American Society for Cybernetics

American Society for Cybernetics (ASC)
Founded1964
FoundersJohn J. Ford (CIA), Paul S. Henshaw (AEC), Douglas E. Knight (IBM), Robert Livingston (scientist), Donald N. Michael, William C. Moore (lawyer), and Walter N. Munster.
TypeProfessional Organization
FocusCybernetics
Location
Region served
USA, worldwide
MethodConferences, Publications, Website.
Key people
Paul Pangaro (current president)
Websitehomepage

The American Society for Cybernetics (ASC) is an American non-profit scholastic organization for the advancement of cybernetics as a science, a discipline, a meta-discipline and the promotion of cybernetics as basis for an interdisciplinary discourse. The society does this by developing and applying cybernetics’ concepts which are presented and published via its conferences and peer-reviewed publications. As a meta-discipline, it creates bridges between disciplines, philosophies, sciences, and arts.[1] The ASC is a full member of the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR).

In order to do so it holds conferences and seminars, and maintains contacts with cyberneticians and organizations for cybernetics in other countries. Further activities of the ASC are:

  • ASC Glossary on Cybernetics and Systems Theory[2]
  • Disciplinary Matrices in Cybernetics and Systems Science[3]
  • Wiener and McCulloch awards

The American Society for Cybernetics was founded in 1964 in Washington, DC to encourage new developments in cybernetics as an interdisciplinary field (with Warren McCulloch as first elected president of the ASC).[4] The society was spearheaded by John J. Ford of the CIA to counter growing advancements from the USSR in computing and cybernetics research and development.[5][6][7] According to Evgeny Morozov, it bought together a number of academics, policy makers, spies, and business people to meet this aim.[5] Morozov also notes that international and national pressures during the late 1960s led to increased interest in cybernetics for policy makers and governmental officials as a way to minimise uncertainty domestically and on the world stage.[5]

In the 1980s ASC became a member of the International Federation for Systems Research, and in the 1990s supported the Principia Cybernetica Project.

The ASC has been maintaining an editorial column in the interdisciplinary Cybernetics and Human Knowing Journal since its first issue in 1992. Rodney Donaldson was the first ASC president to write for the column.

Annual Cybernetics Symposia

First Annual Cybernetics Symposium

The First Annual Cybernetics Symposium of the ASC was held on 26–7 October 1967 at the National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland. The theme was "Purposive Systems: The Edge of Knowledge."[8] The following people made presentations:[9]

  • Saul Amarel: "Problems of representation in artificial intelligence"
  • Nikolai Amosov: "Simulation of thinking processes"
  • Herbert Anschütz: "Prospects for the development of the psychocybernetics of intelligent behavior"
  • Yehoshua Bar-Hillel: "The future of man-machine languages"
  • Alexander S. Fraser: "The evolution of purposive behavior"
  • Ralph Gerard: "The neurophysiology of purposive behavior"
  • Jerrier A. Haddad: "Hardware for purposive systems"
  • David Hawkins: "The nature of purpose"
  • Margaret Mead: "Cybernetics of Cybernetics"
  • Emmanuel G. Mesthene: "How technology will shape the future"
  • Talcott Parsons: "Facilitating technological innovation in society"
  • Frederick Seitz: "The Challenge"[8]
  • Ivan Sutherland: "Facilitating the man-machine interface"


ASC Presidents

Awards

The ASC restructured its awards in 2024. Alongside the Norbert Wiener Medal and the Warren McCulloch Award, the society awards the Margaret Mead Prize (established 2024), the Heinz von Foerster Award, and ASC Fellowships.[10]

Norbert Wiener Medal

The Norbert Wiener Medal is awarded for high achievement in transdisciplinary research in cybernetics and systems. The front of the medal shows a bas-relief of Norbert Wiener, and the obverse is inscribed with the name of the recipient.[10]

Warren McCulloch Award

The Warren McCulloch Award recognises significant impact in the community, whether externally by applying cybernetic methods and principles in real-world applications, or internally through service to the ASC itself. Prior to 2024 it was awarded to "young scientists", a role since filled by the Heinz von Foerster Award.[10]

References

  1. ↑ ASC By-Laws. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. ↑ ASC Glossary. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  3. ↑ Disciplinary Matrices in Cybernetics and Systems Science. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  4. ↑ HISTORY OF THE ASC. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 Morozov, Evgeny (28 June 2024). "The AI we could have had". Financial Times. London.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ↑ Dechert, Charles R., ed. (1966). The Social Impact of Cybernetics. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press. p. 194.
  7. ↑ Umpleby, Stuart. "ASC History". Applying the Science of Context: Home of the American Society for Cybernetics. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  8. 1 2 "ASC's First Annual Symposium ls a Resounding Success" (PDF). Vol. 1, no. 1 January 1968. American Society for Cybernetics. ASC News. 1968.
  9. ↑ Purposive systems; proceedings of the first annual symposium of the American Society for Cybernetics. OCLC. 1969. OCLC 21901.
  10. 1 2 3 "ASC Awards". American Society for Cybernetics. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
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