First-order cybernetics refers to the initial wave of cybernetic thinking and theory that emerged in the mid-20th century. Cybernetics, coined by mathematician Norbert Wiener, is the study of control and communication in systems, whether mechanical, biological, social, or technological. First-order cybernetics focused on the study of self-regulating systems and feedback loops.
In first-order cybernetics, the emphasis is on observing and understanding the behavior of systems, particularly in relation to feedback mechanisms. The key idea is that systems maintain stability and adaptability through feedback loops that enable them to receive information about their own behavior and make adjustments accordingly. Feedback can be positive (amplifying or reinforcing a system's behavior) or negative (dampening or stabilizing a system's behavior).
First-order cybernetics aimed to understand and explain systems by focusing on their internal dynamics and self-regulating mechanisms. It explored concepts such as homeostasis, regulation, control, and information processing. Some prominent figures associated with first-order cybernetics include Norbert Wiener, Gregory Bateson, Heinz von Foerster, and Stafford Beer.
It's important to note that first-order cybernetics primarily viewed systems from an observer's perspective and did not involve active participation or involvement of the observer in the system being studied. This approach eventually led to the development of second-order cybernetics, which introduced the idea of the observer being an integral part of the system being observed.
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