One World or No World Neurocybernetics

The Origins of the linking of Man and Machine- The Macy Conferences
Topics of the Conferences Included-
Inaugural Macy Conference entitled "Feedback Mechanisms and Circular Causal Systems in Biological and Social Systems."

Erik Erikson gives a presentation on child psychiatry.

Wiener (order vs. chaos)

Long argumentation over the distinctions between the continuous or 'analog' character of Köhler's Gestalt model and the discretely-coded or 'digital' orientation adopted by (e.g.) McCulloch and Pitts.

Kubie makes note of the (problematical) role of the observer in psychoanalytical work, and claims the therapist has to remain as detached as possible, even to the exclusion of humanistic impulses. This will have disastrous results for the uninformed test subjects.

Fremont-Smith makes an appeal for collaboration between physics and psychology (and by implication all the 'hard' and 'soft' sciences) leading to unification of science. He emphasizes the need for cross-disciplinary awareness and declares, "The development of effective communication across the scientific disciplines in perhaps the most urgent need of our era."

Discussion of Bavelas' structured (and game-like) experiments runs the gamut from applicability of von Neumann's game theory to psychic motivations to ESP to applicability of 'meaning' within an 'information theory' to anxiety about automatic machines to the role of machines as models in understanding human cognition.