Ștefan Odobleja (Romanian pronunciation: [ʃteˈfan odoˈbleʒa]; 13 October 1902 – 4 September 1978) was a Romanian physician, scientist, and philosopher. He was known for his contributions to the study of cybernetics and artificial intelligence.[1]
Ștefan Odobleja | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 13, 1902 |
| Died | September 4, 1978 (aged 75) |
| Resting place | Orthodox Cemetery, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania |
| Citizenship | Romania |
| Alma mater | Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, military doctor, scientist |
| Known for | Psychologie consonantiste |
His major work, Psychologie Consonantiste, first published in 1938-39 in Paris, introduced the concept of feedback in psychology.
Biography
editOdobleja was born into a family of peasants in 1902, in Valea Izvorului (now Ștefan Odobleja), Mehedinți County, Romania. He attended the Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest and became a physician. He practiced medicine as a military doctor in cities including Bucharest, Dej, Drobeta Turnu-Severin, Lugoj, and Târgoviște.
In 1936, Odobleja published "Phonoscopy and the clinical semiotics". In 1937, he participated in the IXth International Congress of Military Medicine with a paper entitled "Demonstration de phonoscopie", where he disseminated a prospectus in French, announcing the appearance of his future work, "The Consonantist Psychology".[2]
The most important of his writings is Psychologie consonantiste, in which Odobleja lays the theoretical foundations of the generalized cybernetics. The book, published in Paris by Librairie Maloine (vol. I in 1938 and vol. II in 1939), is nearly 900 pages long, including 300 figures.[3]
The first Romanian edition of this work did not appear until 1982 (the first edition was published in French). The work was reprinted in 1983 as Cybernétique générale: psychologie consonantiste, science des sciences.[4]
Odobleja retired from the army in 1946 and died of cancer on September 4, 1978. He was buried at the Orthodox Cemetery in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.[5]
Legacy
editHis paper, "Diversity and Unit in Cybernetics" was presented at the Fourth Congress of Cybernetics and Systems in Amsterdam, August in 1978, being reportedly received "with great acclaim".[6] His completed works run to over 50,000 pages.
To reward his work of mapping the then little-known of field consonantist psychology, cybernetics, and general cybernetics, Odobleja was elected posthumously an honorary member of the Romanian Academy in 1990.[7]
In 1982 a group of scientists established in Lugoj the Cybernetics Academy "Ștefan Odobleja", an organization dedicated to promoting a better knowledge of general cybernetics;[5] the organization is registered in Lugano, Switzerland, and is financed by the controversial Romanian billionaire Iosif Constantin Drăgan. High schools in Bucharest,[8] Craiova,[9] and Drobeta-Turnu Severin[10] are named after Ștefan Odobleja. Streets in Bucharest, Craiova, Dej, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Oradea, and Pitești are also named after him.
References
edit- ^ Vlada, Marin; Adăscăliței, Adrian (2017). Ștefan Odobleja: A scientific visionary, precursor of cybernetics and artificial intelligence (PDF). The 12th International Conference on Virtual Learning ICVL 2017.
- ^ ""Series on Science and Technology of Information", Volume 2, 2009
- ^ Odobleja, Ștefan (1938–1939), Psychologie consonantiste, vol. 2 volumes, Paris: Librairie Maloine, 880 pages, OCLC 563648574
- ^ Odobleja, Ștefan (1983), Cybernétique générale: psychologie consonantiste, science des sciences (in French), Montreal, Roma: Nagard, xi+875 pages, OCLC 955246887
- ^ a b Munteanu, Irina. "O idee apărută cu zece ani prea devreme" [An idea that appeared ten years too early]. Jurnalul Național (in Romanian). Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ Romanian Scientists "Series on Science and Technology of Information", Volume 2, 2009, p. 49
- ^ "Membrii Academiei Române din 1866 până în prezent". acad.ro (in Romanian). Romanian Academy. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ "Liceul Teoretic "Ștefan Odobleja" – București". www.liceulstefanodobleja.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ "Liceul Tehnologic "Ștefan Odobleja", Craiova". www.stefanodoblejacraiova.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ "Colegiul Național Pedagogic "Ștefan Odobleja"". www.cnpstefanodobleja.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- Hinoveanu, Ilarie – Ștefan Odobleja: între "aventura științifică" și patimile glorificării, Craiova, Scrisul Românesc, 2003.
External links
edit- "Two Specialists in Cybernetics: Ștefan Odobleja and Norbert Weiner. Common and Different Features", by Nicolae Jurcau, Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, Boston, Massachusetts, August 10–15, 1998
- Drăgănescu, M.; Odobleja, Ștefan (1981), Odobleja between Ampère and Wiener, Bucharest: Biblioteca Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, OCLC 906412995
- Popescu, Nicolae; Popescu, Grigore-Alexandru (2015). Consonantist Psychosomatics: Contribution of doctor Ștefan Odobleja to the concept of psychosomatics. Saarbrücken: Lambert Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-3-659-75488-3. OCLC 920916790.