INTERFACEINTERFACE:: CONNECTINCONNECTINGG THETHE WORKWORK OOFF GREGORYGREGORY BATESON,BATESON,
DELEUZDELEUZEE ANANDD GUATTARI,GUATTARI,
ANANDD ALAIALAINN BADIOUBADIOU
bbyy
AdeleAdele HavertyHaverty BealerBealer
A thesithesiss submittedsubmitted ttoo ththee facultyfaculty ofof TheThe UniversitUniversityy ooff UtahUtah iinn partialpartial fulfillmentfulfillment ofof thethe requirementrequirementss forfor ththee degreedegree ofof
MasteMasterr ooff ArtsArts
IIIin
EnvironmentalEnvironmental HumanitiesHumanities
DepartmenDepartmentt ooff CommunicationCommunication
TheThe UniversitUniversityy ooff UtahUtah
AugustAugust 20082008 CopyrighCopyrightt © AdelAdelee HavertHavertyy BealeBealerr 20082008
AlAlll RightRightss ReservedReserved THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH GRADUATE SCHOOL
SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVAL
of a thesis submitted by
Adele Haverty Bealer
This thesis has been read by each member of the following supervisory committee and by majority vote has been found to be satisfactory.
inJbw&& ------:=:---.... '"'" ceHeonard C. Hawes
r 7 �__ __-7) THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH GRADUATE SCHOOL
FINAL READING APPROVAL
To the GraduateCouncil of the University of Utah:
[ have read the thesis of Adele Haverty Bealer in its final form and have found that (1) its format, citations, and bibliographic style are consistent and acceptable; (2) its illustrative materials including figures, tables, and charts are in place; and (3) the final manuscript is satisfactory to the supervisory committee and is ready for submission toThe Graduate School. �--- pate , Chair: SupervisoryCommittee
Approved for the MajorDepartment
Chair/Dean
Approved for the GraduateCouncil
David S. Chapma Dean of The Graduate School ABSTRACTABSTRACT
MyMy thesisthesis derivesderives itsits impetusimpetus andand itsits structurestructure fromfrom thethe workwork andand thoughtthought ofof
GregoryGregory Bateson.Bateson. MyMy aimaim isis toto demonstratedemonstrate thethe ongoingongoing vitalityvitality ofof hishis ecologyecology ofof MindMind byby tracingtracing thethe connectionsconnections betweenbetween hishis workwork andand thatthat ofof GillesGilles Deleuze,Deleuze, FelixFelix Guattari,Guattari, andand AlainAlain Badiou.Badiou.
PartPart I representsrepresents a broadbroad overviewoverview ofof Bateson'sBateson's majormajor works,works, emphasizingemphasizing hishis theoriestheories ofof abductionabduction andand recursivityrecursivity asas criticalcritical philosophicalphilosophical concepts.concepts. Bateson'sBateson's notionnotion ofof abductionabduction asas a thirdthird investigatoryinvestigatory methodologymethodology suggestssuggests a meansmeans forfor connectingconnecting hishis workwork ttoo thatthat ofof otherother theoriststheorists.. A pioneerpioneer ofof cybernetics,cybernetics, hishis probingprobing oftheof the recursivrecursivee rolerole ofof informatioinformationn feedbackfeedback andand ofof thethe pragmatipragmaticc interfaceinterface betweebetweenn organismsorganisms andand theirtheir environmenenvironmentt cancan bebe readread asas a meta-modemeta-modell forfor a multiperspectivalmultiperspectival approachapproach toto environmentaenvironmentall issueissuess andand texts.texts.
PartPart IIII exploresexplores ththee differencesdifferences andand ththee reiterativreiterativee similaritiessimilarities inin thethe workwork ofof
BatesonBateson,, ththee FrencFrenchh writinwritingg teateamm ooff FeliFelixx GuattarGuattarii andand GilleGilless DeleuzeDeleuze,, anandd contemporarycontemporary
FrencFrenchh philosophephilosopherr AlaiAlainn BadiouBadiou.. UsinUsingg mathematicamathematicall notationotationn aass metaphorimetaphoricc semiotics,semiotics,
I argueargue thatthat a theoreticaltheoretical mUltiplicitymultiplicity movesmoves rhizomaticallyrhizomatically betweenbetween andand acrossacross thethe veryvery permeablpermeablee boundarieboundariess thathatt mamayy bbee drawdrawnn betweebetweenn thesthesee theoriststheorists,, anandd thathatt ththee emergingemerging connectionconnectionss describdescribee a pregnanpregnantt holism.holism.
