Emergence and Embodiment: New Essays on Second-Order Systems Theory

Science and Cultural Theory

by Bruce Clarke (Editor), Mark B.N. Hansen (Editor)

Explores the cultural legacy of cybernetics and neocybernetics (the cybernetics of cybernetics) that offers new insight on the role of the human in an era of the posthuman.

Genres: Philosophy, Theory, Sociology, Essays

285 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Mark Longo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thompson's essay on "Life and Mind" is worth 10 stars. In it, he clearly articulates a number of fascinating connections between cognition and the process of living (ala Maturana and Varela). I got more out of this essay than Thompson's 500 page book on the same topic. I didn't find the rest of Emergence and Embodiment particularly engaging or edifying.

[Christian Moore-Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first few essays. Clarke's and Thompson's especially. The rest were not so good.