Hard sciences are successful because they deal with the soft problems; soft sciences are struggling because they deal with the hard problems.
Heinz von FoersterFirst-order cybernetics is the science of observed systems; Second-order cybernetics is the science of observing systems.
Heinz von FoersterWhat we need now is the description of the "describer" or, in other words, we need a theory of the observer.
Heinz von Foerster