[Cybernetics in Latin America- ISEA2012]
Dear Pablo, Eugenio and Yasmin suscribers
In continuation with Pablo – Yes, Some of the members of Grupo de los 13
participated in "Tendencies 5: Computer visual research. Conceptual art"
taking place in Zagreb in 1973. The artists featured were Luis Fernando
Benedit, Arturo Berni, Ernesto Deira, Eduardo Mac Entyre, Rogelio Polesello
and Miguel Angel Vidal. These artists were invited as "Grupo de arte y
cibernetica de Buenos Aires." In 2011, Margit Rosen (ZKM, 2011) edited the
book about the New Tendencies movement, and how during 1961-1973 clustered
some of the earlier and most significant innovators in art, research and
technology worldwide. The work of Berni is reminiscent of the early
computer art of Charles Csuri, using computer plotters and vector image
transformations. I did not find Benedit's work in this exhibit, but perhaps
Pablo can find. I appreciate you sending your slides and the catalog "Arte
y Cibernetica."
Eugenio, in regard to your question:
How has cybernetics specifically contributed to the development of Latin
America, considered as a heterogeneous social space?
As a Latin American, these stories shake me. I guess it is part of the
process "de-Westernization" to start looking towards ourselves, and
reflecting on innovations created for the Latin American context. A
criticism to Technology is that it widens the social inequity through
the *Digital
Divide*. In our countries, this divide is highly apparent and that's why
Medina's research on Cybersyn is so fascinating. Cybersyn was a peace
technology and unfortunately an utopia.
What do other's think? I am interested in how this histories are preserved
through documentation, because otherwise how can we learn?
Thank you,
Esteban García
On Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 11:49 AM, Eugenio Tisselli <cubo23@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hello Yasminers,
>
> I am Eugenio Tisselli, artist, programmer and PhD candidate at Z-Node: the
> Zurich node of the Planetary Collegium. Andrés kindly invited me to join
> this conversation, and I must say I'm very excited to be part of this. I am
> by no means an expert in cybernetics. Nevertheless, I have applied some of
> its principles to the study and the development of projects in media art.
> In this regard, I believe that cybernetics is a particularly relevant
> conceptual tool that can shed light on some processes specific to media
> art, such as interactivity or interface design.
>
> While I listened to the speakers of the Latin American and Cybernetics
> panel at ISEA 2012, I felt a mix of wonder and uneasiness. My wonder came
> from learning about many things I did not know about: for example, Arturo
> Rosenblueth's close relationship with Norbert Wiener, or Benedit's work.
> But my uneasiness was due to an issue which I find a bit paradoxical: how
> can we speak of the regional particularities of a scientific approach that,
> as many others, raises a claim to universality? Of course, the panelists
> spoke about specific people in Latin America who were involved in some way
> or another in the birth of cybernetics. But I'm pretty sure that many other
> people coming from other regions of the world participated too. Also, I
> understand that, politically, there is a lot at stake: it's important to
> stress that innovative scientific theories are developed with the
> contribution of people coming from outside the centers of political and
> economic power.
> Thus, I see the issue of "de-Westernization" of science being raised
> here, and that's all very well. But the question I'd like to ask is: how
> has cybernetics specifically contributed to the development of Latin
> America, considered as a heterogeneous social space? It has always made me
> a bit sad to think about Cybersyn, and how it was truncated by the coup
> d'etat. I know that history doesn't allow "what if's" but... what would
> have happened in Chile (and probably in neighboring countries) if Cybersyn
> had become a reality?
>
> So, for me, speaking of cybernetics in Latin America is certainly
> interesting. But I would like to think more deeply about its social
> implications in the region (both as a theoretical approach and as an
> applied science) ... I'll be looking forward to ideas coming from the
> expertise of the people in this list.
>
> Best wishes,
> Eugenio.
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> De: Pablo Colapinto <wolftype@gmail.com>
> Para: YASMIN DISCUSSIONS <yasmin_discussions@estia.media.uoa.gr>
> Enviado: Lunes, 5 de noviembre, 2012 10:26 P.M.
