Steps to an ecology of mind : collected essays in anthropology, psychiatry, evolution, and epistemology

Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist, and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. With a new foreword by his daughter Mary Katherine Bateson, this classic anthology of his major work will continue to delight and inform generations of readers. "This collection amounts to a retrospective exhibition of a working life. . . . Bateson has come to this position during a career that carried him not only into anthropology, for which he was first trained, but into psychiatry, genetics, and communication theory. . . . He . . . examines the nature of the mind, seeing it not as a nebulous something, somehow lodged somewhere in the body of each man, but as a network of interactions relating the individual with his society and his species and with the universe at large."—D. W. Harding, New York Review of Books "[Bateson's] view of the world, of science, of culture, and of man is vast and challenging. His efforts at synthesis are tantalizingly and cryptically suggestive. . . .This is a book we should all read and ponder."—Roger Keesing, American Anthropologist Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) was the author of Naven and Mind and Nature. CONTENTS......Page 4 1971 PREFACE......Page 6 1.2 1987 PREFACE......Page 8 1.3 FOREWORD......Page 10 Selection and Arrangement of Items......Page 12 1.4.1 The Science of Mind and Order*......Page 13 2 Part I: Metalogues......Page 21 2.1 Metaloque: Why Do Things Get in a Muddle?*......Page 22 2.2 Metalogue: Why Do Frenchmen?*......Page 26 2.3 Metalogue: About Games and Being Serious*......Page 30 2.4 Metalogue: How Much Do You Know?*......Page 35 2.5 Metalogue: Why Do Things Have Outlines?*......Page 39 2.6 Metalogue: Why a Swan?*......Page 43 2.7 Metaloque: What Is an Instinct?*......Page 47 3 Part II: Form and Pattern in Anthropology......Page 63 3.1 Culture Contact and Schismogenesis*......Page 64 3.2 Experiments in Thinking about Observed Ethnological Material*......Page 72 Morale and National Character*......Page 82 3.3.2 Alternatives to Bipolarity......Page 86 3.3.3 Symmetrical Motifs......Page 87 3.3.4 Combinations of Motifs......Page 89 3.3.5 National Character and American Morale......Page 92 3.4.1 “Ethos” and “Schismogenesis”......Page 94 3.4.2 Balinese Character......Page 97 3.4.3 Balinese Ethos......Page 99 3.4.4 Applications of the Von Neumannian Game......Page 102 3.4.5 Schismogenic System versus the Steady State......Page 106 3.5.1 Introduction......Page 108 3.5.2 Style and Meaning......Page 109 Levels and Logical Types......Page 111 3.5.3 Primary Process......Page 115 3.5.4 Quantitative Limits of Consciousness......Page 117 3.5.5 Qualitative Limits of Consciousness......Page 118 3.5.6 The Corrective Nature of Art......Page 119 3.5.7 Analysis of Balinese Painting......Page 120 3.5.8 Composition......Page 122 3.6 Comment on Part II......Page 124 4 Part III: Form and Pathology in Relationship......Page 126 4.1 Social Planning and the Concept of Deutero-Learning*......Page 127 4.2 A Theory of Play and Fantasy*......Page 138 4.3 Epidemiology of a Schizophrenia*......Page 149 4.4.1 The Base in Communications Theory......Page 153 4.4.2 The Double Bind......Page 156 4.4.3 The Effect of the Double Bind......Page 157 4.4.4 A Description of the Family Situation......Page 161 4.4.5 Illustrations from Clinical Data......Page 164 4.4.6 Current Position and Future Prospects......Page 167 4.4.7 Therapeutic Implications of this Hypothesis......Page 169 4.4.8 Additional References......Page 170 4.5 The Group Dynamics of Schizophrenia*......Page 171 4.6 