Ciber (Cybernetics, Cybernetics, Cybernetic) is an applied science and engineering discipline that studies the structure and behavior of systems where information flow plays a key role. It includes research on artificial intelligence, control theory, robotics, human-machine interaction and other areas where information processing is important. The word “cyber” comes from the Greek κυβερνήτης (kybernētēs), meaning “steersman”.
The term was first used in English in the 1930s by Norbert Wiener when he founded the field of cybernetics. He defined it as “the scientific study of control and communication in the animal and machine”, with an emphasis on their similarities.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in cybernetics due to advances in computing and communications technologies. These developments have led to new applications in fields such as smart homes, medicine, finance and manufacturing.
Cybernetics has its roots in ideas developed by thinkers such as Aristotle, René Descartes, Karl Marx and Norbert Wiener himself. However, the modern field of cybernetics only emerged after World War II with the work of Wiener and others.
During the war, many scientists were drawn into work on projects related to defense or warfare such as radar development or code-breaking. This work led to significant advances in mathematics and electronics which laid the foundations for cybernetics.
After the war ended, some of these scientists turned their attention to more peaceful pursuits. They began to apply their knowledge to problems outside of military contexts such as industrial production or economic planning. This led to further advances in fields like feedback control systems and operations research.
The 1950s saw a golden age for cybernetics with rapid progress being made on both theoretical fronts and practical applications. One notable achievement during this period was John McCarthy’s creation of Lisp programming language which would go on to be used extensively in Artificial Intelligence research.
However, by the end of 1960s support for cybernetic ideas had begun to wane due largely to disagreements over what constituted legitimate research topics within the field.. In 1969 Gordon Pask wrote: “…it seems fair comment that ‘cyberneticians’ today are somewhat like medieval Scholastics engaged not so much in disputation about minutiae as about who is entitled legitimately even pose questions.”
Nevertheless interest in individual aspects of cybernetic thought continued unabated through subsequent decades giving rise subfields such as evolutionary computationand artificial life . More recently there has been something approaching a renaissancein all things cybernetic with popular culture embracing concepts once considered fringe science at best . At its core , contemporary thinking about cyberspace draws heavily upon ideas originally put forward by early pioneers suchas Wiener , Bateson , Licklider , Engelbartand others .