> Asunto: Re: [Yasmin_discussions] Latin America and Cybernetics at ISEA 2012
>
> Hello Everybody,
>
> I am Pablo Colapinto, a cohort of Andrés Burbano at the University of
> California in Santa Barbara, and a researcher in "geometric cybernetics" --
> or
> form-finding and form-making using reasoning machines. Andrés asked me to
> moderate this conversation on Latin America and Cybernetics -- but of
> course I imagine we can all act as moderators and ask questions of each
> other. Please feel free to contact me off list if any issues arise (
> wolftype@gmail.com).
>
> The text of my 5 minute talk and some of my research materials can be found
> at www.wolftype.com/dl/cibernetica/ I believe Felipe shot a video as
> well.
>
> Esteban, thank you for the summary of the talks. I remember afterwords you
> were telling me something very interesting about a group of Eastern
> European cyberneticians that had some overlap with the themes explicated by
> El Grupo de los Trece in Argentina in the late 60s and 70s. We would all I
> am sure love to hear more about that on this list.
>
> You asked if someone could perhaps explain a bit about Eduardo
> Bayro-Corrochano's talk, and I encourage those who were there to give their
> impressions. Perhaps it would help if I speak a bit more about the system
> of mathematics with which Eduardo works, since it is also my area of
> specialty. Andrés asked the question at the conference, but time did not
> allow me to fully answer. My master's thesis has more in depth introduction
> www.wolftype.com/versor
>
> Briefly, Geometric Algebra combines deductive reasoning with inductive
> reasoning. Deductive reasoning is the kind of "top-down" reasoning we are
> used to in Euclidean geometry, where general rules lead to specific
> conclusions: a line intersects a coplanar circle at two points, two
> overlapping spheres intersect at a circle, two points can define a
> line, two lines can intersect to define a point, etc. Inductive reasoning
> is more of a "bottom-up" approach to logic, where specific conclusions made
> in one instance can be generalized and formulated into a more general rule.
> A lot of the power of Geometric Algebra lies in its ability to use
> deductive reasoning to work out simple problems intuitively, and then
> inductive reasoning to generalize those solutions to more complex
> situations, whether they be higher dimensions or curved spaces. Because
> Geometric Algebra is "coordinate free", which means it is not tied down to
> any particular metric space or dimension, what it enables is the building
> of computational systems that are fluid, adaptable, and horizontally
> integrable.
>
> Eduardo's Cinvestav laboratory in Guadalajara is pretty much the only one
> in the world using Geometric Algebra to study control and automation of
> perception-action systems. Throughout the "Perception-Action Cycle" which
> he discussed in his lecture fundamentally relies on the above model
> represent the world to the computer. He uses the same mathematical system
> to control projective computer vision (seeing a 3d world), neural
> processing (recognizing objects), and robot locomotion and actuation
> (movement of robot arms). That a single mathematical system is employed
> "from head to toe" in the design of humanoids is unique. I think of the
> mathematics as an abstract substrate, a sort of soil out of which seeds of
> artificial intelligence can grow. It also is very very closely related to
> second order cybernetics as espoused by the likes of Heinz von Foerster,
> where "seeing" is structurally coupled with "doing".
>
> "If you want to see, learn how to act." says Foerster. Of note, the
> geometric system mentioned above was invented in the 1860s by William
> Clifford, and brought back into modern day calculus by a theoretical
> physicist, David Hestenes. This provenance is relevant, for it shows that
> some of our modern "thinking machines" are using the very mathematics used
> to describe the nature of the universe itself.
>
> This is a somewhat truncated answer, but hopefully useful. I imagine this
> conversation will continue on this list for some time, so hopefully there
> will be plenty of time for us all to elaborate on various themes. Looking
> forward to hearing what everyone has to say!
>
> Warm Regards,
> Pablo
>
> On Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 5:14 PM, esteban garcia <estebang@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Dear members of Yasmin,
> >
> >
> > I am Esteban García an artist and PhD candidate in Computer Graphics
> > Technology at Purdue University. I presented at ISEA 2012 a workshop on
> web
> > radio called "Radio Chigüiro" and collaborated with Andrés Burbano in the
> > panel "Code Talkers." I also attended to the exciting panel in
> Cybernetics
> > and here are my notes:
> >
> >
> > Latin America and Cybernetics at ISEA 2012
> >
> >
> > This panel focused in past and current Latin American approaches to
> > cybernetics. Researchers in Artists, Neurologists, Politicians and
> > Mathematicians have explored cybernetics, "the scientific study of
> control
> > and communication in the animal and the machine."[1] Some of the
> approaches
> > included transposing different disciplines to create within a new field
> of
> > knowledge.
