The topics covered in this volume include the following areas: representation of second-order systems in state space, stability analysis and stabilization of nonlinear control loops in state space, optimization of control loops in state space, treatment of higher-order systems in state space, first-order nonlinear systems in state space, fundamentals of Lyapunov's direct method, relationship between the stability behavior of nonlinear and linearized systems (first approximation method), design of switched systems using Lyapunov functions, and stability criteria in the frequency domain.