Systems, cybernetics, control, and automation (SCCA) are four interrelated and overlapping scientific and technological fields that have contributed substantially to the development, growth, and progress of human society. A large number of models, methods, and tools were developed that assure high efficiency of SCCA applied to practical situations. The real-life applications of SCCA encompass a wide range of man-made or biological systems, including transportations, power generation, chemical industry, robotics, manufacturing, cybernetics organisms (cyborgs), aviation, economic systems, enterprise, systems, medical/health systems, environmental applications, and so on. The SCCA fields exhibit strong influences on society and rise, during their use and application, many ethical concerns and dilemmas.
This book provides a consolidated and concise overview of SCCA, in a single volume for the first time, focusing on ontological, epistemological, social impact, ethical, and general philosophical issues. It is appropriate for use in engineering courses as a convenient tutorial source providing fundamental conceptual and educational material on these issues, or for independent reading by students and scientists.
Included in the book is:
- Background material on philosophy and systems theory
- Major ontological, epistemological, societal and ethical/philosophical aspects of the four fields that are considered in the book
- Over 400 references and a list of 130 additional books in the relevant fields
- Over 100 colored photos and 70 line figures that illustrate the text
Systems, general systems theory, cybernetics, control, networked control, industrial automation, office automation, societal systems, ethics, philosophy