些后果，并提出了二阶控制论的一些新视野。•二阶控制论为开展科学研究奠定了新的基础，并为组织科学的新方式做出了重要贡献。它扩展了科学的概念，使它能够更充分地处理生命系统。•二阶控制论通过将科学家带入被描述和分析的领域，扩展了传统的科学方法。当科学家处于被研究的系统中时，它提供了研究过程的模型。通过这种方式，它为社会科学、管理科学以及环境科学或生命科学等其他领域的研究提供了新的基础。>

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来源期刊

Constructivist Foundations Multidisciplinary-Multidisciplinary

CiteScore

0.60

自引率

21.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Constructivist Foundations (CF) is an international peer-reviewed e-journal focusing on the multidisciplinary study of the philosophical and scientific foundations and applications of constructivism and related disciplines. The journal promotes interdisciplinary discussion and cooperation among researchers and theorists working in many diverse fields such as artificial intelligence, cognitive science, biology, neuroscience, psychology, educational research, linguistics, communication science, sociology, mathematics, computer science, and philosophy. Constructivist approaches covered in the journal include the theory of autopoietic systems, enactivism, radical constructivism, second-order cybernetics, neurophenomenology, constructionism, and non-dualizing philosophy.