[Legacy Report] Reintroducing Norbert Wiener, inventor of cybernetics

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Norbert Wiener, inventor of cybernetics (the “cyber” in cyberspace), was a household name in the mid-20th century. In the decades after his death his reputation drifted into obscurity. Over the past decade, however, the ideas he raised are once again pressing: the future of work in the age of robots; distinguishing humans and machines (or not); the negative impact of applying advanced technology to weaponry; and many others. This talk will examine three aspects of Wiener: the ongoing relevance of his technical research (much of which has only been accessible with the growth of computing power in the past decade); his focus on the societal impact of technology; and a look at Wiener as a person. The presentation will also describe the IEEE 2014 Conference on Norbert Wiener in the 21st Century to be held in Boston 24-26 June 2014. (Sponsors of this conference include the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology; Systems, Man, and Cybernetics; Control Systems Society; and IEEE Boston Section.)

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