Recent Topics in Cybernetics

Room S221, 2nd. Floor, St. Clements Building
London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
10:00 am Saturday 13th September 2003

10.00 Dr Bernard Scott FCybS Cranfield University Royal Military College of Science
"Topic Maps and Learning Design"
Pask and Scott pioneered Course Assembly System and Tutorial Environment (CASTE) in the late 60s and early 70's. Today Web technology can facilitate CASTE like learning and Designs. I review progress and pointers to developments.

10.30 Mr Tony Wilkes Organum Ltd
"Moores Law: a Boon or a Burden?"
Techniques such as abstractions, interfaces and high level languages have made today's software possible, but the final binaries are inefficient. As the CMOS end-point is approached runtime efficiency bears new examination.

11.00 Dr Angela Espinosa University of Hull
"The VSM as criteria for developing an Eco-regional approach to sustainable development- A Colombian experience"
The Viable System Model (S. Beer) offers good criteria for improving organisations dealing with environmental problems. The problem of forming a meta-view, improvements achieved with an eco-regional approach to sustainable development, and new questions for researchers in the field are described.

11.30 Dr. John St.Quinton Zetetic Systems
“The Analysis of Meaning: a technique for Machine and Man.”
A theory based on conceptual reference is presented which provides the means for analysing the written or spoken manifestations of cognition in terms of the semantic components involved. The associated analytical technique, described in both algorithmic and heuristic forms, can be applied to any assertion to detect and resolve semantic ambiguity, paradox and sophistry.

12.00 Dr Ranulph Glanville FCybS School of Architecture + Design RMIT University Melbourne
"Cybernetics: Ethics: Behaviour"
Cybernetics can be considered to be based on behaviour. Observing behaviours, we construct machines based on state transitions. Nothing could seem more mechanical or less concerned with ethics. But the extension of early cybernetic studies into second order cybernetics has changed how we evaluate behaviour, raising questions of responsibility that lead to the appearance of ethical considerations

12.30 Dr David Dewhurst FCybS Cybernetics Society
"Games Theory, monopoly and the vivarium: default limitations of simulation models"
Von Neumann and Morgenstern showed non-zero-sum optimisation may be reconstrued as zero-sum games in such fields as socio-biology, economics, management, military and political strategy and individual values. Widespread misapplication of this leads us to miss crucial features of real complex systems.

2.00 Dr. Petros A.M. Gelepithis FCybS Director, Cognitive Science Laboratory, Kingston University, England.
"Towards an Axiomatic Theory of Mind"
An axiomatic approach towards a Theory of Mind (ToM) is illustrated. We specify necessary and sufficient conditions for intelligence as part of a ToM and a suggestion for the nature of consciousness. We conclude with a brief summary of further work.

2.45 Mr Karl-Gustav Hansson Statistics Sweden
"Improving National Accounts"
Preliminary and revised national accounts are not integrated. Economic analysis and forecasting is dependant on what version of accounts is used.The production of effective and useful national accounts by continuous updating of economic data can produce monthly, quarterly and yearly national accounts. An outline for a PC solution is suggested.

3.30 Dr John Chandler FCybS Real Time Study Group
"Iraq"
As better axioms are developed for forecasting of outcomes Saddam Hussein's grip on power is analysed and methods for the removal of oppressive regimes considered.

4.15 Dr Graham Barnes Inform Lab
"What Theory does to Practice and Practice does to Practitioners"
Subject to Revision. The author of "Justice, Love and Wisdom" is currently working to develop democracy in Croatia.

DISCUSSION

To register your interest or to book your place email the Secretary: E-mail: daviddewhurst@email.com

Approved Students: Free	Members: £15.00	Non-Members: £20.00
Cheques payable to The Cybernetics Society, London Send to the Secretary: Dr. David Dewhurst,17 Challis Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9PP phone +44 (0)20 8560 2176

Participants requiring Dinner should include an additional £12.50

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