science

Haneef Fatmi

Haneef Fatmi is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Haneef Fatmi rather than just read about it. In short: Haneef Akhtar Fatmi (1933–1995) was a Pakistani engineer specializing in cybernetics. He was born in Bhopal State and took a degree in Electrical Engineering at Karachi University (1951).

Key takeaways

Haneef Fatmi belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Haneef Fatmi to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Haneef Fatmi from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Haneef Akhtar Fatmi (1933–1995) was a Pakistani engineer specializing in cybernetics. He was born in Bhopal State and took a degree in Electrical Engineering at Karachi University (1951). While studying with Dennis Gabor and Abdus Salam at Imperial College he wrote his doctorate on ionized gases. Whilst at the London University, he helped found the Cybernetics Society. In 1970 Fatmi, with Young, published a definition of intelligence in the journal Nature, that subject to widespread comments and notability being listed by the Institute of Physics as "one of the 2000 leading quotations of all times". That definition is that: "Intelligence is that faculty, of mind, by which order is perceived in a situation previously considered disordered". (H. A. Fatmi & R. W. Young, "A Definition of Intelligence", Nature 228, 97 (1970)) This definition is addressed directly in the Oxford Companion to the Mind.

Selected publications Gabor, D. and Fatmi, H.A., "A thermionic generator," Nature, London, 1961, 868. Gabor, D. and Fatmi, H.A., "The theory of gas discharges with extraneous ion supply," Advanced Energy Conversion, IEE, London, 1964, 307. Fatmi, H.A. and Young, R.W., "A definition of intelligence," Nature, London, 1970, 97. Fatmi, H.A., "The concept of a creative society," Electronics and power, IEE London, 1974 Fatmi, H.A., Resconi, G. A new computing principle. Nuov Cim B 101, 239–242 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02828704

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Haneef Fatmi

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Haneef Fatmi claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Haneef Fatmi before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Haneef Fatmi ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Haneef Fatmi

In research: Haneef Fatmi appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Haneef Fatmi in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Haneef Fatmi is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1933 births, 1995 deaths, Cyberneticists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Haneef Fatmi outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Haneef Fatmi in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Haneef Fatmi means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Haneef Fatmi out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Haneef Fatmi in simple terms?

Haneef Akhtar Fatmi (1933–1995) was a Pakistani engineer specializing in cybernetics. He was born in Bhopal State and took a degree in Electrical Engineering at Karachi University (1951).

Why does Haneef Fatmi matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Haneef Fatmi?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Haneef Fatmi.