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Customer Reviews (103)

Straight Shooter
In an effort to understand why I have a strong tendency to "doubt" myself in many situations where I rationally know I excel, I bought this book and read it cover to cover.
I found the author Dr. Maltz to be incredibly insightful and the no nonsense way he delivered the information was rather refreshing.I've read my fair share of "self help" books and I can honestly
say that most of them carry on a lot about psychological mumbo jumbo, but NOT this one!Dr Maltz is a serious straight shooter and he really just says it like it is.I found many of the ideas he presented to cause "ah ha" moments inside me and the information is also very relevant, even in todays world which at first I thought might be an issue since this book was written many years ago. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a way to better understand their self-image and in essence make it better.
By far my favorite part of the book is the idea he delivers that we don't need to dredge up our past and relive it and "figure it out" in order to get over it.He just basically says, forget it, and move on!I LOVED THAT!!It makes me feel free from past baggage that I thought may have been holding me back.Really a great book!
If i had to say something negative, it would be that the font was kind of small ;)

Maltz exposes the true power of the mind
Everything is possible if you believe... the power of the mind is incredible. Amaze yourself. We are capable of so much more than we are taught to believe. If only they taught this in school. This is what we should be teaching our kids. Psychocybernetics doesn't teach you what to think, but HOW to think in such a way that your entire life will be transformed. Improve yourself in any area, sports, your job, your love life, simply by readjusting your approach to the world. Maxwell Maltz exposes the secrets of how powerful our thoughts are. And he offers scientific proof to back it up. Maxwell Maltz tells it better than most anybody else I've read.

I first encountered this book back in the early 80's. I didn't know it then but my life was being transformed into something pretty amazing and this was one of the books that helped me change the entire course of my life. Many books passed thru my hands but this was a keeper. I sent my sister a copy nearly 20 years later in the hopes that she could restart her life in a happier new direction.

Written decades ago, but still pertinent
Dr. Maltz, originally a face surgeon, came to recognize in his patients a need for a positive self image, which need transcended the physical characteristics that patients wanted improved.

He compares the methodology of achieving a desired improvement in one's self image with that used in the design of modern physical automatic control systems (he uses the term "Cybernetics" to describe the servomechanism systems of his day, such as those used in military fire control systems).

The concept is imaginative, and Dr. Maltz uses most of his book to describe various methods for helping change one's self image to the one that is desired, presumably by using negative feedback control to minimize the difference between one's current self image and one's desired self image, similar in concept to how military fire control systems operate.

While the basic ideas presented by Dr. Maltz are intriguing the human brain is so much more complex than the design of a military fire control system that the basic concepts presented must be taken with this important limitation in mind.

The fact that book is still in print after many decades and has sold many millions of copies, however, is a tribute to some validity of Dr. Maltz's basic concepts.

Some Good Info
This CD has some good information but sound quality is bad.It must have been recorded more than 20 years ago. I expected more direction from the program than it provides.

a look into the mind
a wonderful look into the mind and what controls it and how we might learn how to control it better. It makes one realize that he/she is stronger than they may think. ... Read more

Product Description
With over 30 million copies sold since its original publication in 1960, Psycho-Cybernetics has been used by athletes, entrepreneurs, college students, and many others, to achieve life-changing goals--from losing weight to dramatically increasing their income--finding that success is not only possible but remarkably simple.Now updated to include present-day anecdotes and current personalities, The New Psycho-Cybernetics remains true to Dr. Maltz’s promise:“If you can remember, worry, or tie your shoe, you can succeed with Psycho-Cybernetics!” ... Read more

Customer Reviews (70)

My new favorite book
As I began to read this book it blew my mind with insights that changed the way I looked at the world. I wish they had taught me these life lessons in school when growing up. I think understanding our minds and ourselves to build a happier future is more useful than math. The beginning was so revolutionary that I expected the rest of the book to just reiterate these findings. I thought the first chapters had so many new insights that there was no way there could be more. I was wrong. I wonder how Maxwell Maltz was able to learn so much about the human mind. Each chapter is a pleasant surprise. I plan on reading it over every year.

A must read for anyone interested in self improvement.
I couldn't put this book down it was absolutely fascinating and is backed up by sound examples and life-changing stories as well as supported by beakthroughs in neuro-science.We are all capable of accessing our unlimited potential to achieve lasting authentic success in life and this book provides you with practical exercises to unleash your success trigger. Combine these lessons with a clear purpose, a great coach and a desire to make a difference in the world and you have the key to becoming unstoppable in all areas of your life.

Get the right version!
A enormously empowering book that guides you in separating 'fact' from 'fiction'. I find myself constantly turning back to it.

The more original a copy of Psycho-Cybernetics you can get your hands on the better! His foundation is now in the hands of other people (some competent, some sell-outs) who have used it mostly for their personal gain.

This book, Think and Grow Rich, and How to Win Friends and Influence People form the most powerful foundation for achieving fulfillment, wealth, and happiness.

Excellent read
This is a very easy read, full of helpful and motivating information as well as case studies.For those that are interested in revamping their self image, this is an excellent tool! Written by a plastic surgeon, this book contains numerous case studies of how self-esteem affects the way we present ourselves to the world.I highly recommend it!

wow
"the secret" is good but is mostly portrayed as some mystical 'attraction' that just happens to you when you think positively. this book proves with endless citable and quotable studies. the examples are great. i love listening to it and am more aware of reality and my personal ability to achieve everything i want. i love this audio book ... Read more

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"It appers impossible for anyone seriously interested in our civilization to ignore this book. It is a `must' book for those in every branch of science . . . in addition, economists, politicians, statesmen, and businessmen cannot afford to overlook cybernetics and its tremendous, even terrifying implications.

