Romanian Forerunners of Cybernetics
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Romanian Forerunners of Cybernetics

Arhivă evenimente | Dezbateri | Evenimente | Proiecte cercetare | Știri

Stefan Iancu, Romanian Forerunners of Cybernetics, Journal NOESIS, Romanian Academy, 2013-2014,

Abstract. The paper introduces the reader to the emergence of cybernetics as a science and tells the
stories of the four Romanian forerunners of cybernetics: Spiru Haret, D. Danielopolu, Paul Postelnicu
and Stefan Odobleja. The life and selected works of Ştefan Odobleja are presented, and Odobleja’s
and Wiener’s cybernetic conceptions are compared. The author points out that Ştefan Odobleja’s biggest
merit is the one of having discovered the general character of the feedback and of having tried to
emphasize it in the most diverse range of processes and phenomena. N. Wiener regained what, in other
conditions, Ştefan Odobleja had discovered and managed to build cybernetics as a science through a
complete mathematical analysis of the feedback theory and automated processes. The paper concludes
with the author’s self-question: Would not be better that instead of the Odobleja–Wiener case people
would talk about the Odobleja-Wiener cybernetic theory?

Source – https://noesis.crifst.ro/wp-content/uploads/revista//2013-2014/2013-2014_2_02.pdf

Would not be better that instead of the Odobleja–Wiener case people would talk about the Odobleja-Wiener cybernetic theory?

CONCLUSIONS

  1. Cybernetics or the theory command and communication in beings and machines is the creation of a group of experts belonging to different fields who between 1920 and 1948 observed that a series of problems related to the control of the machines and organisms have in common certain organisation mechanisms and laid the foundations of a new subject evolving around two concepts: feedback– reverse connection principle (feedback circuit) and information.
  2. Through his paper “The Consonantist Psychology”, Ştefan Odobleja proved that he had genius, that he deserved to appear in the universal science besides Ampère and Norbert Wiener in the establishment of the cybernetic concept and way of thinking. Ampère anticipated cybernetics as a science, Stefan Odobleja elaborated the central ideas of cybernetics and the cybernetic way of thinking, N. Wiener regained what, in other conditions, Ştefan Odobleja has discovered and managed to build cybernetics as a science through a complete mathematical analysis of the feedback theory and automated processes.
  3. The second half of the XXth century is marked by cybernetic concepts because of Norbert Wiener, but behind him are many scientists as in any other field of knowledge. Among these, Stefan Odobleja is worth mentioning, as he is the one of its most valuable moments. Stefan Odobleja’s biggest merit is the one of having
    discovered the general character of the feedback and of having tried to emphasize it in the most diverse range of processes and phenomena.
  4. Odobleja made the first step in intuiting the cybernetic science but it was an important one and when it became internationally known, the Odobleja-Wiener case was born. Maxwell remains the founder of electromagnetism but history mentions Faraday as the one who intuited the electromagnetic waves before him. But all these facts belong to the history of science and after more than a half of century of tempestuous developing of cybernetics, in our days almost nobody is speaking about Wiener’s cybernetics. Why should not history mention the fact that
    Odobleja intuited a generalized cybernetics before Wiener? Wouldn’t it be better that instead of the Odobleja–Wiener case people would talk about the Odobleja- Wiener cybernetic theory?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Bălăceanu Stolnici C. „Un pionier al ciberneticii, românul Ştefan Odobleja” in Journal Flacăra,
    11 May 1974.
  2. Drăgănescu Mihai, „Conceptele cibernetice ale lui Ştefan Odobleja”, Introductory study to the
    volume: Ştefan Odobleja, The Consonantist Psychology, The Academy Publishing House, 1982.
  3. Iancu Şt. „Stefan Odobleja” in Journal Academica nr. 6,7,8/(66,67,68), aprilie, mai, iunie 1996.
  4. Oancea Stroe I., Pârvănescu V., „Microenciclopedie severineană” in Journal Viitorul, Mehedinţi,
    12 May 1972.
  5. Postelnicu P., „Ipoteza complexului vicios” in Journal Telecomunicaţii, 1968, vol.12, no. 12.
  6. Ruyer Raymond, La cybernetique et l’origine de l’information, Publishing House Flammarion,
    Paris, 1962.
  7. Săhleanu V. „D. Danielopolu şi Ştefan Odobleja precursori în cibernetică” in Journal Tribuna,
    January 30 1975.
  8. Spiru Haret, „Mecanica socială”, The Scientific Publishing House, Bucharest, 1969.
  9. Wiener Norbert „The Human Use of Human Beings”, French Edition: Cybernetique et Societe,
    Union Generale d’Edition, Paris, 1952.
  10. Wiener Norbert Cybernetics, 1966, The Scientific Publishing House, Bucharest.
  11. Wiener Norbert, Sunt matematician, The Political Publishing House, Bucharest, 1972.

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Dr. Ștefan Odobleja (1902-1978)

Credit: ullstein bild via Getty Images/ullstein bild Dtl.
Mat. Norbert Wiener (1894-1964)

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