Cybernetics And Systems Theory

Re: Ranulph Glanville ( https://hermes.gwu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1006&L=cybcom&P=281 ),
     forwarding a question about the difference between cybernetics and systems theory.

In my experience with the way these terms are used in a number of
different settings -- from mathematics to psychology to computing
to systems engineering and back again, but mostly acquainted with
U.S. departmental dialects -- "systems theory" typically refers to
the methods of "mathematical systems theory" and far less often to
the "General Systems Theory" of Bertalanffy.  The mathematical frame
of reference is usually considered general enough to include anything
we might want to talk about in the way of cybernetics, with the orders
of "loopiness" or self-reflectiveness coming in as secondary parameters,
and not always as invariant as they may initially appear.  Of course, as
anywhere, when it comes to any such programme of all-inclusive hand-waving,
most of the truly interesting things by way of concrete realization remain
far easier said than done.

Jon Awbrey

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