Moderator Introduction

Michael N. Geselowitz, director of the IEEE History Center, introduced a panel examining the historical significance of Wiener's contributions from a long-term perspective. The central question was whether Wiener's 1948 book "Cybernetics" should be recognized as an IEEE Milestone, one of the organization's highest historical honors.

Geselowitz noted that the nomination had generated debate, with some objecting that Wiener's work lacked sufficient originality or direct engineering impact to merit the designation. The panel was convened to evaluate these objections and to assess the broader historical significance of cybernetics as an intellectual movement that shaped multiple disciplines. His introduction framed a nuanced discussion about how we measure and recognize scientific contributions.