ENGINEER
W. Ross Ashby
1903 - 1972

W. Ross Ashby
William Ross Ashby (6 September 1903 – 15 November 1972) was an English psychiatrist and a pioneer in cybernetics, the study of the science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things. His first name was not used: he was known as Ross Ashby. His two books, Design for a Brain and An Introduction to Cybernetics, introduced exact and logical thinking into the brand new discipline of cybernetics and were highly influential. These "missionary works" along with his technical contributions made Ashby "the major theoretician of cybernetics after Wiener". Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. W. Ross Ashby is the 129th most popular engineer (up from 216th in 2019), the 2,026th most popular biography from United Kingdom (up from 2,506th in 2019) and the 16th most popular British Engineer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of W. Ross Ashby by language
Among ENGINEERS
Among engineers, W. Ross Ashby ranks 129 out of 389. Before him are Ivan Sechenov, Rory Byrne, Guenther Steiner, Nikolai Polikarpov, Alexander Lippisch, and Henryk Dembiński. After him are Léon Charles Thévenin, Flaminio Bertoni, Li Kui, Georgy Shpagin, Christian Otto Mohr, and Claude Dornier.
Most Popular Engineers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsIvan Sechenov
1829 - 1905
HPI: 62.52
Rank: 123
Rory Byrne
1944 - Present
HPI: 62.49
Rank: 124
Guenther Steiner
1965 - Present
HPI: 62.49
Rank: 125
Nikolai Polikarpov
1892 - 1944
HPI: 62.27
Rank: 126
Alexander Lippisch
1894 - 1976
HPI: 62.17
Rank: 127
Henryk Dembiński
1791 - 1864
HPI: 62.12
Rank: 128
W. Ross Ashby
1903 - 1972
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 129
Léon Charles Thévenin
1857 - 1926
HPI: 61.91
Rank: 130
Flaminio Bertoni
1903 - 1964
HPI: 61.91
Rank: 131
Li Kui
500 BC - 400 BC
HPI: 61.86
Rank: 132
Georgy Shpagin
1897 - 1952
HPI: 61.78
Rank: 133
Christian Otto Mohr
1835 - 1918
HPI: 61.75
Rank: 134
Claude Dornier
1884 - 1969
HPI: 61.66
Rank: 135
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1903, W. Ross Ashby ranks 125. Before him are Jan de Klerk, Maud Lewis, Cornell Woolrich, Richard Thomalla, Howard P. Robertson, and Yeshayahu Leibowitz. After him are Barbara Hepworth, Walker Evans, Joan Robinson, Dolores Costello, Flaminio Bertoni, and Bartel Leendert van der Waerden. Among people deceased in 1972, W. Ross Ashby ranks 88. Before him are Joseph Paul-Boncour, Brandon deWilde, Richard Courant, C. Rajagopalachari, Fulbert Youlou, and Edgar Snow. After him are Ralph Craig, Sir George Thomas, 7th Baronet, Carl W. Stalling, Ivan Yefremov, James F. Byrnes, and C. W. Ceram.
Others Born in 1903
Go to all RankingsJan de Klerk
POLITICIAN
1903 - 1979
HPI: 62.44
Rank: 119
Maud Lewis
PAINTER
1903 - 1970
HPI: 62.27
Rank: 120
Cornell Woolrich
WRITER
1903 - 1968
HPI: 62.24
Rank: 121
Richard Thomalla
POLITICIAN
1903 - 1945
HPI: 62.12
Rank: 122
Howard P. Robertson
PHYSICIST
1903 - 1961
HPI: 62.09
Rank: 123
Yeshayahu Leibowitz
PHILOSOPHER
1903 - 1994
HPI: 62.09
Rank: 124
W. Ross Ashby
ENGINEER
1903 - 1972
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 125
Barbara Hepworth
PAINTER
1903 - 1975
HPI: 62.01
Rank: 126
Walker Evans
JOURNALIST
1903 - 1975
HPI: 62.00
Rank: 127
Joan Robinson
ECONOMIST
1903 - 1983
HPI: 61.95
Rank: 128
Dolores Costello
ACTOR
1903 - 1979
HPI: 61.92
Rank: 129
Flaminio Bertoni
ENGINEER
1903 - 1964
HPI: 61.91
Rank: 130
Bartel Leendert van der Waerden
MATHEMATICIAN
1903 - 1996
HPI: 61.79
Rank: 131
Others Deceased in 1972
