Elements of a cybernetic epistemology: Design rules for complex goal-orientated systems

Feedback systems have often been considered as relevant for an understanding of the brain. But obviously most biological systems have a much more complicated structure. Surprisingly the functional and structural necessities determining the route from simple feedback systems to complex goal-orientated systems like the brain have never been investigated. Therefore this paper studies systematically the possibilities for adding functional elements like sensors, memory, effectors etc. to a feedback system. Then it investigates which combinations of functional elements are necessary to get to working goal-orientated systems. Based on that necessities and options of data organization and the resulting cognitive possibilities are analysed. This abstract analysis delivers design rules for complex—technical and biological—goal-orientated systems and basic epistemological facts how additional functional elements can add to their cognitive abilities. Finally, a ‘design for a simple brain’ illustrates the application of these design rules. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.