Cybernetics

Definitions

1. The theory/science of communication and control in living organisms or machines.
   uncountable
2. The art/study of governing, controlling automatic processes and communication.
   uncountable
3. Technology related to computers and the Internet.
   uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Near-synonym: control⟳ theory (not consistently differentiated)”

“Chasing and fleeing, though, are not just sequences of muscle contractions—they are goal-directed. Chasing may consist⟳ of running or climbing or leaping or ambushing, depending on the circumstances, as long as it increases the chances of snagging the prey; fleeing may include⟳ hiding or freezing or zigzagging. And that brings up another momentous 20th-century idea, sometimes called cybernetics, feedback, or control⟳. The idea explains how a physical system can appear⟳ to be teleological, that is, directed by purposes or goals. All it needs are a way of sensing the state of itself and its environment, a representation of a goal state (what it “wants,” what it’s “trying for”), an ability to compute the difference between the current state and the goal state, and a repertoire of actions that are tagged with their typical effects. If the system is wired so that it triggers actions that typically reduce⟳ the difference between the current state and the goal state, it can be said to pursue⟳ goals (and when the world is sufficiently predictable, it will attain them). The principle was discovered by natural selection in the form⟳ of homeostasis, as when our bodies regulate their temperature by shivering and sweating. When it was discovered by humans, it was engineered into analog systems like⟳ thermostats and cruise control⟳ and then into digital systems like⟳ chess-playing programs and autonomous robots.”

CEFR level