ParPartt IIIIII movemovess ttoo emploemployy ththee insightinsightss ooff thithiss theoreticatheoreticall analysianalysiss iinn a moremore pragmatipragmaticc applicatioapplicationn ooff thesthesee sharesharedd insightinsightss anandd concernsconcerns.. IInn a recenrecentt journajournall article,article, Dr.Dr. RobertRobert CoxCox urgedurged thethe environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication communitycommunity toto definedefine itselfitself asas a crisiscrisis discipline.discipline. Bateson'sBateson's visionvision forfor ecologicalecological holismholism waswas predicatedpredicated onon respectingrespecting thethe dangersdangers inherentinherent inin adad hochoc interventionintervention inin systemssystems whosewhose interconnectivityinterconnectivity maymay bebe littlelittle perceivedperceived whenwhen defineddefined inin causalcausal andand linearlinear terms.terms. TheThe dangersdangers ofof rhetoricallyrhetorically limitinglimiting thethe semanticssemantics ofof environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication toto a heuristicheuristic ratherrather thanthan a holisticholistic approachapproach areare furtherfurther exploredexplored usingusing thethe workwork ofof Deleuze,Deleuze, GuattariGuattari andand Badiou.Badiou. ThisThis sectionsection providesprovides a discursivediscursive andand diacriticaldiacritical responseresponse toto Dr.Dr. Cox'sCox's proposals.proposals.
MyMy thesisthesis concludesconcludes withwith thethe recognitionrecognition ofof thethe depthdepth ofof GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's visionvision andand ofof thethe contemporaneitycontemporaneity stillstill vibrantvibrant inin hishis perspectives.perspectives. BatesonBateson isis inin manymany waysways ththee exemplarexemplar ofof anan environmentaenvironmentall humanitieshumanities scholar,scholar, andand I weavweavee thathatt threathreadd intointo mmyy concludinconcludingg remarks.remarks.
v TABLTABLEE OOFF CONTENTSCONTENTS
ABSTRACABSTRACTT ...... , ...... , ...... , ...... iIVv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTACKNOWLEDGMENTSS ...... , ...... viVlli
INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION:: OLOLDD MYSTERIESMYSTERIES,, NENEWW CHALLENGECHALLENGES....S ...... 11
PARPARTT II:: ANANDD YEYETT THTHEE BEAUTIFUBEAUTIFULL PERSISTPERSISTS...... S 6
AbductioAbduction.n ...... 1100 RecursivenesRecursivenesss ...... , ...... 1188 MeaninMeaningg ...... 2255 NoteNotess ...... 2288
PARPARTT IIII:: WHEWHENN A FRENCHMAFRENCHMANN WAVEWAVESS HIHISS ARMARMSS ...... 3311
DifferencDifference·e • (n-1(n-l)) = MultiplicitMultiplicity·y • 1:11:1 ^:j:. OnOnee ...... 3399 ConsistencConsistency·y • And...And.And ... And .... .An And·d • NoNott AlAlll ...... 4466 FramFramee I| ContexContextt I| FramFramee • IntensitIntensityy = 0 • {0{0}} ...... 4499 MinMindd • rhizome<-»rhizomrhizome+-+rhizomee • %X €C ~|3 ...... 5454 {...}-{...}-{..•{ ... } = { ... } = { ...} } ...... 5588 Notes ...... 60 Notes 60 PART III: THE CHARM AND THE TERROR...... 62 PART III: THE CHARM AND THE TERROR 62 Notes ...... 85 Notes 85 CONCLUSION: SO WHAT? ...... : ...... 87 CONCLUSION: SO WHAT? 87 REFERENCES ...... 94 REFERENCES 94 ACKNOWLEDGMENTSACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wouldwould likelike toto acknowledgeacknowledge thethe contributionscontributions ofof thethe manymany mindsminds whosewhose interactioninteraction shapedshaped andand informedinformed mymy ownown epistemologicalepistemological journey.journey. MyMy committeecommittee membersmembers havehave beenbeen individuallyindividually andand collectivelycollectively instrumentalinstrumental inin thethe evolutionevolution ofof thisthis thesis,thesis, andand I wouldwould likelike toto thankthank eacheach ofof themthem forfor theirtheir inspirationinspiration andand guidanceguidance throughoutthroughout thisthis process.process. TerryTerry TempestTempest WilliamsWilliams introducedintroduced meme toto GregoryGregory Bateson,Bateson, anan eventevent whichwhich hashas shapedshaped mymy academicacademic andand intellectualintellectual career.career. SteveSteve TatumTatum providedprovided meme withwith a willingwilling soundingsounding boardboard andand withwith thethe invaluableinvaluable adviceadvice toto "read"read less,less, writewrite more."more."
