Cybernetics, or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine

Wiener, Norbert

Published by The M.I.T Press & John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1961

About this Item

Second Edition. Book is in Near Fine condition, dust jacket is in Very Good+ condition. Very minor foxing to the fore-edges and small chips to the head of the jacket spine, otherwise clean, tightly bound, and unmarked. An excellent copy of this foundational text. Wiener's "Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine," published in 1948, is a seminal work that fundamentally shaped the fields of information theory, computer science, and systems thinking. The book famously coined and defined the term "cybernetics" itself, deriving it from the Greek word for "steersman," to describe the science of control and communication in both living organisms and machines. Wiener's central thesis is that the principles governing how living beings and machines regulate themselves and interact with their environment are fundamentally similar, revolving around feedback loops and information exchange. He argues that systems, whether biological (like the human nervous system) or mechanical (like a thermostat or a guided missile), achieve their goals and maintain stability (homeostasis) by continuously receiving, processing, and responding to information from their surroundings. Octavo, xvi., 212 pp., index. Mylar protected.

Seller Inventory # 286

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Cybernetics, or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine
• Publisher: The M.I.T Press & John Wiley & Sons Inc.
• Publication Date: 1961
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 2nd Edition
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Science
  • Philosophy