Second Order Cybernetics as Reverse Demolition

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Second Order Cybernetics as Reverse Demolition

• Karl H. Müller, Wiener Institute for Social
  Science Documentation and Methodology (WISDOM)
• Heinz von Foerster Society
• Urbana, May 12, 2008

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Overview

• Second Order Cybernetics and Radical
  Constructivism Today
• Second Order Cybernetics Basic Building
• Blocks
• SOC as a Vibrant, Living Agenda

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Reverse Demolition

• Everywhere, also in the United States, the
  oldest and most beautiful houses are nowadays
  demolished and instead steel and
  glass-skyscrapers with 36 floors are being
  constructed. I want to emphasize the reverse
  process. I start with a 36 floor steel and
  glass-skyscraper and demolish it. But I am not
  building a baroque castle instead, but something
  completely different maybe a cockchafer, maybe
  an ant colony, maybe a family. (Foerster 198820
  )

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Phase Transition from Science Ito Science II

• Characteristics of Science I
• Physics as Core Field, General and Universal
  Laws, Axiomatic, Reductionist, Dualistic, Low
  Potential for Inter- and Transdisciplinary
  Learning
• Characteristics of Science II
• Life Sciences as Core Field, Pattern Formation
  and Recognition, Nested, Multiple-Level
  Processes, High Potential for Inter- and
  Transdiscipinary Learning

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Different Degrees of Radicalism in SOC or Radical
Constructivism
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Second Order Cybernetics

• A Research Program and Its Basic Building Blocks

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Second Order Cybernetics as a Research Program
(SOC)

• SOC developed between the late 1960s and
• the late 1970s.
• 1974 Cybernetics of Cybernetics (4 pages
• only, published 1979, reprinted 2003
• (Understanding Understanding) as
• Article Number 13)

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Second Order Cybernetics Nine Building Blocks

• Research Designs Core-Modules Theory of
  Cognition
• GR Generative RL Recursive UC Unity of
• Relations Language
  Cognition
• TR Triadic LF Laws of Form TS
  Tesselations
• Closure
• AU Autology CT Cognitive DC Double
• Tiles Closures

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Reverse Demolition of Science I

• Theoretical Core of SOC
• New Self-Referential Logic
• Recursive Language
• Minimal Machinery

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Reverse Demolition of Science II

• SOC-Research Designs
• Generative Relations
• Triadic Closure (Computing in
• the Semantic Domain)
• Autology

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Reverse Demolition of Science III

• SOC Theory of Cognition
• Unity of Cognition
• Tesselations
• Double Closures

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