LenLen HawesHawes hashas offeredoffered meme hishis wit,wit, hishis wisdom,wisdom, a passionpassion forfor GregoryGregory BatesonBateson thatthat matchesmatches mmyy own,own, andand thethe absoluteabsolute freedomfreedom toto dancedance iinn cyberneticcybernetic harmonyharmony withwith a likelike minmindd andand kindrekindredd spirit.spirit. WithouWithoutt hihiss collaborationcollaboration andand exquisiteexquisite care,care, thisthis projectproject wouldwould havhavee beebeenn sadlysadly one-dimensional.one-dimensional.
I amam alsoalso indebtedindebted toto mymy colleagues,colleagues, MikeMike MiddletonMiddleton andand NickNick Russell,Russell, whosewhose criticacriticall insightinsightss havhavee indeliblindeliblyy informeinformedd mmyy processprocess.. MMyy patienpatientt familfamilyy membersmembers,, SteveSteve
BealerBealer,, KatiKatiee Whitlock,Whitlock, anandd TracTracyy BealeBealerr havhavee contributecontributedd fafarr mormoree thathann theitheirr timtimee andand attentioattentionn ttoo thithiss projectproject,, offerinofferingg generougenerouss supporsupportt whenevewheneverr callecalledd upon.upon.
FinallyFinally,, I shouldshould thanthankk ththee fledglinfledglingg prograprogramm iinn EnvironmentaEnvironmentall HumanitieHumanitiess andand mmyy fellofelloww candidatecandidatess foforr helpinhelpingg ttoo grogroww a spacspacee wherwheree aann interfacinterfacee ooff thithiss naturnaturee mightmight bbee conceiveconceivedd anandd wherwheree inquisitivinquisitivee anandd interdisciplinarinterdisciplinaryy scholarshischolarshipp mighmightt bebe encourageencouragedd ttoo playplay.. YouYourr supporsupportt anandd encouragemenencouragementt hahass beebeenn anandd wilwilll continucontinuee ttoo bebe greatlgreatlyy appreciated.appreciated. INTRODUCTION:INTRODUCTION: OLDOLD MYSTERIES,MYSTERIES, NEWNEW CHALLENGESCHALLENGES
InIn thethe introductionintroduction toto whatwhat waswas toto havehave beenbeen herher father'sfather's finalfinal book,book, AngelsAngels Fear:Fear:
TowardsTowards anan EpistemologyEpistemology ofof thethe Sacred,Sacred, editoreditor MaryMary CatherineCatherine BatesonBateson includesincludes a sectionsection fromfrom GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's notesnotes forfor thethe texttext subtitledsubtitled Defining the Task. ThereThere hehe proposesproposes toto "begin"begin thethe tasktask ofof makingmaking thethe newnew challengeschallenges perceptibleperceptible toto thethe readerreader andand perhapsperhaps toto givegive somesome definitiondefinition ttoo thethe newnew problems"problems" whichwhich hehe sawsaw asas emergingemerging inin thethe postatomicpostatomic ageage (Angels(Angels FearFear 14).14). MyMy ownown tasktask isis muchmuch thethe same;same; I intendintend notnot toto rehabilitaterehabilitate GregoryGregory Bateson'Bateson'ss thoughtthought soso muchmuch asas toto extendextend it,it, toto pursupursuee itsits cyberneticcybernetic connectionconnectionss anandd abstractivabstractivee leapleapss intintoo ththee texttextss ofof otherother thinkerthinkerss whoswhosee effortsefforts eithereither explicitlexplicitlyy oorr implicitlimplicitlyy resonatresonatee witwithh hishis.. I finfindd iinn Bateson'Bateson'ss thoughthoughtt a renewablerenewable resourceresource,, anan alternativealternative perspectivperspectivee besbestt describeddescribed nonott aass somesome quantityquantity ooff sedimentedsedimented theortheoryy whicwhichh remainremainss ttoo bbee extracted,extracted, bubutt ratheratherr asas a circulatincirculatingg energyenergy,, a perspectivperspectivee thatthat reinventreinventss anandd reinvestreinvestss itselitselff aass iitt iiss re-encounterere-encounteredd anandd re-engagedre-engaged.. MMyy worworkk iiss intendedintended aass neitheneitherr definitiodefinitionn nonorr aass descriptiondescription,, bubutt aass a beginning-againbeginning-again,, a reverberationreverberation groundegroundedd iinn aann interfacinterfacee thatthat,, liklikee a rhizomerhizome,, hahass neitheneitherr beginninbeginningg nonorr enendd bubutt ratherrather arisearisess iinn ththee middlmiddlee ooff a cyberneticyberneticc interfacinterfacee betweebetweenn GregorGregoryy BatesoBatesonn ANANDD GillesGilles
DeleuzDeleuzee anandd FeliFelixx GuattarGuattarii ANANDD AlaiAlainn Badiou.Badiou.
