Designing freedom

by

100 pages

English language

Published April 11, 1974 by J. Wiley.

ISBN:
978-0-471-06200-4
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In these 1973 Massey Lectures, Stafford Beer states the case for a new science of systems theory and cybernetics. His essays examine such issues as "The Real Threat to All We Hold Most Dear," "The Discarded Tools of Modern Man," "A Liberty Machine in Prototype," "Science in the Service of Man," "The Future That Can Be Demanded Now," "The Free Man in a Cybernetic World." Designing Freedom ponders the possibilities of liberty in a cybernetic world.

3 editions

reviewed Designing freedom by Stafford Beer (The Stafford Beer classic library)

review of "Designing Freedom"

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A very short and approachable work that functions as a good introduction to Beerian Cybernetics. It actually makes me really sad to think about because it was mostly written in Chile during a period of turbulence that led to the end of Chilean Socialism.

The main idea of the book is that our institutions are failing us, they're not sufficiently dynamic and their main purpose is reproducing themselves. If we are to overcome the problems of our societies and to build something that works better for all we have to think cybernetically and redesign our societies. The book was/is a set of lectures given in the 70s and sadly its criticisms are still as relevant today as they were then.

The lecture version are here: archive.org/details/DesigningFreedom_CBC_Lectures. Recommend a listen, Beer has a really nice voice.

Subjects

  • Operations research -- Addresses, essays, lectures.
  • Social systems -- Addresses, essays, lectures.
  • Cybernetics -- Addresses, essays, lectures.