Re: Constraints and Indications

JA: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9167
GR: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9177
CM: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9181
JA: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9240
CM: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9241
JA: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9252
CM: http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.science.philosophy.peirce/9281

Peircers,

Ashby's book, in my estimation still the best introduction to
classical cybernetics going, is available online in PDF form:

Ashby, W.R. (1956), ''Introduction to Cybernetics'', Methuen, London, UK.
• http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/books/IntroCyb.pdf

Regards,

Jon

Jon Awbrey wrote:
> 
> Christophe & All,
> 
> Here I am thinking of the concept of constraint that constitutes one of the
> fundamental ideas of classical cybernetics and mathematical systems theory.
> 
> For example, here is the way Ashby introduces the concept of constraint
> in his ''Introduction to Cybernetics'' (1956):
> 
> | A most important concept, with which we shall be much concerned later,
> | is that of '''constraint'''.  It is a ''relation'' between two sets,
> | and occurs when the variety that exists under one condition is less
> | than the variety that exists under another.  Thus, the variety of
> | the human sexes is 1 bit;  if a certain school takes only boys,
> | the variety in the sexes within the school is zero;  so as 0
> | is less than 1, constraint exists. (Ashby, 1964 ed., 127).
> 
> At its simplest, then, constraint is just an aspect of the subset relation.
> 
> I did not understand all the phrases you used on your slide,
> but I felt like I could relate a few pieces of it to this
> classical cybernetic picture.  The objective of an agent,
> organism, whatever, is to keep within its viable region,
> a particular subset of its possible state space.  That
> is the constraint of primary interest to the agent.
> 
> Have to break here ...
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jon

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