Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) was an anthropologist, social scientist, and cyberneticist whose work intersected that of many other fields. Some of his most noted writings are to be found in his books, Steps to an Ecology of Mind, 1973, and Mind and Nature, 1980.
Bateson is most famous for developing the "Double Bind" theory of psychology, and for being Margaret Mead's husband. In academic circles he is something of a cult figure whose appeal includes his obscurity, eccentricity and diversity of accomplishment.
By his own admission Bateson is widely misunderstood and his inability to write clearly is largely at fault. His writings are difficult for a number of reasons, particularly his tendency to speak in the abstract. However, many scholars consider his works to contain a great deal of original thought and reward careful reading.
One of the threads that connects Bateson's work is an interest in systems theory and cybernetics. Bateson's take on these fields is idiosyncratic and centers upon their relationship to epistemology.
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2 Terms used by Bateson 3 External links |
Epigrams coined by or referred to by Bateson
Terms used by Bateson
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