Minimal Requirements for a Theory of Schizophrenia*......Page 181 4.6.1 Learning, Genetics, and Evolution......Page 186 4.6.2 Genetic Problems Posed by Double Bind Theory......Page 190 4.6.3 What Is Man?......Page 194 4.7 Double Bind, 1969*......Page 199 4.8.1 The Theory of Logical Types......Page 205 4.8.2 The “Learning” of Computers, Rats, and Men......Page 207 4.8.3 Learning I......Page 210 4.8.4 Learning II......Page 214 4.8.5 Learning III......Page 220 4.8.7 A Note on Hierarchies......Page 223 4.9 The Cybernetics of “Self”: A Theory of Alcoholism*......Page 225 4.9.1 The Problem......Page 226 4.9.2 Sobriety......Page 227 4.9.3 Epistemology and Ontology......Page 228 4.9.4 The Epistemology of Cybernetics......Page 229 4.9.5 Alcoholic “Pride”......Page 232 4.9.6 Pride and Symmetry......Page 234 4.9.7 Pride or Inverted Proof?......Page 236 4.9.9 Hitting Bottom......Page 238 4.9.10 The Theology of Alcoholics Anonymous......Page 239 4.9.11 The Epistemological Status of Complementary and Symmetrical Premises......Page 242 4.9.12 Limitations of the Hypothesis......Page 243 4.10 Comment on Part III......Page 244 5 Part IV: Biology and Evolution......Page 245 5.1 On Empty-Headedness Among Biologists and State Boards of Education*......Page 246 5.2 The Role of Somatic Change in Evolution*......Page 248 5.2.1 Summary......Page 259 5.3.1 The Communication of Preverbal Mammals*......Page 260 5.3.2 Methodological Considerations......Page 262 5.3.3 Communication About Relationship......Page 264 5.3.4 Analogic versus Digital Communication......Page 265 5.3.5 Research Plans......Page 266 5.3.6 Comments......Page 267 5.4.1 Introduction......Page 270 5.4.2 The Problem Redefined......Page 271 5.4.3 Supernumerary Double Legs in Coleoptera......Page 273 5.4.4 Reduplicated Limbs in Amphibia......Page 280 5.4.5 Summary......Page 282 5.4.6 Postscript, 1971......Page 283 5.5 Comment on Part IV......Page 284 6 Part V: Epistemology and Ecology......Page 286 6.1 Cybernetic Explanation*......Page 287 6.2 Redundancy and Coding*......Page 295 6.3 Effects of Conscious Purpose on Human Adaptation*......Page 313 6.4 Form, Substance, and Difference*......Page 318 6.5 Comment on Part V......Page 329 7 Part VI: Crisis in the Ecology of Mind......Page 330 7.1 From Versailles to Cybernetics*......Page 331 7.2 Pathologies of Epistemology*......Page 337 7.3 The Roots of Ecological Crisis*......Page 343 7.4.1 “A High Civilization”......Page 347 7.4.2 Flexibility......Page 348 7.4.3 The Distribution of Flexibility......Page 349 7.4.4 The Flexibility of Ideas......Page 350 7.4.5 Exercise of Flexibility......Page 352 7.4.6 The Transmission of Theory......Page 353 7.5.1 I. Books, Reviews and Articles......Page 355 7.5.2 II. Films......Page 361 CONTENTS 4 1971 PREFACE 6 1.2 1987 PREFACE 8 1.3 FOREWORD 10 Selection and Arrangement of Items 12 1.4 INTRODUCTION 13 1.4.1 The Science of Mind and Order* 13 2 Part I: Metalogues 21 2.1 Metaloque: Why Do Things Get in a Muddle?* 22 2.2 Metalogue: Why Do Frenchmen?* 26 2.3 Metalogue: About Games and Being Serious* 30 2.4 Metalogue: How Much Do You Know?* 35 2.5 Metalogue: Why Do Things Have Outlines?* 39 2.6 Metalogue: Why a Swan?* 43 2.7 Metaloque: What Is an Instinct?