"It is a beautifully written book, lucid, direct, and despite its complexity, as readable by the layman as the trained scientist." -- John B. Thurston, The Saturday Review of Literature

Acclaimed one of the "seminal books . . . comparable in ultimate importance to . . . Galileo or Malthus or Rousseau or Mill", Cybernetics was judged by twenty-seven historians, economists, educators, and philosophers to be one of those books published during the "past four decades," which may have a substantial impact on public thought and action in the years ahead." -- Saturday Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

difficult read
it took a fairly major effort to read this one. the texts are hard enough to understand with ancient language (its hard to find people talking about "computing machine" nowadays). Lots of math appears in this book, and there certainly they are not step-by-step. This is basically for people with a good intuitive grasp of the underlying mathematics or else there is no chance you can follow it. The style of writing also seems foreign to me (21 years old). But very insightful book with good rewards, but I still feel that I spent a disproportional amount of effort for the reward that I get.

Timeless work joins philosophy, computing, and mathematics
Norbert Wiener was interested in the means by which feedback could be communicated to help correct the problems that develop in an organism. In investigating this matter, Weiner investigates a number of topics that differentiate between mere computation and intelligence and the importance that information plays in both. This is the unifying theme of a book that seems to wander through many topics using philosophy, mathematics, and the theory of computation.

For example, in chapter one of the book, Wiener illustrates the basic difference between man and machine with a discussion of the concept of Newtonian versus Bergsonian time. He states that Newtonian time - that of high level physics phenomena- is reversible. Bergsonian time, the time of living organisms making their way against entropy is not reversible. Thus since Newtonian time is reversible nothing "new" happens, as opposed to the irreversible time of evolution and biology in which there is always something new.

He continues this idea in the chapter "Computing Machines and the Nervous System." In it, he defines the characteristics of computing machinery. He concludes that the brain, being irreversible, is thus an analog of a single run of a machine. Wiener also points out that many problems of human metabolism and reproduction are associated with the inability to receive and organize impulses and make them effective in the outer world. Thus Weiner ultimately concludes that to live effectively is to live with adequate information.

There are also chapters that are almost purely philisophical about the role of information in society. Then there are other chapters that present heavy-duty mathematics on such topics as representing a time series of known statistical parameters asBrownian motion in an attempt to solve communications problems in nonlinear situations. The mathematics in this book is presented with little or no background, so you are going to need other sources to understand what Wiener is trying to convey.

In summary, if you want an interesting read on the science and philosophy of artificial intelligence and the role of the machine this is one of the best out there. It still stands the test of time after nearly sixty years.

Welcome to the Machine
Why is everything called "cyber" (cyberspace, cyberpunk)? Because of this book from 1948 in which Norbert Wiener, a prof at MIT, coined the phrase "cybernetics," from the Greek word "kybernutos" meaning "governor." If you're tired of viewing your computer as a black box (the input goes in here, the output comes out there, and something mysterious happens inside), or if you wonder if the tech world has any relation to the natural world, check out this unusual book, which is rewarding on many different levels.

Find out why robotics, neural nets and artificial intelligence (AI) predate the PC and even the mainframe computer and are not a new development. Travel back to the days of the giant ENIAC when the computer seemed to be an idea on everyone's mind, simply waiting for advances in technology to make it a reality. But this very readable book goes further, as suggested in Wiener's subtitle: "Control and Communication in the Animal and Machine." Many specialists in various fields initially opposed this book because of Wiener's interdisciplinary approach, which broke down the hard and fast walls between various disciplines.

The vocabulary of this book has now become commonplace (we ask for "feedback" and refer to "systems" on a daily basis), but many of its ideas have yet to be discovered. I couldn't keep up with the math, but you don't need to to grasp the basic ideas or to enjoy Wiener's lucid and luminous style, which ranks among the best of popular science writing. Wiener also wrote a general market book, "The Human Use of Human Beings" to present some of these ideas to a wider audience. Some fifty years after its initial publication, this book still forms an inviting welcome to the machine.

A fundamental law that is applicable to almost everything
Two books, both written in the late 1940s stand out as contributing much to our understanding of the world around us.One of these is "Cybernetics" by Weiner and the other is "The mathematicaltheory of communication" by Shannon.Both require some study bycontain many sections that are easily readable by anyone which get the mainpoints across in an understandable manner.

Weiner's book discuses the useof feedback on virtually every type of control mechanism known... i.e.,those of nature as well as those of man.It is the "basic" stuffthat everyone of us uses everyday and every moment of our lives whether weare aware of it or not.Whereas Shannon's book tells us how to communicateinformation in an error-free (or nearly so) way, Weiner's book explains howthat information is used to provide effective control of everything aroundus.For many decades since I first was introduced to these two works, Ihave used their principles in most things I do.

I very highly recommendthese two books to anyone who considers themselves a "thinkingperson" and is seeking to understand the world around them.Botheasily get 5 stars.They are major works! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (15)

Psychotic Cybernetics
This guy gives all these examples of how PC works for "other people". Story after story of "if it worked for this golfer it will work for you " "if it worked for this writer, it will work for you " "if it worked for this businessman, it will work for you " every thing from pianist to bodybuilders but, He hardly ever touches on the methodology of applying it.
Or maybe, being too conscious of the process and method of the psycho cybernetics goes against his philosophy. He placed a great emphasis on just "letting go and let it flow" "letting the unconscious take over". WTF?
When i saw the word cybernetics i thought it would be more systematic in its execution
of how to get it to the unconscious. But its more about other people doing it without telling me exactly how they did it.

Stellar
The product was delivered to me in a timely manner and the content is unbelievable. Really really satisfied with this purchase.

Great and never a waste of time on Self improving
Great staff, education, inspiration self motivating I recommend anybody special when you think you know it all!

The best $2 spent.
This book holds a lot of power and knowledge. Dr. Maltz's ideas will most certainly make changes in your life for the better if that is what you desire. Out of all the self-help books, I believe this $2 book breaks down the sub-conscious and its power on the mind, and actions better than any other documentation. Stay away from the Psycho-cybernetics 2000 book and use the original 1960's version. PC2000 is simply an edited copy of the original work by Maltz's.
Be ready to put in some mental work for Maltz's ideas to work.

