лур / Norbert Wiener

Norbert Wiener

Norbert Wiener is one of the gratest scientists in the history of science, the father of cybernetics. He was born on November 26, 1894 in Columbia (Missouri, USA). Whereas he could be our compatriot. His father, Leo Wiener, a prominent philosopher, historian, linguist was born in Belostock, a Russian town at that time. He headed the chair of Slavonic languages and literature at Harvard University.

Leo Wiener was considered to be a good “home teacher” too. He worked out a new educational system for his first-born. It was based on the study of mathematics and languages. The pupil proved to be worthy of the system. Seven-year-old Norbert recited Dante in Italian. At the age of 11 he finished secondary school. In 1905 he entered the college and in 1908 he was awarded a Bachelor degree in Arts. By that time he was only 14. He continued his education at Harvard University. When he was 17 he was awarded a Master degree. In 1913 he ws granted the highest degree, the Doctor of philosophy, for his scientific research and a thesis in the field of mathematical logic.

The term “cybernetics” is derived from the Greek word “Kubernetes” meaning “steerman”. The term was introdused by Norbert Wiener himself to describe the complex dealing with control and communication processes in the living organism and in the machine.

His main scientific work devoted to these processes was published in 1948. This date is considered to be the beginning of the age ofcybernetics.

The new science dealing with the problems of control and govering of processes plays a leading part among the sciences nowadays. The main objective of this science is to increase the efficiency of human labour by controlling and governing processes in nature, in technology and in human society.