* 47 3 Part II: Form and Pattern in Anthropology 63 3.1 Culture Contact and Schismogenesis* 64 3.2 Experiments in Thinking about Observed Ethnological Material* 72 Morale and National Character* 82 3.3.1 Differences Which We May Expect Between National Groups 86 3.3.2 Alternatives to Bipolarity 86 3.3.3 Symmetrical Motifs 87 3.3.4 Combinations of Motifs 89 3.3.5 National Character and American Morale 92 3.4 Bali: The Value System of a Steady State* 94 3.4.1 “Ethos” and “Schismogenesis” 94 3.4.2 Balinese Character 97 3.4.3 Balinese Ethos 99 3.4.4 Applications of the Von Neumannian Game 102 3.4.5 Schismogenic System versus the Steady State 106 3.5 Style, Grace, and Information in Primitive Art* 108 3.5.1 Introduction 108 3.5.2 Style and Meaning 109 Levels and Logical Types 111 3.5.3 Primary Process 115 3.5.4 Quantitative Limits of Consciousness 117 3.5.5 Qualitative Limits of Consciousness 118 3.5.6 The Corrective Nature of Art 119 3.5.7 Analysis of Balinese Painting 120 3.5.8 Composition 122 3.6 Comment on Part II 124 4 Part III: Form and Pathology in Relationship 126 4.1 Social Planning and the Concept of Deutero-Learning* 127 4.2 A Theory of Play and Fantasy* 138 4.3 Epidemiology of a Schizophrenia* 149 4.4 Toward a Theory of Schizophrenia* 153 4.4.1 The Base in Communications Theory 153 4.4.2 The Double Bind 156 4.4.3 The Effect of the Double Bind 157 4.4.4 A Description of the Family Situation 161 4.4.5 Illustrations from Clinical Data 164 4.4.6 Current Position and Future Prospects 167 4.4.7 Therapeutic Implications of this Hypothesis 169 4.4.8 Additional References 170 4.5 The Group Dynamics of Schizophrenia* 171 4.6 Minimal Requirements for a Theory of Schizophrenia* 181 4.6.1 Learning, Genetics, and Evolution 186 4.6.2 Genetic Problems Posed by Double Bind Theory 190 4.6.3 What Is Man? 194 4.7 Double Bind, 1969* 199 4.8 The Logical Categories of Learning and Communication* 205 4.8.1 The Theory of Logical Types 205 4.8.2 The “Learning” of Computers, Rats, and Men 207 4.8.3 Learning I 210 4.8.4 Learning II 214 4.8.5 Learning III 220 4.8.6 The Role of Genetics in Psychology 223 4.8.7 A Note on Hierarchies 223 4.9 The Cybernetics of “Self”: A Theory of Alcoholism* 225 4.9.1 The Problem 226 4.9.2 Sobriety 227 4.9.3 Epistemology and Ontology 228 4.9.4 The Epistemology of Cybernetics 229 4.9.5 Alcoholic “Pride” 232 4.9.6 Pride and Symmetry 234 4.9.7 Pride or Inverted Proof? 236 4.9.8 The Drunken State 238 4.9.9 Hitting Bottom 238 4.9.10 The Theology of Alcoholics Anonymous 239 4.9.11 The Epistemological Status of Complementary and Symmetrical Premises 242 4.9.12 Limitations of the Hypothesis 243 4.10 Comment on Part III 244 5 Part IV: Biology and Evolution 245 5.1 On Empty-Headedness Among Biologists and State Boards of Education* 246 5.2 The Role of Somatic Change in Evolution* 248 5.2.1 Summary 259 5.3 Problems in Cetacean and Other Mammalian Communication* 260 5.3.1 The Communication of Preverbal Mammals* 260 5.3.2 Methodological Considerations 262 5.3.3 Communication About Relationship 264 5.3.4 Analogic versus Digital Communication 265 5.3.5 Research Plans 266 5.3.6 Comments 267 5.4 A Re-examination of “Bateson’s Rule”* 270 5.4.1 Introduction 270 5.4.2 The Problem Redefined 271 5.4.3 Supernumerary Double Legs in Coleoptera 273 5.4.4 Reduplicated Limbs in Amphibia 280 5.4.5 Summary 282 5.4.6 Postscript, 1971 283 5.5 Comment on Part IV 284 6 Part V: Epistemology and Ecology 286 6.1 Cybernetic Explanation* 287 6.2 Redundancy and Coding* 295 6.3 Effects of Conscious Purpose on Human Adaptation* 313 6.4 Form, Substance, and Difference* 318 6.5 Comment on Part V 329 7 Part VI: Crisis in the Ecology of Mind 330 7.1 From Versailles to Cybernetics* 331 7.2 Pathologies of Epistemology* 337 7.3 The Roots of Ecological Crisis* 343 7.4 Ecology and Flexibility in Urban Civilization* 347 7.4.1 “A High Civilization” 347 7.4.2 Flexibility 348 7.4.3 The Distribution of Flexibility 349 7.4.4 The Flexibility of Ideas 350 7.4.5 Exercise of Flexibility 352 7.4.6 The Transmission of Theory 353 7.5 The Published Work of Gregory Bateson 355 7.5.1 I. Books, Reviews and Articles 355 7.5.2 II. Films 361