Not for everyone...
When I picked up this CD I had great hopes based on the reviews unfortunately I quickly realized that this material is best suited for folks who have problems with their self esteem. This thankfully is not an area in which I lack. The book(audio cd) focuses on visualization and how you can train your mind to act as a servo mechanism to achieve what it is you're looking to accomplish. This is where the book falls flat as the only technique taught is visualization with the major emphasis on positive esteem building exercises. To be fair I'm sure these work, but I was hoping for broader tools to use more along the lines of NLP for specific areas to improve...not just esteem.

Although read by a seemingly disinterested narrator, Dr Maltz's sincerity comes through.In the 60's this may have been revolutionary,but now I believe there are better materials especially in the area of success conditioning. My favorite book in this field by far is Anthony Robbins first and best "Unlimited Power" ... Read more

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Since its introduction in 1960, Psycho Cybernetics has inspired and enhanced the lives of more than 30 million readers worldwide. In this exciting presentation written by the Maxwell Maltz Foundation, Dr. Bobbe Sommer applies Maxwell Maltz's breakthrough principles of positive self-growth to today's complex challenges. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Get the right version!
The more original a copy of Psycho-Cybernetics you can get your hands on the better! His foundation is now in the hands of other people (some competent, some sell-outs) who have used it mostly for their personal gain.

a decent read
This book is an update of the original book by Maxwell Maltz's book Psycho-Cybernetics.Maltz was a plastic surgen and became aware of the changes that many times took place in people after surgery, particularly surgey of the face etc.

He developed ideas about self-image and what can be cone to improve them.This book builds on the original work of Maltz and is worth a read.

This book, like many others is a self-help book and if read and used correctly it can help.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

Something about this book doesn't sit well with me
I have had this book(2000 version) for years and every time I try and read it I can never complete it. I don't know if it is because of how closely it is typed together or the checklist to dos or what. This book just doesn't resonate with me. It is hard to change your life if you can't even get through the book. Save your money and buy the original version.

Great book... but only if you seek further insight
Although I like the book, nothing can compare to the original.Read Psycho-Cybernetics by Maltz or the revised version by Kennedy first.I read both versions and you can't go wrong with either one.Then if you're serious about implementing the ideas/methods of Psycho-Cybernetics in your life, read Psycho-Cybernetics 2000.This book has numerous examples of how people use the ideas and methods of Psycho-Cybernetics to overcome hardships/trials and tribulations in their lives.There are also helpful techniques in this book that are not mentioned in the other versions.Great book!

Good Book
I have read the original and I have read this one.The original is great.This one is better.It has concrete steps and explains how exactly to implement Maltz's revolutionary ideas of self-image enhancement.I got the feeling with the original that Maxwell Maltz was so turned on and excited by these new discoveries that he was eager to just "get it out there" and worry about the details later.The creators of Psycho-Cybernetics 2000, having had the opportunity to see Maltz's ideas applied in the field for 33 years, show us concrete examples of how actual people applied Psycho-Cybernetics to improve their actual experience.The example about the good-looking guy who couldn't get it up was a gem.I am not a flag-defender (I call people who are more interested in explaining why one methodology is better than another instead of just using whatever method to get results, flag-defenders) and many of the negative reviews seem to be written by these people.In PC 2000 you will find a much clearer language as to how to actually put Maltz's ideas into practice.That being said, the original is great for giving you the backgroud for the power of the self-image.In short, if I were to choose an action book, get PC 2000; if you want a theroy book with a few applicable ideas, get Maltz's original PC. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Dealing with exceedingly complex systems
Andrew Pickering seeks to rescue cybernetics from the margins and to make it more widely available. Writing from outside the cybernetic camp, he is able to approach the subject matter in an impartial way. Counting myself as a member of the cybernetic community, I believe he has met his aim with great success.

He makes a convincing case for a cybernetic worldview that is quite distinct from the traditional worldview of physics. Pickering argues that the latter rests on the assumption that everything is in principle knowable, and that if we know enough about things in themselves, it increases our control over them. Distinct from this, he describes cybernetics as having emerged with what he calls a `performative' worldview. This is complementary to the approach of physics, with a focus upon human interaction with the phenomenal world, rather than striving to understand it `out there' without reference to the observer of it. In this performative worldview, the basic assumption is the essential unknowability of things. Human knowledge is then seen as a`process of becoming' which arises through the cycle of doing followed by reflection on the effects of our doing. Such a cycle entails a view of human knowledge as a capacity to understand a dynamic and changing reality through our engagement with it over time - hence 'performative'.

There is no rejection of a physics-orientated view (after all, the background of the author is physics). But, during and immediately after the Second World War, in response to the huge challenges posed by increasing rates of change and complexity, certain individuals developed an approach intended to more effectively tackle indeterminate and massively complex dynamic systems. This innovative work in what became known as cybernetics, has far-reaching implications for our present understanding of global issues including climate change, ecology and the financial system.

Pickering describes particular implications of such a worldview for human knowing and society. Knowledge is surely about the way things are and how they behave in response to our interactions with them. This is quite distinct from the more traditional notion that knowledge is gained from taking things apart and analysing them in greater and greater detail. In passing, he relates this to both continental philosophy and the pragmatism of William James without getting bogged down in any overly anguished philosophical discourse. He also touches on ways in which this approach combines the spiritual/experiential on the one hand, and the rational on the other. The author uncovers intriguing material on all the key protagonists. The accounts of experimentation with cybernetic machines such as Ashby's `Homeostat' or Pask's `Colloquy of Mobiles', give clear and concrete examples which clearly convey the meaning of this `performative ontology' (Pickering).

There is excellent original material on Ross Ashby, Stafford Beer, Gordon Pask, Grey Walter and others. Pickering also makes a convincing if provocative link between the endeavors of such individuals with the emergence of the so-called counter-culture of 1960's (e.g. R.D. Laing), and the insights of Gregory Bateson.

On a more general note, the book provides wonderful insight into the creative process of such a performative ontology - how this disparate group of highly original thinkers 'ran their intuitions past reality' as it were, through the conception and construction of physical artefacts, artefacts whose behaviours embodied a radically novel insight into life and human experience of it, enabling further new realities to emerge in a range of new disciplines.

