Cybernetics treats not things but ways of behaving. It does not ask what is this thing? but what does it do?... It is thus essentially functional and behaviouristic. Cybernetics deals with all forms of behavior in so far as they are regular, or determinate, or reproducible. The materiality is irrelevant... The truths of cybernetics are not conditional on their being derived from some other branch of science. Cybernetics has its own foundations.


p. 1; As cited in: Stuart A. Umpleby, "Ross Ashby's general theory of adaptive systems." International Journal of General Systems 38.2 (2009): 231-238. - An Introduction to Cybernetics (1956) - Part I: Mechanism

W. Ross Ashby Quotes

Cybernetics treats not things but ways of behaving. It does not ask what is this thing? but what does it do?... It is thus essentially functional and ...

Cybernetics treats not things but ways of behaving. It does not ask what is this thing? but what does it do?... It is thus essentially functional and ...

Cybernetics treats not things but ways of behaving. It does not ask what is this thing? but what does it do?... It is thus essentially functional and ...

Cybernetics treats not things but ways of behaving. It does not ask what is this thing? but what does it do?... It is thus essentially functional and ...