About Book

This book explores the historical and philosophical foundations of control systems, offering a perspective that is often missing in traditional engineering education. While engineering programs typically emphasize technical skills, they tend to overlook the broader intellectual, ethical, and historical contexts that have shaped the field. As engineering challenges become more complex and interdisciplinary, there is a growing need for professionals who can think critically and reflect on the foundations of their work.

Focusing on control systems, the book traces key developments from ancient engineering innovations to the rise of modern control theory, cybernetics, and systems thinking. It examines how major paradigm shifts emerged and how philosophical ideas have influenced the design and analysis of control systems. Readers are encouraged to consider not only how systems function but also why they are designed in certain ways and what broader implications their use may have.

Designed for students, educators, and researchers, this book avoids complex mathematics and instead focuses on conceptual understanding. It encourages a broader, more reflective view of engineering by connecting technical knowledge with its historical roots and philosophical implication

Author

Dr Ali Khaki Sedigh

Dr. Ali Khaki-Sedigh

Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering, Control Systems
Member of APAC research group
K. N. Toosi University of Science and Technology

Publisher

Springer

Publication date

July 2025

Language

English

ISBN-10

9819674255

ISBN-13

978-9819674251

Print length

295 pages
Control-Systems-A-Historical-and-Philosophical-Perspective

Table of Contents

Preface (pp. v–viii)

Acknowledgements (pp. ix–x)

Acronyms (pp. xvii–xviii)

Chapter 1: Introduction (pp. 1–20)

  • History, Philosophy, and Engineering
  • Feedback and Control Systems Design
  • Engineering Ontology
  • General Systems Classification
  • Complexity and Adaptive Systems
  • Outline of the Book

Chapter 2: A Concise History of Control Systems – From Antiquity to the Pre-Classical Control Era (pp. 21–60)

  • Antiquity to Pre-industrial Period
  • Pre-Classical Control Developments
  • Emergence of Mathematical Principles
  • Russian and Soviet Contributions
  • Early Twentieth Century Developments

Chapter 3: A Concise History of Control Systems – From Classical to Modern Control (pp. 61–88)

  • Classical Control Foundations
  • Impact of World War II
  • Cybernetics and Modern Control
  • State-Space and Mathematical Control Theory
  • Paradigm Shifts and Limitations

Chapter 4: A Concise History of Control Systems – The Postmodern Era (pp. 89–110)

  • Robust Control Developments
  • Adaptive Control Foundations
  • Intelligent Control: Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic, Evolutionary Algorithms

Chapter 5: Harnessing Models for Control Systems Analysis and Design (pp. 111–142)

  • Mathematical and Data-Driven Modelling
  • Philosophical Foundations of Modelling
  • Model Uncertainty and Epistemology
  • Strategies for Managing Uncertainty

Chapter 6: System Theory and Its Impact on Control Design (pp. 143–168)

  • Philosophical and General System Theory
  • Cybernetics and Systems Modelling
  • Mathematical System Theory and Its Limitations

Chapter 7: Falsification Philosophy and Control Systems Design (pp. 169–190)

  • Falsification and Scientific Theories
  • Engineering Knowledge and Failed Designs
  • Applying Falsification in Practice

Chapter 8: Paradigm Shifts in Control Theory – A Kuhnian Perspective (pp. 191–214)

  • Scientific Revolutions in Engineering
  • Four Major Paradigm Shifts in Control Theory

Chapter 9: Postmodernism and Control Systems Design (pp. 215–234)

  • From Modernism to Postmodernism
  • Pluralism, Internal Realism, and Implications for Control Design

Chapter 10: Future Trends in Control Systems – A Journey Through Time (pp. 235–256)

  • Historical Forecasts and Roadmaps (1963–2030)
  • Emerging Ethical Considerations

Indexes

  • Philosophy Conceptual Index (pp. 257–268)
  • Subject Index (pp. 269–274)