ELEMENTS OF A CYBERNETIC THEORY OF PURPOSIVENESS

Abstract

Only the elements of a theory of purposiveness are presented in this paper, the two main items being the effectiveness of a purpose with respect to a system and the generation of a purpose by a system. The author then gives some preliminary definitions and studies the PPG‐concept. The role of the body‐machine in the actualization of the PPG‐concept is discussed, the latter serving as a model of the theory of purposiveness. The paper concludes with a proposal concerning a system's systematization on the basis of its ability to passively follow or to actively select goals for itself. A normative theory has to be considered as a presupposition of the theory of purposiveness.

Citation

LOCKER, A. (1980), "ELEMENTS OF A CYBERNETIC THEORY OF PURPOSIVENESS", Kybernetes, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 97-108. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb005546