> >
> >
> > Susana Quintanilla presented on an early case of the Latin American
> > influence in the development of a conceptual model for cybernetics. It
> > started with the communication of Neuroscientists Norman Weiner and
> Arturo
> > Rosenblueth, starting in the 1930's and continuing throughout their
> lives.
> > Rosenblueth was a scholar born in México who in the 1930 was awarded an
> > scholarship in the department of Physiology of Harvard Univeristy. During
> > his lifetime, he co-wrote articles with Weiner including "Behavior,
> Purpose
> > and Teleology" in 1943, a seminal article that redefined the theory of
> > cybernetics. Rosenblueth's return to Mexico as a Professor in the
> > Physiology department of UNAM didn't stop him and Wiener to continue to
> > collaborate. They were able to maintain correspondence and co-author
> > research in the new science of cybernetics.
> >
> >
> > Pablo Colapinto's presentation regarded to "Grupo de los 13," an
> > Argentinian-based group of artists who in the 1970's explored
> cybernetics.
> > The work of Luis Fernando Benedit was highlighted. His work explored the
> > development of autonomous systems. Benedit's "Biotron" was installed in
> the
> > 1970 Venice Biennale, displaying an enclosed environment for bees:
> >
> > *
> > *
> >
> > *Biotron, an aluminum and plexiglas construction which housed 4,000 bees,
> > shown at the 1970 Venice Biennale. The insects had the choice of feeding
> > from artificial flowers which dripped sugar at the direction of a
> computer,
> > or from actual flowers in a nearby garden. The bees preferred the
> > artificial solution.* [2]
> >
> >
> > Pablo, can talk a little more about Benedit's work? It was a very
> > interesting presentation.
> >
> >
> > Eden Medina's presentation was called "Cybernetics and Political Change
> in
> > Chile. Medina focused in the particular case of project Cybersyn, an
> > experiment in cybernetic socialism during Salvador Allende's government
> > from 1970 to 1973. The presentation was based on Medina's book entitled
> > "Cybernetic Revolutionaries" from MIT Press (2011) [3]. Cybersyn
> overlapped
> > science and politics aimed to be a socialist approach to technological
> > innovation.
> >
> > In 1971, Fernando Flores wrote to Stafford Beer about starting a
> > challenging project to be implemented across the whole country. In a note
> > by Medina:
> >
> > *
> > *
> >
> > *The person in charge of the technical aspects of the nationalization
> > effort had learned about cybernetics in college, especially a vein of
> > cybernetic thought known as management cybernetics that was in
> development
> > by an Englishman named Stafford Beer.*
> >
> >
> > A team that included Beer, aimed to create a National network for data
> > processing using one mainframe computer. The goal was to achieve an
> > auto-regulated society. One of the highlighted examples, was a sketch of
> > Project Cyberfolk, by Beer. Cyberfolk was a prototype of a system that
> > could be installed in people's Television to give the government
> real-time
> > feedback about society. One of the notes on the bottom represented a dial
> > with a meter to measure the overall levels of happiness of the
> population.
> > Medina explained that "Cybersyn illustrates how political innovation can
> > lead to technological innovation.*"*
> >
> >
> > Unfortunately, I couldn't be in Eduardo Bayro's [4] presentation. Did
> > anybody get to see it? Maybe Alejandro?
> >
> >
> > I tried my best to recollect from my notes, also I would like to thank
> Eden
> > for sending me her notes about her presentation.
> >
> >
> > Talk to all you soon,
> >
> >
> >
> > Esteban García
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > References:
> >
> > [1] Wiener, Norbert (1948). Cybernetics, or Communication and Control in
> > the Animal and the Machine. Cambridge: MIT Press.
> >
> > [2]
> >
> >
> http://www.moma.org/docs/press_archives/4913/releases/MOMA_1972_0142_125.pdf?2010
> >
> > [3]http://www.cyberneticrevolutionaries.com/?page_id=2
> >
> > [4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-2Hk3Gkuow
> >
> > --
> >
> > Esteban García
> > art & research
> > www.snebtor.org
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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> In the page that will appear ("info page"), enter e-mail address, name, and
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--
Esteban García
art & research
www.snebtor.org
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