The Value of being Unmanageable: Variety and Creativity in CyberSpace

Complexity is examined in the context of Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety, and systems are shown to rapidly reach transcomputability, at which point they become uncontrollable. The circular notion of control is introduced, where control occurs “between”. Systems that are in principle beyond control are defined as unmanageable. Unmanageability is examined and shown to be potentially enrichening, offering possibilities of enhancing creativity. The InterNET is such a system. The CyberSpace of the InterNET exists “between” and is interactive. Thought for the Day In cybernetics, as in the world in general, it seems we think we need to control. (In cybernetics, it seems we need to control. Why?) Prelude Others write about the physical and the practical. I am interested in the ephemeral, writing ephemerally, dreaming, but with what I hope is a certain aphoristic precision. I am concerned with architecture IN the computer, as evidenced by our creativity. I see this as an approach by adopting which I can develop ideas: a way of considering. This is in contrast to those who are concerned with the supremacy of the utilitarian. In this paper, I am not interested in the utilitarian. So I do not write about all I spoke about at the Conference, or in a similar vein to how I spoke there. I make no reference to how we can discuss creativity (how could we?)—and the difficulties associated with this—more obvious and literal architectural applications of current Information Technology (such as the Virtual House), or the characteristics of computers (and why they are better thought of as attributes). Instead, I focus on the central 1 theme represented in the title: the Value of Being Unmanageable.