Systems, uncertainty, and information: A legacy of George J. Klir

Abstract

This paper tracks scientific work and contributions of George J. Klir (1932–2016), one of the major figures in systems movement and the founder of this journal.

Keywords:

• System
• systems science
• information
• uncertainty
• fuzzy logic

Acknowledgements

I thank George Klir’s wife Milena for helpful information she kindly provided, and to Harold W. Lewis III and Eduard Bartl for their remarks on this text.

Notes

1 Reálné gymnázium was a type of a high school, which provided a kind of education combining science and classic orientations.

2 Antonín Svoboda was a greatly innovative designer of computers. We discuss his influence on George later in this paper. See also (Klir 2007).

3 Parts of this thesis were published in the journal Slaboproudý obzor in 1958 (303–307).

4 Výzkumný ústav matematických stroj$\mathring{u}$ (Research institute of mathematical machines).

5 Klír, J. Analysa dvojhodnotových kód$\mathring{u}$ se zřetelem k synthese kybernetických soustav [Analysis of binary codes with particular respect to the synthesis of cybernetic systems]. Candidate of science thesis (roughly corresponds to PhD thesis), Prague: Výzkumný ústav matematických stroj$\mathring{u}$, 1964.

6 At that time George already had a son, Jan, from his first marriage.

7 Klír, J. Úvod do problematiky teorie systém$\mathring{u}$. Habilitation thesis, Prague: Výzkumný ústav matematických stroj$\mathring{u}$, 1966.