In summary - the book is a very rich account of how such early work in cybernetics impacted upon our contemporary intellectual landscape. It clearly and succinctly describes how the work and ideas of seminal British figures in cybernetics impacted on the emergence of major new disciplines. This is a must for anyone interested in the provenance of complex adaptive systems (CAS), artificial intelligence, cognitive science and artificial life as well as for students of cybernetics itself. ... Read more

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One of the best theoretical and applied analyses of university academic organization and leadership in print. This book is significant because it is not only thoughtfully developed and based on careful reading of the extensive literature on leadership and governance, but it is also deliberately intAnded to enable the author to bridge the gap between theories of organization, on one hand, and practical application, on the other.
?Journal of Higher Education

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

How Colleges Work
Excellent overview of the various different college structures.Author worked hard to create analogies for how college systems were linked, but after getting into middle and later chapters the anlogies made some sense.A good introduction to, as the title says, how colleges work.

The basics of organizational structures
The author provides a thorough discussion of the four basic organizational structures in higher education.What I found most helpful is that he also provides strategies to help academic leaders be efficient and successful in each of the organizational structures described.

Review on How colleges work
This book is one of the most interesting books I have read. it is written persuasively and in a clear language. That it uses hypothetical cases also makes readers clearly see what is happening on the ground practically.

Enriching and must book for CEOs
I would grade this book as the 10 star must book for every CEO and would reccommend to eveyone who is genuinely interested in the business of higher education administration. The author deals with many types of power and this is, to my opinion, one of the brightest and essential parts of the book. I generally admire Dr. Birnbaum and enjoy reading his books very much. It is a great privilege and opportunity that AMAZON has this book and one can get the book. The other brights sides of this book have been reviewed and thouroughly studied by many professionals. The book has been in great demand at the universities where the highed EdAdmin is studied.

A General Theory for Higher Ed. Administration
A highly theoretical text; Birnbaum takes the reader through a well-planned out dissection of the common systems and "loops of interaction" in a college or university setting.He mainly focuses on the division of power between administrators and faculty, and gives frameworks for how these groups may interact with each other, or within their group.Birnbaum shows the reader 5 fictional samples of institutions of higher education: collegial institutions, bureaucratic institutions, political institutions, and anarchical institutions.In his final section of the text, Birnbaum gives his idea of the ideal institution: the cybernetic institution, which encompasses characteristics of the four other types.I was a little disappointed that Birnbaum did not manage to tie up all the loose ends or to present a solidrecommendation about how to create positive change in an institution of higher education.His theories of open and closed systems, dual control, and tight vs. weak coupling, however, are very insightful and well thought-out.A good basic framework. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK I EVER READ
This book is amazing. I was able to overcome a long running bout w/ insomnia in almost no time and thats just the tip of the iceberg within the pages. I have since purchased several copies for friends. Its by far the most important book I ever read.

You are what you think
I think that we are all familiar with the term 'you are what you eat' but the fact that we are also what we think has escaped many of us! This book gives a clear and simple insight into the workings of the mind and how it drives our lives in ways we may not have appreciated. Although very dated in some respects, this book is still very much worth reading as the age of the book has no bearing on the findings. Only with hindsight we can see that there is more truth to this subject than has been talked about in these pages but that need not dissuade you from reading this book.
The author occasionally slips into swiping at alternative theories or notions yet ironically ends the book imploring us to all be more open to everything that comes our way as life has many channels of expression! However, I wouldn't let that stop me from seeing his insights and knowledge.
For example the author believes that sleeping dogs should be left to lie, leaving the root of the problem to rest and just concentrating on changing the reactions by creating new habits. Personally, I see that this approach has some merit but from my experiences I wouldn't discount completely the idea of digging out the original problem and dealing with it, as that original wound will have many multi faceted parts to it that affect us in many different and subtle ways....clearly changing each one by forming new habits is time consuming and unnecessary if the original cause is removed. But like I said that doesn't detract from the many positive and helpful suggestions for getting in the flow of your subconscious power. ... Read more

Product Description

This is more than just the story of a geek elite, however. Hayleslooks at cybernetically inspired science fiction by the likes ofPhilip K. Dick, William Gibson, and Neal Stephenson to show how thelarger culture grapples with the same issues that dog thetechnologists. She also draws lucidly on her own broad grasp ofcontemporary philosophy both to contextualize those issues and tocontend with them herself. The result is a fascinatingintroduction--and a valuable addition--to one of the most importantcurrents in recent intellectual history. --Julian Dibbell ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Hayles Forgets and Didn't do her research
Interesting how Ms. Hayles does not mention the transhuman or transhumanism, Max More and his seminal essay "Becoming Posthuman" written several years before Ms. Hayles book was published.Anyone using the book in their course work might want to think about this.

What is the Posthuman Future?
This is an important, impressive, and infuriating book that should be read by all those interested in the posthuman movement, the possibility of a cyborg future, and the nature of cyberspace. I agree with other reviewers that it is a penetrating analysis of the cultural revolution taking place in information and what it means for human (and posthuman) society. It is important as a powerful statement of the post-modern concern with embodiment and what that might portend for the future of humanity. It is impressive as a wide-ranging analysis of the inter-linkages of technology, culture, and the human body. It is infuriating because of the jargon-filled text and convoluted nature of the writing. That last criticism is one that is generic for post-modern works such as this, and certainly not a specific criticism of this book.

UCLA professor of English N. Katherine Hayles makes the case that the body (or lack thereof) is central to this posthuman future. She notes that the body is lost in the information age, as disembodied voices/knowledge/data came to dominate thinking about a posthuman evolutionary stage. She also explores the development of the concept of the cyborg, and what the merger of humans and machines might eventually come to mean. She undertakes the analysis through a series of case studies. One of the best of them is her chapter on the science fiction of Philip K. Dick, whose novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" was made into the classic feature film "Blade Runner." His obsession with artificial life, and by extension "real" life, consumed much of Dick's writing and has much to say about the essence of the posthuman.

