W. Ross Ashby
W. Ross Ashby | |
|---|---|
W. Ross Ashby (1948) | |
| Born | 6 September 1903 London, England |
| Died | 15 November 1972 (aged 69) |
| Known for | Cybernetics, Law of Requisite Variety, Principle of Self-organization |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychiatry, Cybernetics, Systems theory |
| Signature | |
William Ross Ashby (6 September 1903 – 15 November 1972) was an English psychiatrist and a pioneer in cybernetics, the study of the science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things. His first name was not used: he was known as Ross Ashby.: 91
His two books, Design for a Brain and An Introduction to Cybernetics, introduced exact and logical thinking into the brand new discipline of cybernetics and were highly influential.: 93 These "missionary works" along with his technical contributions made Ashby "the major theoretician of cybernetics after Wiener".: 28