Systems, Cybernetics, Control, and Automation

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 transportation, 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 raise, 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 as independent reading by students and scientists or in engineering courses as a convenient tutorial source providing fundamental conceptual and educational material on these issues.Included in the book are:- Background material on philosophy and systems theory- Major ontological, epistemological, societal, and ethical/philosophical aspects of the four fields considered in the book- Over 400 references and a list of 130 additional books in the relevant fields - Over 100 color photos and 70 line figures that illustrate the text.