The most challenging and interesting part of this book is Hayles argument that Homo sapiens as a species are endangered in ways we have never conceptualized. Hayles notes that the rise of artificial life will lead to the next stage of the evolution of life on Earth. "If the name of the game is processing information," she writes, "it is only a matter of time until intelligent machines replace us as our evolutionary heirs. Whether we decide to fight them or join them by becoming computers ourselves, the days of the human race are numbered" (p. 243). The author does not view this with serious trepidation. As her last sentence in the book states: "Although some current versions of the posthuman point toward the anti-human and the apocalyptic, we can craft others that will be conducive to the long-range survival of humans and of the other life-forms, biological and artificial, with whom we share the planet and ourselves" (p. 291).

I think Hayles would agree with the Borg's slogan, "resistance is futile," but not with the dystopian concept of the human future it offers.

Too full of jargon for me
This is probably one of the hardest books I have ever read--with no background in either philosophy or cybernetics, much of what Hayles discusses is just plain incomprehensible.I also found it difficult to accept the idea of humans already being "post-human."If you are interested in deep philosophical writings on technology and the human condition, with links to literature, read this.If you don't really care about the post-human, skip it.

this book rules, her writing style is near impenetrable
This book is worth the effort.Or maybe all the effort you'll put into this triggers a cognitive dissonance reaction:I just spent 4 hours reading one chapter, so it must have been good.Right?Right?

This book is good, if only for her obvious reverence for the cyberpunk grandaddy PKD (Phil K Dick if you don't know already).Whether or not you accept her premise that we are already "posthuman" she considers her subject matter in a most interesting and relevent way, bringing in fiction that relates to the subject, as well as the history of computing and cybernetics (with some fun little anecdotes about the one and only Norbert Weiner).If you're a geek or into future-minded philosophy, pick this one up.She makes some convincing arguments, it just takes a good long while to decipher what those arguments actually are.

Resistance is futile - read this book
In this book of panoramic scope Hayles considers no less than the fate of the human race. In a rich and detailed discussion ranging from the science fiction of Greg Bear and Philip K. Dick to the science of Norbert Wiener's cybernetics and Claude Shannon's information theory, Hayles traces the changing conception of human consciousness and claims that a great many of us are already posthuman. A posthuman is someone who has been reconstructed in some sense, either physically or mentally, such that he or she exceeds, or believes they can exceed, the boundaries of a human. About ten percent of Americans can be considered cyborgs in the technical sense by virtue of having some kind of artificial implant - these people would qualify as posthuman since they have compensated for some limitation of their bodies through technological augmentation. However, Hayles claims that to be posthuman no prosthesis is necessary, simply the way in which we think about ourselves as conscious agents needs to change. The advent of Shannon's information theory has led to the modern convention of treating information as if it were entirely non-physical. If this idea is applied to the information in our heads - that is, the collection of memories that make each of us unique - then we quickly arrive at the conclusion that our consciousness can be uploaded into a computer, decanted into a robot-body, or even backed-up onto computer disk, giving us eternal life.

This is the story of how information lost its body and it is an idea which is now well established in Western culture and technology. Yet, Hayles believes it to be misguided. Any informational pattern, be it pebbles on the beach or electrons whizzing across the internet, must have a physical embodiment to exist. The importance of embodiment is also being discovered in fields such as neurology and experimental robotics. A surprisingly large amount of the information processing essential for being a responsive agent in the world goes on in body parts such as nerves, the spine and the proprioception of joints - our powerful human consciousness is a relatively recent add-on.

Hayles argues that future posthumans will not be the ethereal information-beings of much of current science fiction, but they will certainly have a much more intimate relationship with computers than we do today. In terms of information flows, a collection of humans and computers contains no boundaries between one and the next. As computers approach the complexity of our bodies and information becomes more important to our work and leisure, humans and computers will become more compatible with each other and there will be an increasing potential for one to collapse into the other. Whether this is to the detriment or betterment of humanity represents a cross-roads which urgently needs to be addressed. Hayles is well aware that technology issues such as these currently concern relatively few people - the majority of the world's population has yet to make their first phone call. Yet, now is precisely when such issues need to be aired before our posthuman futures are set in stone as either assimilated components in a vast machine or as free agents with powerful human-integrated technology at our disposal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The practical-living follow-up to Psycho-Cybernetics
I simple love this practical handbook on the topic of Maxwell Maltz's Psycho-Cybernetics (PC). The chapters in this book almost exactly parallel the chapters within PC, but here's why it's okay:This is a practical guide to constantly turn back to and find answers lightning-fast.

While PC has many stories to flesh out its point so they penetrate deep into your heart, this book builds upon that and offers the most succinct information (and motivation) possible. The Question and Answer section in each chapter is an amazing resource!

Get this book! Especially if you have already read Psycho-Cybernetics! ... Read more

Product Description
Cutting-edge insight from the leader in trading technology

In Cybernetic Analysis for Stocks and Futures, noted technical analyst John Ehlers continues to enlighten readers on the art of predicting the market based on tested systems. With application of his engineering expertise, Ehlers explains the latest, most advanced techniques that help traders predict stock and futures markets with surgical precision. Unique new indicators and automatic trading systems are described in text as well as Easy Language and EFS code. The approaches are universal and robust enough to be applied to a full range of market conditions.

John F. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not sure
The ideas are great, but not sure if they have practical application. I tried the Smoothed Adaptive Momentum Strategy and it really gives poor results, huge drawdowns for SPY, negative results with DIA, MDY, and SMH, even without transaction costs. If I optimize it for the training dataset, it performs badly on the test dataset. The Fisher Transform of normalized prices has definitely very sharp turning points, but backtesting shows the tendency to overtrade and has negative results for major indexes, without transaction costs.

Best Indicators EVER!
Don't bother getting his two previous books--MESA and Trading Market Cycles & Rocket Science for Traders--this book rewrites them both!I've programmed the strategies into AmiBroker with ease and have made custom tweaks with great success.Ehlers is up there with the great Welles Wilder who developed RSI and ADX in the 1970s.

Honestly, I've read the book four times and refer to it often.Since I have a degree in electrical engineering like Ehlers, the book was manageable.If you're not a EE, then it will take much more reading if you want to understand the math behind his indicators.I can't begin to explain how innovative these indicators are.The EasyLanguage code is the most understandable; ignore the EFS code unless you use that software.

