Questions on Heims ch 10-11

1) 210-202 What was the Macy conference about? How did the people chosen for invitation reflect the contrast between Wiener and von Neumann?

2) 203 What topics were discussed by Wiener and von Neumann? How does the term cybernetics arise?

3) 204 How did von Neumann’s approach toward modeling of living systems differ from that of Wiener?

4) 205-206 Contrast the personal style of Wiener and von Neumann at the conference.

5) 208-9 What kinds of friction were evident?

6) 210-211 How did von Neumann approach the study of the nervous system?

7) 212-213 What was von Neumann’s theory of self-reproducing machines, and how did Wiener react to it?

8) 213-214 What was Wiener’s approach to a study of the nervous system, and its relation to his technical and political interests?

9) 216-218 How was the concept of feedback deployed by Wiener?

10) 230 In what ways does Heims sympathize with scientists who help develop the nuclear bomb? 231-232 Why does he say the truth is more troubling? 232 Why wouldn’t it be troubling to von Neumann?

11) 234-235 Why did von Neumann reject offers to endorse nuclear weapons control?

12) 236 Contrast the stance of Einstein with that of von Neumann.

13) 239-240 What was von Neumann’s involvement with Strauss? 240-241 How does von Neumann’s involvement with nuclear weapons contrast with that of Wiener?

14) 242 How does Heims explain von Neumann’s love for nuclear weapons?

15) 244 What did Eisenhower warn against?

16) 246-247 What was “preventative war,” and how did von Neumann advocate for it?

17) 248-249 How did von Neumann lobby for the hydrogen bomb? 250-251 Why would people like Linus Pauling, Albert Einstein, and Norbert Wiener be excluded from this decision-making?

18) 252, 254 How does Strauss’ career validate Eisenhower’s warning (see question 15)?

19) 263 Contrast Pauling’s reaction to nuclear fallout to Strauss and von Neumann’s.

20) 278-279 What kinds of industrial influence was in the AEC with von Neumann?

21) 282-283 What was the “atoms for peace” proposal? what was the reality behind it?

22) 285-286 What was von Neumann’s work on radiation hazards? How did this reflect his interests?