Dark Hero of the Information Age : In Search of Norbert Wiener, The Father of Cybernetics

In the middle of the last century, Norbert Wiener-ex-child prodigy and brilliant MIT mathematician -founded the science of cybernetics, igniting the information-age explosion of computers, automation, and global telecommunications. Wiener was the first to articulate the modern notion of "feedback," and his ideas informed the work of computer pioneer John von Neumann, information theorist Claude Shannon, and anthropologists Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. His best-selling book, Cybernetics , catapulted him into the public spotlight, as did his chilling visions of the future and his ardent social activism. So what happened? Why is his work virtually unknown today? And what, in fact, is Wiener's legacy? In this remarkable book, award-winning journalists Conway and Siegelman set out to rescue Wiener's genius from obscurity and to explore the many ways in which his groundbreaking ideas continue to shape our lives. Based on a wealth of primary sources (including some newly declassified WW II and Cold War-era documents) and exclusive interviews with Wiener's family and closest colleagues, the book reveals an extraordinarily complex figure, whose high-pressure childhood, manic depression, and troubled relationships had a profound effect on his scientific work. No one interested in the intersection of technology and culture will want to miss this epic story of one of the twentieth century's most brilliant and colorful figures. "In 1906, Norbert Wiener was named "The Most Remarkable Boy in the World." A child prodigy, he entered college at age eleven, earned his Ph. D. at eighteen, and then began his brilliant career at MIT. In 1948 he launched a scientific revolution with his book Cybernetics, which defined the modern science of communication and control in machines and living things. His work heavily influenced legends of twentieth-century science and society: computer pioneer John von Neumann, information theorist Claude Shannon, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, and labor kingpin Walter Reuther. Yet today, the man, his work, and his prescient warnings have been virtually forgotten." "In this biography, award-winning journalists Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman set out to rescue Wiener's genius from obscurity and to explore the many ways in which his revolutionary ideas continue to shape our lives. They retrace Wiener's globe-trotting odyssey: his torturous upbringing and lifelong battle with manic-depression; his inspired technical work that played a pivotal role in the Allied victory in World War II; and the "big bang" of the information age when cybernetics burst on the postwar scene." "Through interviews with Wiener's family and colleagues, the authors reconstruct a life marked by eccentricity and tumultuous relationships. They draw on newly declassified government documents to show how the FBI and CIA pursued Wiener at the height of the Cold War to thwart his social activism and the growing influence of cybernetics at home and abroad." "The science that Norbert Wiener invented has only grown in significance for modern life. "Feedback," a term he popularized, now refers to automated machinery, "smart" technology, and human communication - the new new thing is actually old. But he also warned of the dangers inherent in new electronic and biological technologies that could exceed human control, making him not just a mathematical genius but a social visionary as well."--Jacket In the middle of the last century, Norbert Wiener--ex-child prodigy and brilliant MIT mathematician--founded the science of cybernetics, igniting the information-age explosion of computers, automation, and global telecommunications. Wiener was the first to articulate the modern notion of "feedback," and his ideas informed the work of computer pioneer John von Neumann, information theorist Claude Shannon, and anthropologists Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. His best-selling book, Cybernetics, catapulted him into the public spotlight, as did his chilling visions of the future and his ardent social activism. So why is his work virtually unknown today? And what, in fact, is his legacy? In this book, award-winning journalists Conway and Siegelman set out to rescue Wiener's genius from obscurity and to explore the many ways in which his groundbreaking ideas continue to shape our lives Child prodigy and brilliant MIT mathematician, Norbert Wiener founded the revolutionary science of cybernetics and ignited the information-age explosion of computers, automation, and global telecommunications. His best-selling book, Cybernetics, catapulted him into the public spotlight, as did his chilling visions of the future and his ardent social activism. Based on a wealth of primary sources and exclusive access to Wiener's closest family members, friends, and colleagues, Dark Hero of the Information Age reveals this eccentric genius as an extraordinarily complex figure. No one interested in the intersection of technology and culture will want to miss this epic story of one of the twentieth century's most brilliant and colorful figures. A definitive portrait of the eccentric mathematical genius and founder of the science of cybernetics traces the life and career of Norbert Wiener; his role in the evolution of computers, automation, and global telecommunications; and his ardent social activism and warnings about the human consequences of technology run amok. 30,000 first printing.