Ehlers website ([...]) has several great papers that will lead you to rethink traditional indicators.

I've found the Instantaneous Trend, Adaptive Momentum and Super Smoother to be the best indicators explained in the book.I created three super smoother difference indicators (SS2 - SS3) with 8, 13 and 21 periods--these are awesome (page 246 last paragraph).I also created a super smoother MACD with 8 and 13 periods (third order) with is very good too.

Like any one indicator, there is no "holy grail" with Ehlers, but his indicators make superb inputs to neural networks, which are the holy grail in my opinion.Coupling Ehlers' indicators with cutting edge neural networks solutions like HyperNEAT will give you a "Matrix" moment.

This book, although highly technical, will give you space-age tools in a blacksmith marketplace.Good luck and trade well!

Purchase and Delivery of Cybernetic Analysis ...
The purchase of the book was easy and its delivery was prompt, even with the Amazon offer of free but relatively delayed delivery.

This is the second book of John Ehlers, a well-established pioneer in cycles and trend analysis for the technical analysis of stock price behavior.It is for advanced analysis, and it is a sequel to his classic book of "Rocket Science for Traders".You do need a math aptitude and some programming experience to get the maximum benefit of both books.John also offers eratta and corrections for minor typos in the formulas as well at his Mesa website.

Those who find this book of interest might also check on John Bollinger's classic book "Bollinger on Bollinger Bands", Steve Achelis' book on "Technical Analysis from A to Z", Steve Nison's book on "Japanese Candlestick Charting Techniques", and Martin Pring's "Technical Analysis Explained", Paul Murphy's "Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets", and "Technical Analysis of Stock Trends" by Edwards and MaGee.This is not a complete list, but a good start.

Remember that no single book offers the Holy Grail of investment.Stay objective to balancing your background, because investing mistakes can be the most expensive education you will ever have.

Excellente product!
This is a book clear and very easy to read, for me as physics research, and to my development is very useful.
Strongly recommended.

Brain Surgeons Can't Trade Stocks Like Ehlers Can
John Ehlers newest title is sure to make even the brightest of brain surgeons quiver for fear of closing the renal artery prior to completing the operation. Other reviewers may diss this author but his latest book truly reaches for the stars and makes it. The chapters while short, are to the point and exquisitely illustrate the concept being taught. If you are new to trading systems the shortness of the explanations may be too short but for experienced traders and developers of trading systems they are long enough.

Aspects of many indicators are reviewed with fresh insight added for several new systems not talked about in print before. Removing the lag is the traders dream. Many of the indicators shown do work although errata in the code does spoil some of the implementations given. Ehlers has provided for the keener updates on his website that corrects the mistakes, kudos here for doing the right thing.

Overall Ehlers has done it again and this book should be a staple in any traders library. As for the wannabees wanting all the answers and sure fire methods, choose brain surgery as your career option. No one said trading would be easy but Ehlers has given more toolsets that a successful trader can use in a concise to the point book.

... Read more

Product Description

Engineering practice often has to deal with complex systems of multiple variable and multiple parameter models almost always with strong non-linear coupling. The conventional analytical techniques-based approaches for describing and predicting the behaviour of such systems in many cases are doomed to failure from the outset, even in the phase of the construction of a more or less appropriate mathematical model. These approaches normally are too categorical in the sense that in the name of “modelling accuracy” they try to describe all the structural details of the real physical system to be modelled. This can significantly increase the intricacy of the model and may result in a enormous computational burden without achieving considerable improvement of the solution. The best paradigm exemplifying this situation may be the classic perturbation theory: the less significant the achievable correction, the more work has to be invested to obtain it.

A further important component of machine intelligence is a kind of “structural uniformity” giving room and possibility to model arbitrary particular details a priori not specified and unknown. This idea is similar to the ready-to-wear industry, which introduced products, which can be slightly modified later on in contrast to tailor-made creations aiming at maximum accuracy from the beginning. These subsequent corrections can be carried out by machines automatically. This “learning ability” is a key element of machine intelligence.

The past decade confirmed that the view of typical components of the present soft computing as fuzzy logic, neural computing, evolutionary computation and probabilistic reasoning are of complementary nature and that the best results can be applied by their combined application.

Today, the two complementary branches of Machine Intelligence, that is, Artificial Intelligence and Computational Intelligence serve as the basis of Intelligent Engineering Systems. The huge number of scientific results published in Journal and conference proceedings worldwide substantiates this statement. The present book contains several articles taking different viewpoints in the field of intelligent systems.

Product Description
In this classic work, John Steinbruner argues that the time is ripe for exploration of a new theoretical perspective on the decision-making process in government. He suggests that the cybernetic theory of decision as developed in such diverse fields as information theory, mathematical logic, and behavioral psychology generates a systematic but non-rational analysis that seems to explain quite naturally decisions that are puzzling when viewed from the rational perspective. When combined with the basic understanding of human mental operations developed in cognitive psychology, the cybernetic theory of decision presents a striking picture of how decision makers deal with the intense uncertainty and fundamental value conflicts that arise in bureaucratic politics. To illustrate the advantages of using cybernetic theory, Steinbruner analyzes the issue of sharing nuclear weapons among the NATO allies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

GREAT Doing Business with Ya!
There isn't much to say except that I ordered this book on a Tuesday night and needed it by the following Tuesday for class. I had it expedited and had it in my hands on Friday afternoon, which gave me plenty of time to read it on my end. This company wasted NO TIME shipping it out and therefore I am extremely pleased. ... Read more

Product Description
Winning, in all areas of life, is dependent on motivation and mental attitude. By applying the principles of Psycho-Cybernetics, you, too, can improve your life. Regardless of your status in life, it's never too late to start getting what you want out of life! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

delivery problem
I expect that this book is a classic and must be very good but I haven't received it after I booked a month ago. Thus, it is hard for me to review it.

