FROM CYBERNETICS TO SYNERGETICS

After a brief reminder of the basic goals of cybernetics, we give an o utline of the interdisciplinary field of synergetics. Synergetics stud ies how complex systems may produce spatial temporal, or functional st ructures by selforganisation of their individual parts. The basic conc epts such as order parameters and the slaving principle are demonstrat ed by means of an example of physics, namely the light source laser. L aser action is also discussed in terms of control. The concept of orde r parameters and enslavement has been used to treat spontaneous patter n formation in physics (for instance fluids), biology and chemistry Mo vement coordination of humans and animals can be also treated by means of the order parameter concept. The application of principles of syne rgetics has allowed us to construct a synergetic computer for pattern recognition and to establish models in psychology. Further application s to brain research and to economy and sociology are indicated and the relationship between synergetics and chaos theory will be outlined Th e papers closes with a hint at the mathematical approach of synergetic s and concluding remarks in which common features between cybernetics and synergetics as well as differences between these fields are briefl y discussed.