Cybernetics, system(s) theory, information theory and fuzzy sets and systems in the 1950s and 1960s (Q621585)

This paper reviews the history of information theory, cybernetics, and (general) systems theory from the work of \textit{R. V. L. Hartley} [``Transmission of information'', Bell. Syst. Tech. J. 7, No. 3, 535--563 (1928)], which established a measure of information, through the publication in 1948 both of \textit{N. Wiener}'s [Cybernetics, or control and communication in the animal and the machine. Paris: Hermann et Cie. etc. (1948), 2nd edition. New York-London: The MIT Press and John Wiley \& Sons, Inc. (1961; Zbl 0098.11705)] and \textit{C. E. Shannon}'s [``A mathematical theory of communication'', Bell Syst. Tech. J. 27, 379--423, 623--656 (1948; Zbl 1154.94303)]. Shannon's paper was introduced to many by an article in Scientific American by Warren Weaver (see also [\textit{C. E. Shannon} and \textit{W. Weaver}, The mathematics of communication. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press (1949; Zbl 0041.25804)]). \textit{L. von Bertalanffy}'s [``Allgemeine Systemtheorie'', Deutsche Universitätszeitung 12/1957, 8--12 (1957)] and \textit{L. A. Zadeh}'s [``Fuzzy sets'', Inf. Control 8, 338--353 (1965; Zbl 0139.24606)] receive due attention, as does \textit{C. W. Morris}' philosophical work [``Foundations of the theory of signs'', in: O. Neurath (ed.), International encyclopedia of unified science. Vol. 1, No. 2. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1938)].