Its scientific content has been elaborated by many scholars, notably:

• Work on complex networks of communication has suggested the notion of organization as the prime focus of cybernetics (Warren S. McCulloch, Heinz von Foerster);
   
  
• Studies of circular flows of information, mutual causality, and the dynamics they imply have associated cybernetics with theories of control that are entirely neutral and predictive in orientation (Norbert Wiener, Magorah Maruyama);
   
  
• Research on decision making and on information transmission together with advances in recursive theories of computation have lead cybernetics to describe living organisms as adaptively changing information processors (John von Neumann);
   
  
• Philosophical analyses have identified cybernetics as the science of models, including those of self-reference (W. Ross Ashby, Anthony Wilden):
   
  
• Generalizations from ecology which sees man In interaction with his environment of physical, social, and informational contingencies have relativised the notion of mind (Gregory Bateson) and that of man as a self-governing being (Karl W. Deutsch).

Beyond its scientific and transdisciplinary orientation, cybernetics has profound philosophical and religious implications.
 

The Society shall achieve its purposes through the following organs:

Every individual, group or institution who subscribes to the purpose of this society, demonstrates professional and scientific conduct, and pays his membership dues may become a member. Memberships must be approved or may he cancelled by the membership Committee. A member whose membership is being reviewed shall have the right of audience.

Members are categorized in three ways:

• Regarding the nature of their participation In the Society, members are either Affiliate, Regular members, or Fellows. Only Regular members and Fellows enjoy voting privileges. With the category of Fellow, the Society recognizes individual members for their achievements and contributions to cybernetics. Fellows are appointed by the Nominating Committee of the Society.
   
  
• Regarding the services provided by the Society, members are either Institutional, Group, or Individual members. With an Institutional membership, an organization may become an Affiliate member to obtain certain specified services as a whole. With a Group membership an organization may become an Affiliate member to obtain certain specified services for their individual members.
   
  
• Regarding rate and frequency of contributions, members may pay their dues either annually or as a single contribution to the Society. Single contributions entitle institutions to become Long-Term members or individuals to become Life-Time members. Single contributions may be waived by concurrent decisions of the Nominating Committee, the Finance Committee and the Executive Board of the Society in order to recognize outstanding personalities in the field of cybernetics as Honorary members. Dues for Full members are reduced for students but only for a period not exceeding four years and Emeritus members after at least ten years of Full membership in the Society and upon reaching sixty years of age.

Dues are proposed by the Finance Committee and set by the Executive Board.

Basic control of the Society resides with its voting members. This is manifested through the election of the officers of the Society, through the approval or disapproval of proposed amendments to these by-laws, and through the exercise of the right to petition as stipulated herein. voting is done principally through mall ballot.

The Trust shall elect their chairman and formulate their rules of procedure, quorum and voting requirements.

Trustees shall advise the President and the Executive Board in the implementation of Policy and have the right to veto decisions by the President and by the Executive Board no later than two weeks after receipt of notification of such decisions. The Executive Board may call on the members to override such a veto by simple majority vote. Such a vote shall be by secret mall ballot. Trustees may participate in meetings of the Executive Board and its committees, and in the Business Meetings of the Society.

Change of office shall be staggered with the President-Elect to be chosen one year before the current President's term of office expires. At presidential elections, the Elected vice President shall be one of the candidates for the President's office, the highest vote shall determine the President-Elect and the next highest vote shall determine the Elected Vice President. The President-Elect succeeds the President when the President's term of office expires.

The President shall be responsible for implementing and enforcing the policies formulated by the Executive Board, shall preside as chairman at Executive Board meetings and at Business Meetings of the Membership, and represent the society before the public.

The Executive Board shall formulate the policies of the Society and assist the President in implementing and enforcing these policies. In its deliberations, the Executive Board must rely on the Committees of the Society and may request guidance from the First Ombudsman and from the Trustees. The Executive Board shall hold regular meetings at least once each year and distribute its minutes to the Trustees and the Ombudsmen within one week after such meetings.

The Ombudsmen shall have free access to the meetings of the Executive Board, the meetings of the Committees and the files of the Society. They shall communicate and provide feedback to the Trustees and the Membership by any means and at any occasion deemed appropriate and shall report to the Membership whenever desired. They shall be present at all Business meetings.

Ad Hoc Committees may he established from time to time in response to emergent problems.

The Nominating Committee shall be appointed within thirty days after a new President takes office. Its task is to evaluate proposals for recognizing regular members as Fellows or others as Honorary members and to elicit nominations to all offices that will become vacant. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for each office except that candidates who are nominated by a signed petition of 15 or more members and all those nominated for the ombudsman's office must be included on the ballot.

The Membership Committee shall review the membership status of the Society and decide on applications for and on cancellations of memberships.

Elections shall be held at regular intervals, and by secret mail ballot. Valid ballots must be received no later than 45 days after mailing the blank ballots to all voting members of the Society.

The process for using the ombudsmen is: