Systems, Cybernetics, Control, and Automation: Ontological, Epistemological, Societal, and Ethical Issues (River Publishers Series in Automation, Control, and Robotics)

Description

Systems, cybernetics, control, and automation (SCCA) are four interrelated and overlapping scientific and technological fields that have contributed substantially to the development, growth, and progress of human society. A large number of models, methods, and tools were developed that assure high efficiency of SCCA applied to practical situations. The real-life applications of SCCA encompass a wide range of man-made or biological systems, including transportation, power generation, chemical industry, robotics, manufacturing, cybernetics organisms (cyborgs), aviation, economic systems, enterprise, systems, medical/health systems, environmental applications, and so on. The SCCA fields exhibit strong influences on society and raise, during their use and application, many ethical concerns and dilemmas. This book provides a consolidated and concise overview of SCCA in a single volume for the first time, focusing on ontological, epistemological, social impact, ethical, and general philosophical issues. It is appropriate for use as independent reading by students and scientists or in engineering courses as a convenient tutorial source providing fundamental conceptual and educational material on these issues. Included in the book are: - Background material on philosophy and systems theory - Major ontological, epistemological, societal, and ethical/philosophical aspects of the four fields considered in the book - Over 400 references and a list of 130 additional books in the relevant fields - Over 100 color photos and 70 line figures that illustrate the text. Front Cover Half Title Page RIVER PUBLISHERS SERIES IN AUTOMATION, CONTROL AND ROBOTICS Title Page - Systems, Cybernetics, Control, and Automation Ontological, Epistemological, Societal, and Ethical Issues Copyright Page Contents Preface List of Figures List of Tables List of Abbreviations Names and Achievements of SCCA Pioneers Abstracts Chapter 1 - Introductory Concepts and Outline of the Book 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Systems Theory, System Dynamics, and Cybernetics: A Preliminary Look 1.2.1 Systems Theory and System Dynamics 1.2.2 Cybernetics 1.3 Control and Automation: A Preliminary Look 1.3.1 Control 1.3.2 Automation 1.4 Societal and Ethical Issues 1.5 Systems Philosophy 1.6 Control and Cybernetics Philosophy 1.7 Outline of the Book References Chapter 2 - Basics of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, and Philosophy of Technology 2.1 Introduction 2.2 What is Philosophy? 2.3 Principal Branches of Philosophy 2.4 Further Branches of Philosophy 2.5 Philosophy of Science 2.5.1 General Issues 2.5.2 What is Science? 2.6 Philosophy of Technology 2.6.1 Historical Note 2.6.2 What is Technology? 2.7 Fundamental Questions in Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Technology 2.7.1 Philosophy of Science 2.7.2 Philosophy of Technology 2.8 Conclusions References Chapter 3 - Background Concepts: Systems Ontology, History and Taxonomy 3.1 Introduction 3.2 What is a System? 3.3 Systems’ Ontological Elements 3.4 Brief Historical Review of Systems 3.4.1 Precursors’ Period 3.4.2 Pioneer’s Period 3.4.3 Innovators’ Period 3.5 Systems Taxonomy 3.6 A Comprehensive List of System Categories 3.7 Conclusions References Chapter 4 - General Systems Theory and System Dynamics 4.1 Introduction 4.2 What is the General Systems Theory? 4.3 What is Isomorphism in GST? 4.4 What is System Dynamics? 4.5 What is Systems Thinking? 4.6 Axioms of General Systems Theory 4.7 Conclusions References Chapter 5 - Cybernetics 5.1 Introduction 5.2 What is Cybernetics? 5.3 Brief Historical Review of Cybernetics 5.4 First- and Second-Order Cybernetics 5.4.1 First-Order Cybernetics 5.4.2 Second-Order Cybernetics 5.5 Social Systems and Sociocybernetics 5.5.1 Social Systems 5.5.2 Sociocybernetics 5.5.3 Organizational Cybernetics 5.6 Conclusions References Chapter 6 - Control 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Feedback and Control 6.2.1 What is Feedback? 6.2.2 What is Control? 6.3 Brief Historical Review of Feedback Control 6.3.1 Prehistoric and Early Control Period 6.3.2 Pre-Classical Control Period 6.3.3 Classical Control Period 6.3.4 Modern Control Period 6.4 Classical Control Epistemology 6.4.1 Transfer Functions and Stability 6.4.2 Closed-Loop Controlled Systems and Performance Specifications 6.4.3 Root-Locus and Frequency Response Methods 6.4.4 Compensators 6.4.5 Discrete-Time Control Systems 6.5 Modern Control Epistemology 6.5.1 State Space Modeling, Controllability, and Observability 6.5.2 Lyapunov Stability 6.5.3 State Feedback Control 6.5.4 Optimal and Stochastic Control 6.5.5 Model-Free Control 6.6 Networked Control Systems 6.7 Conclusions References Chapter 7 - Complex and Nonlinear Systems 7.1 Introduction 7.2 What is a Complex System? 7.3 What is Complexity? 7.4 Opinions about Complex Systems 7.5 Measurement of Complexity 7.6 Nonlinear Systems: Bifurcations, Chaos, Strange Attractors, and Fractals 7.6.1 General Issues 7.6.2 Bifurcations 7.6.3 Chaos and Strange Attractors 7.6.4 Fractals 7.7 Emergence 7.8 Complex Adaptive Systems 7.9 Adaptation 7.9.1 What is Adaptation? 7.9.2 Historical Note 7.9.3 Adaptation Mechanisms 7.10 Self-Organization 7.10.1 What is self-organization? 7.10.2 Mechanisms of Self-Organization 7.10.3 Examples of self-organization 7.11 Conclusions References Chapter 8 - Automation 8.1 Introduction 8.2 What is Automation? 8.3 Industrial versus Office Automation 8.3.1 Industrial Automation 8.3.2 Office Automation Systems 8.4 Further Examples of Industrial Automation 8.4.1 Robotic Automation 8.4.2 Aircraft Automation 8.4.3 Air Traffic Control 8.4.4 Automated Driving Vehicles 8.5 Human–Machine Interfaces and Virtual Reality in Automation 8.5.1 Human–Machine Interfaces 8.5.2 Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) Systems 8.5.3 VR-based Medical Systems and Simulators 8.6 Human Factors in Automation 8.7 Conclusions References Chapter 9 - Societal Issues 9.1 Introduction 9.2 What is Society? 9.3 Systems Theory in Society Development 9.4 Cybernetics and Society 9.5 The Impact of Control 9.6 The Impact of Automation on Society 9.7 Conclusions References Chapter 10 - Ethical and Philosophical Issues 10.1 Introduction 10.2 What is Ethics? 10.3 Ethics of Systems Engineering 10.3.1 What is Systems Engineering? 10.3.2 Ethics of Systems Engineering 10.4 Ethics of Systems Thinking 10.5 Ethics of Cybernetics 10.6 Ethics of Control and Automation 10.6.1 General Issues 10.6.2 Roboethics 10.6.3 Professional Codes of Ethics 10.7 Ethics of Management Control 10.8 Systems Philosophy 10.8.1 What is Systems Philosophy? 10.8.2 A Look at the Evolution of Systems Philosophy 10.9 Control and Cybernetics Philosophy 10.10 Conclusions References A Selection of Books on Systems, Cybernetics, Control, and Automation Index About the Author Back Cover