Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology

Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) was an anthropologist, social scientist, linguist, and cyberneticist. He was born in England but became a US citizen in 1956. Bateson is best known for his contributions to the theory of communication and his pioneering ideas about ecological thinking and systems-based approaches to understanding human and environmental interrelationships. His concept of the double bind has been greatly influential in psychology and psychotherapy. Renowned also for his research in cultural patterns, communication theory, and ecological systems, Gregory Bateson made significant contributions to the understanding of the interrelations between human behavior, language, and natural systems.

Bateson’s work emphasizes The Use of Cybernetic Reasoning to Explore Interconnectedness, and the need to move away from mechanistic thinking toward a holistic understanding of mind and nature. Bateson’s influence lies in his ability to draw connections across disciplines. He argues that the mind exists not only within individuals but also in the broader ecological and social systems they inhabit.

The essays, written throughout Bateson’s life and collected under the name of Steps to an Ecology of Mind, aim to challenge conventional views and rethink humanity’s place within ecological and intellectual systems. The work is representative of Bateson’s interdisciplinary methodology, as well as of his critical approach to traditional scientific, psychological, and philosophical frameworks.