He doesn't deliver for me
I finish this thinking he is a very intelligent man: sort of an Issac
Asimov with less imagination. He shows off a lot of understanding, but in the end fails to form a theory or method for humanity to deal with the intelligence of machines in the future.In the late 40's early 50's the idea that machines were going to be a big part of the rest of the century wasn't unique, but he fails to "get it": that computers were going to become
another machine age and that in the current age they were going to start replacing human worker in real time.I came looking for answers or at least ideas and came away with just the idea that he was a very clever fellow
who didn't have a clue about things like voting machines or robots.
A pioneer, yes, but not one that fully understoodwhere it was all leading.

important and relevant after half a century
More than fifty years after its initial publication, this book remains as relevant and prophetic as it is brilliant and exhilarating.

To start, Wiener explains cybernetics in a way that the intelligent layperson can understand; he discusses how human beings, animals, and machines relate to one another through communication and feedback, thus becoming systems that limit or temporarily reverse the universal tendency toward disorganization (entropy). After establishing this framework, he discusses the implications of cybernetics on society. As he takes cybernetic theory to its logical conclusions--that is, accounting for the communication and feedback between human beings, machines, and the environment as a whole--his insights are shown to be profoundly humane and ultimately very inspiring.

This is no ordinary scientific text. There are discussions of Augustinian vs. Manichaean worldviews and their implications; the inevitable spread of dangerous information (such as that resulting in the atomic bomb) despite the strenuous efforts of governments; and the need not to rely on machines--non-human machines as well as "human machines" such as bureaucracies and corporations--to do the difficult work that human beings must do to remain ethical, responsible, and free.

All in all, this is an outstanding book written in lucid, beautiful prose. The book tells us as much about the systems that make up our world as it does about the brilliance, humility, and humanity of Wiener himself. No summary of this book, in blurb or review format, can possibly do justice to Wiener's achievement.

A concerned and conscienscious genius
Wiener was acutely aware of the promise and the danger of the new technolgies he was helping to invent. He worked very hard during the Second World War to help develop an anti- aircraft system which would make use of some of his mathematical and technical innovations. However the dropping of the Atomic Bomb turned him wholly against the military establishment and he became an insistent voice calling for regulation of military technologies.
His own vision of a humane society is one in which the cybernetic and feedback elements enable a better managing of the economy and society as a whole. And this when he again was very concerned about the possible destructive elements of technologies which would provide unreasonablemeans of control over individual human lives. He very much was concerned that a society in which machine- slaves produced everything would deprive humanity of its freedom and dignity.
In other words he saw great promise in the new technologies but also was concerned that might exercise a degree of control over humanity which would make them more harmful than beneficial.

Another Wiener Gem
Norbert Wiener was a child prodigy and Professor of Mathematics at MIT from 1919 until his death in 1964.He invented the science of cybernetics (look it up in the dictionary) and the guided missile but refused to help the military during the cold war.This volume includes an open letter published in the January, 1947 Atlantic Monthly magazine entitled "A Scientist Rebels" by Norbert Wiener.An introduction by Wiener biographer Steve J. Heims provides a context for Wiener's works.

If you are at all interested in cybernetics, and particularly interested in the effects it is having and will have on society, this book is must reading.Of course, this book does not approach Wiener's "God & Golem, Inc."(reviewed elsewhere in Amazon.com) for sheer brilliance, but then, what does, except perhaps the "Bahir." ... Read more

Product Description
A special double issue of the journal Cybernetics and Human Knowing dedicated to the life and work of Heinz Von Foerster. For details see table of contents. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book, Slava Gerovitch argues that Soviet cybernetics was not just an intellectual trend but a social movement for radical reform in science and society as a whole. Followers of cybernetics viewed computer simulation as a universal method of problem solving and the language of cybernetics as a language of objectivity and truth. With this new objectivity, they challenged the existing order of things in economics and politics as well as in science.

The history of Soviet cybernetics followed a curious arc. In the 1950s it was labeled a reactionary pseudoscience and a weapon of imperialist ideology. With the arrival of Khrushchev's political "thaw," however, it was seen as an innocent victim of political oppression, and it evolved into a movement for radical reform of the Stalinist system of science. In the early 1960s it was hailed as "science in the service of communism," but by the end of the decade it had turned into a shallow fashionable trend. Using extensive new archival materials, Gerovitch argues that these fluctuating attitudes reflected profound changes in scientific language and research methodology across disciplines, in power relations within the scientific community, and in the political role of scientists and engineers in Soviet society. His detailed analysis of scientific discourse shows how the Newspeak of the late Stalinist period and the Cyberspeak that challenged it eventually blended into "CyberNewspeak." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

From Back Cover~
Who do peope who seem to have everything needed for success fail to succeed?Why do others without such natural advantages achieve outstanding success in business, family and life?The people who get to the top know what they really want and go after it!

This book will show you how to learn more, do more, be more--how to: Reach more of your goals/Use more of your potential/Develop attitudes that will get you what you want/Become a more successful person.

You can neither prove nor disprove with intellectual argument the ideas and concepts described here.You can prove them to yourself by doing them and judging for yourself.Reserve critical judgement and analytical argument for twenty-one days and give yourself a fair chance to prove or disprove their validity for you.

We promise you that if you use the simple ideas and formulas in this book, the results will be tangible, they will be measurable, and they will be soon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Hideous!
What the Marx Communist Manifesto is to the United States Constitution, this book is to human conciousness."Cybernetics" itself is akin to doodling a moustache and eyebrows on the Mona Lisa.Reprehensible.

If what's in this book isn't or wasn't more or less obvious in taking an ABET engineering degree, then one should have some self concern. Without misrepresentation, this book could be retitled "Introduction to Phlogiston theory."As with oxygen, the American Board of Engineering and Technology does exist.

