Systems Theory and Scientific Philosophy

Systems Theory and Scientific Philosophy constitutes a totally new approach to philosophy, the philosophy of mind and the problems of artificial intelligence, and is based upon the pioneering work in cybernetics of W. Ross Ashby. While science is humanity's attempt to know how the world works and philosophy its attempt to know why, scientific philosophy is the application of scientific techniques to questions of philosophy. In this vein, Bryant explores utility theory, the theories of relative existence and build-up release, and analyzes such hitherto-unidentified phenomena as positive pleasure, the problems of voting motivation, the trademark paradox, the paradox of value, and Gresham's Law for drugs. Contents: Part One: Science and Systems Theory; Part Two: Mind and System; Part Three: Systems Theory and Social Philosophy.