Heinz von Foerster's Self Organization, the Progenitor of Conversation and Interaction Theories

Abstract

This paper is the last paper written by Gordon Pask before his death on the 29th March 1996. It was very important to him to write this paper, both as the tribute he had longed to pay to his friend and mentor Heinz von Foerster, and because writing this tribute gave him the chance to put together the main elements of his work so that some of hte coherence he saw could be indicated to others, with a new meta-theoretic position emerging (see the section 'Axioms and Other Postulates' set in a different typeface). It went through very many versions as Pask struggled against illness and the tremendous demand he was placing on himself, to complete the text, and I believe that his need to make this statement was one of the things that kept him alive. He posted me the last version on March 11th, and this is the version that appears here. I have decided not to modify the paper in any way except by spell-checking and punctuating. It stands as it was sent to me. I believe it is as clear as Pask could make it, even if it is somewhat fragmentary. Indeed, I think the fragmentation is part of its charm and is appropriate to what is being said (in as far as I understand it). The lack of a glossary of terms was Pask's choice. The paper in the form it takes here is the result of many hours of humble reflection by Pask: humble in that he sought and listened to much tough advice, and humble in that it was written through love in the face of death. It is a remarkable document and is, I believe a fitting testament of how Gordon felt about Heinz and to Gordon's life of creative struggle, also.