# ChatGPT Answer W. Ross Ashby was a British psychiatrist and pioneer in the field of systems theory and cybernetics. He was born on September 6, 1903, in London, and died on March 15, 1972. Ashby was educated at the University College London and St Bartholomew's Hospital, qualifying as a doctor in 1928. After working as a clinical psychiatrist and pathologist for several years, he began to develop theories about the brain's function based on mathematical models. In the mid-1940s, Ashby introduced the concept of homeostasis to describe how biological systems maintain their stability. This concept became fundamental to cybernetics and systems theory. One of his significant contributions to these fields is the Law of Requisite Variety which states that if a system is to be stable the number of states of its control mechanism must be greater than or equal to the number of states in the system being controlled. Ashby's book "Design for a Brain", published in 1952, further explored these ideas. Later in his career, he created an electromechanical device known as the Homeostat which was designed to demonstrate his principles of adaptive behavior. Ashby also proposed an intelligence test for machines based on their adaptability and problem-solving capabilities, which later influenced artificial intelligence research. He became an influential figure within cybernetics during its formative period following World War II. His work continues to be referenced by researchers studying complex adaptive systems within fields like biology, psychology, sociology and computer science. # Gemini Answer William Ross Ashby, often referred to as W. Ross Ashby (1903-1972), was a British psychiatrist and a highly influential figure in the development of cybernetics and systems theory. He is known for his groundbreaking work on: - **Self-organizing systems:** Ashby believed that systems, both biological and mechanical, could exhibit self-organization, meaning they could adapt and learn without external intervention. His book "Design for a Brain" introduced concepts like ultrastability and variety, proposing that a system's ability to adapt depends on its internal variety matching the variety of its environment. - **Law of Requisite Variety:** This widely cited principle states that the variety of control mechanisms within a system must be equal to or greater than the variety of disturbances it encounters. In simpler terms, a system needs enough "tools" to handle the challenges it faces. - **Homeostat:** Ashby built the "Homeostat," a machine capable of self-regulation and adaptation. This physical embodiment of his theoretical ideas demonstrated the principles of self-organization and the Law of Requisite Variety. - **[[Cybernetics]]:** As a member of the [[Macy Conferences]], a key forum for cybernetics pioneers, Ashby contributed significantly to the field. He emphasized the importance of communication, feedback, and learning in understanding complex systems. **Ashby's work has had lasting impacts on various fields:** - **Artificial intelligence:** He laid the groundwork for research on self-organizing and adaptive AI systems. - **Control theory:** His ideas on feedback and regulation are applied in engineering and robotics. - **Management and organization studies:** His models for self-organizing systems are used to understand and improve organizational structures. - **Cognitive science:** His insights into self-organization and adaptation contributed to our understanding of learning and decision-making processes. **Here are some additional points to remember:** - **Ashby's work wasn't without its critiques:** Some criticized his theories as too abstract or lacking clear empirical evidence. - **His influence continues to grow:** Recent years have seen renewed interest in Ashby's work due to its potential applications in AI and complex systems research. **Further Resources:** - **Wikipedia:** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ross_Ashby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ross_Ashby): [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ross_Ashby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ross_Ashby) # References ```dataview Table title as Title, authors as Authors where contains(authors, "W. Ross Ashby" ) or contains(subject, "W. Ross Ashby" ) or contains(subject, "Ross Ashby" ) or contains(subject, "Cybernetics" ) sort modified desc, subject, title ```