Please Don't Laugh - Nearly Life-changing!
I was a too-serious biochemistry pre-med student in 1980 when a dull professor with a dull-sounding class (Computer Modeling of Biological Systems) made me read this book.The writing style is so dry and calculated you can almost hear the language creak and the subject is at the same time simple but difficult to grasp - and no, that's not a contradiction in terms, trust me.But a chapter or two into this book the scales fell from my eyes.I had the true-believer's reaction of, "why doesn't everyone know this!? Why isn't this truth shouted from the rooftops!?"The truth in the book comes mainly from Alan Turing's discoveries in machine theory, a field he basically invented.But the author's achievement is to set forth these ideas, and many others developed later through his work and that of others, in clear, concise words - no mean feat with these subtle but extremely powerful concepts.Previous reviewer David C. Hay hit the nail on the head with his comment that "the insights into the true nature of the way things work are as significant as those of Newton or Einstein". Overstatement?If you are reading this review on a computer (yes, you are), you can thank the concepts in this book - they are that fundamental to the development of computers.As I say, the insights are mostly Turing's, but Ashby lays them out in a way that the dedicated reader of moderate intelligence (like myself, for example: I'm no Alan Turing!) can grasp without too much effort.The book's approach might have been softened to include some historical perspective or more concrete examples, but the author chose to refine his message to a distilled essence as clear and powerful as lightning.While almost all my biochemistry textbooks have become outdated and discarded through new developments in that science this slim volume still sits on my bookshelf - I can see it right now.A 40-year-old book as fresh as the day it was written!Read it at your peril:being exposed to completely novel ideas may change your thinking - or even your life!

a landmark in systems thinking
Since its creation as a new field of science, Systems thinking has influenced most other areas, including the fields I'm active in myself, such as psychology and social sciences.

This out-of-print book is considered so important by the people of the Principia Cybernetica Project that they want this book to reach as an wide audience as possible.As their website indicates: "W. Ross Ashby is one of the founding fathers of both cybernetics and systems theory. He developed such fundamental ideas as the homeostat, the law of requisite variety, the principle of self-organization, and the principle of regulatory models."

Of course, nothing goes above getting your hand on a *real* copy of this book, but the next best solution is getting the free e-book version which the Principia Cybernetica Project published on their web site with the agreement of the Ashby estate (the copyright holders).Just search for Principia Cybernetica on the web, and surf from there...

Patrick Merlevede
co-author of "7 Steps to Emotional Intelligence"

One of the most important books I have ever read.
In a very clear, concise manner, Ashby explains the laws of nature that control the way systems work -- all systems, whether they be organisms, corporations, or governments.His insights into the true nature of the way things work are as significant as those of Newton or Einstein. ... Read more

Product Description
"The computer can do more than show us pretty pictures. [It] can optimize, backtest, prove or disprove old theories, eliminate the bad ones and make the good ones better. Cybernetic Trading Strategies explores new ways to use the computer and finds ways to make a valuable machine even more valuable." —from the Foreword by John J. Murphy.

Until recently, the computer has been used almost exclusively as a charting and data-gathering tool. But as traders and analysts have quickly discovered, its capabilities are far more vast. Now, in this groundbreaking new book, Murray Ruggiero, a leading authority on cybernetic trading systems, unlocks their incredible potential and provides an in-depth look at the growing impact of advanced technologies on intermarket analysis. A unique resource, Cybernetic Trading Strategies provides specific instructions and applications on how to develop tradable market timing systems using neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, chaos theory, and machine induction methods.

Currently utilized by some of the most powerful financial institutions in the world—including John Deere and Fidelity Investments—today's advanced technologies go beyond subjective interpretations of market indicators to enhance traditional analysis. As a result, existing trading systems gain a competitive edge. Ruggiero reveals how "incorporating elements of statistical analysis, spectral analysis, neural networks, genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic, and other high-tech concepts into a traditional technical trading system can greatly improve the performance of standard trading systems." For example: spectral analysis can be used to detect when a market is trending earlier than classical indicators such as ADX.

Drawing on his extensive research on market analysis, Ruggiero provides an incisive overview of cyber-systems—systems that, when applied correctly, can increase trading returns by as much as 200% to 300%. The author covers a wide range of important topics, examining classical technical analysis methodologies and seasonal trading, as well as statistically based market prediction and the mechanization of subjective methods such as candlestick charts and the Elliott Wave. Precise explanations and dozens of real-world examples show you how to:

• Incorporate advanced technologies into classical technical analysis methodologies.
• Identify which of these technologies have the most market applicability.
• Build trading systems to maximize reliability and profitability based on your own risk/reward criteria.

Most importantly, Cybernetic Trading Strategies takes you step by step through system testing and evaluation, a crucial step for controlling risk and managing money.

With up-to-date information from one of the field's leading authorities, Cybernetic Trading Strategies is the definitive guide to developing, implementing, and testing today's cutting-edge computer trading technologies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Excellent
For the date this book was written it did an excellent job at analyzing the market.Some things were far fetched but worth the read for mechanicalized trading.

Best Book For Learning Trading Methods
Cybernetic Trading Strategies: Developing a Profitable Trading System with State-of-the-Art Technologies, is the best book I have read to date, this book is filled with any type of information a trader is looking for.I highly recommend this book.I have read other books from this author and am very impressed.

Verbose
I found this book throughly boring, filled with trying to computerize and mathematically analyze everything rather than working on simple rules and setups.This would be most beneficial to a backtest programmer/trader in learning the process of system development.As a whole, most traders will learn little usable (or new) information from this book.

An average overview.
I like this book because it is easy to read, it is short and has a good overview of morden methods for stock and commodity trading.Unfortunately author does not give any essential details or any mathematical justification for advanced method like MEM or Chaos and others except for emotions "how wonderful it is" with additional references to other sources that of course, cost money. So I find it difficult to use this book "to develop a profitable system with a state of the art technologies" because it does not have crucial details and therefore I put 3 star for my failed expectations.I recommend this book as an overview only.

Few good chapters
There are only few books available on the subject (which comes at no surprise, as people who know how to write such a book would get tons of money just applying these methods, rather than writing a book). Chapters on basic consepts are worth reading, looks like the author knows what he is talking about. It includes intermarket analysis, seasonal trading and trading using technical indicators. More advanced subjects, such as neural networks, genetic algorithms, machine learning, statistics and others are very weak. Look somewhere else if you want more info on this. ... Read more