Go to all RankingsJoseph Paul-Boncour
POLITICIAN
1873 - 1972
HPI: 62.60
Rank: 82
Brandon deWilde
ACTOR
1942 - 1972
HPI: 62.59
Rank: 83
Richard Courant
MATHEMATICIAN
1888 - 1972
HPI: 62.51
Rank: 84
C. Rajagopalachari
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1878 - 1972
HPI: 62.50
Rank: 85
Fulbert Youlou
POLITICIAN
1917 - 1972
HPI: 62.41
Rank: 86
Edgar Snow
JOURNALIST
1905 - 1972
HPI: 62.24
Rank: 87
W. Ross Ashby
ENGINEER
1903 - 1972
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 88
Ralph Craig
ATHLETE
1889 - 1972
HPI: 62.01
Rank: 89
Sir George Thomas, 7th Baronet
TENNIS PLAYER
1881 - 1972
HPI: 61.94
Rank: 90
Carl W. Stalling
MUSICIAN
1891 - 1972
HPI: 61.90
Rank: 91
Ivan Yefremov
WRITER
1908 - 1972
HPI: 61.84
Rank: 92
James F. Byrnes
POLITICIAN
1882 - 1972
HPI: 61.83
Rank: 93
C. W. Ceram
WRITER
1915 - 1972
HPI: 61.83
Rank: 94
In United Kingdom
Among people born in United Kingdom, W. Ross Ashby ranks 2,026 out of 8,785. Before him are Alexander McQueen (1969), Alfred Fowler (1868), J. Stuart Blackton (1875), James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie (1812), Lindsay Duncan (1950), and Don Thompson (1933). After him are Mark Sykes (1879), John Taverner (1490), Alkmund of Derby (800), John Hannah (1962), Mary Ward (1585), and Anthony Collins (1676).
Others born in United Kingdom
Go to all RankingsAlexander McQueen
DESIGNER
1969 - 2010
HPI: 62.11
Rank: 2,020
Alfred Fowler
ASTRONOMER
1868 - 1940
HPI: 62.10
Rank: 2,021
J. Stuart Blackton
FILM DIRECTOR
1875 - 1941
HPI: 62.10
Rank: 2,022
James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
POLITICIAN
1812 - 1860
HPI: 62.10
Rank: 2,023
Lindsay Duncan
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 62.09
Rank: 2,024
Don Thompson
ATHLETE
1933 - 2006
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,025
W. Ross Ashby
ENGINEER
1903 - 1972
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,026
Mark Sykes
EXPLORER
1879 - 1919
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,027
John Taverner
COMPOSER
1490 - 1545
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,028
Alkmund of Derby
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
800 - 800
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,029
John Hannah
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,030
Mary Ward
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1585 - 1645
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 2,031
Anthony Collins
PHILOSOPHER
1676 - 1729
HPI: 62.07
Rank: 2,032
Among ENGINEERS In United Kingdom
Among engineers born in United Kingdom, W. Ross Ashby ranks 16. Before him are Henry Royce (1863), Charles Rolls (1877), Patrick Head (1946), Robert Stephenson (1803), George Cayley (1773), and Alexander Cunningham (1814). After him are John Loudon McAdam (1756), John Scott Russell (1808), John Bagot Glubb (1897), John Hughes (1814), John Smeaton (1724), and William Playfair (1759).
Henry Royce
1863 - 1933
HPI: 65.22
Rank: 10
Charles Rolls
1877 - 1910
HPI: 64.56
Rank: 11
Patrick Head
1946 - Present
HPI: 64.52
Rank: 12
Robert Stephenson
1803 - 1859
HPI: 64.27
Rank: 13
George Cayley
1773 - 1857
HPI: 64.27
Rank: 14
Alexander Cunningham
1814 - 1893
HPI: 62.67
Rank: 15
W. Ross Ashby
1903 - 1972
HPI: 62.08
Rank: 16
John Loudon McAdam
1756 - 1836
HPI: 61.55
Rank: 17
John Scott Russell
1808 - 1882
HPI: 61.24
Rank: 18
John Bagot Glubb
1897 - 1986
HPI: 60.94
Rank: 19
John Hughes
1814 - 1889
HPI: 60.79
Rank: 20
John Smeaton
1724 - 1792
HPI: 60.31
Rank: 21
William Playfair
1759 - 1823
HPI: 59.07
Rank: 22