BatesoBatesonn dididd mucmuchh ttoo providprovidee a vitavitall anandd vibranvibrantt argumenargumentt regardinregardingg man'sman's relationshirelationshipp witwithh hihiss environmentenvironment,, witwithh hihiss fellofelloww menmen,, anandd witwithh hihiss inneinnerr selfself.. IInn hihiss forewarforewardd ttoo Bateson'Bateson'ss thirthirdd bookbook,, MinMindd anandd NatureNature,. SergiSergioo ManghManghii writeswrites:: 2
TheThe "ecological""ecological" languagelanguage createdcreated bbyy Bateson,Bateson, inin particularparticular startingstarting inin ththee 1960s,1960s, hashas toto bbee consideredconsidered oneone ofof thethe mostmost importantimportant attemptsattempts ofof ththee 20thth centurycentury toto rethinkrethink thethe humanhuman conditioncondition inin ththee planetaryplanetary era.era. ItIt was,was, inin otherother words,words, anan attemptattempt toto exploreexplore inin depthdepth ourour beingbeing parpartt ofof largerlarger systems-interpersonal,systems—interpersonal, social,social, andand natural-engagednatural—engaged inin anan impetuousimpetuous unificationunification ofof humanityhumanity andand a growinggrowing mysticamysticall faithfaith inin technology'technology'ss powerpower ofof salvation."salvation." (x)(x)
ThatThat Bateson'Bateson'ss workwork waswas well-receivewell-receivedd atat thethe timtimee itit waswas publishepublishedd isis evidentevident fromfrom thethe numbenumberr ofof hishis contemporaries,contemporaries, particularlyparticularly environmentalenvironmental writerswriters,, whwhoo seizedseized upouponn hishis notionnotionss ooff holisticholistic systemssystems andand connectiveconnective patternspatterns ofof behaviorbehavior andand referencereferencedd themthem inin theitheirr work.work. YetYet surprisingly,surprisingly, hihiss worworkk isis littlelittle reareadd today,today, andand thethenn rarelyrarely appliedapplied beyondbeyond thethe disciplinediscipliness witwithh whichwhich hhee isis mostmost oftenoften identified,identified, whetherwhether anthropology,anthropology, psychology,psychology, cybernetics,cybernetics, oror environmentalenvironmental studies.studies. ThatThat hishis ideasideas demanddemand ttoo bebe reconsideredreconsidered isis oneone ofof hishis ownown injunctionsinjunctions toto hishis readers-thatreaders—that thosthosee samesame ideasideas deservedeserve toto bebe reexaminedreexamined andand mightmight usefullusefullyy andand provocativelyprovocatively bebe reappliereappliedd inin a multiplicitymultiplicity ofof circumstancescircumstances isis mymy owownn argument.argument.
ToTo thathatt end,end, mymy thesisthesis wilwilll investigateinvestigate GregoryGregory Bateson'Bateson'ss bodbodyy ofof workwork forfor significantsignificant conceptsconcepts thathatt mighmightt extendextend beyondbeyond hihiss ownown circumstancescircumstances andand whichwhich wouldwould informinform a twenty-firsttwenty-first centurycentury environmentalenvironmental situation.situation. PresentedPresented inin thethe samesame organizationalorganizational frameworkframework asas hihiss StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ofof Mind,Mind, PartPart I wilwilll focusfocus onon
Bateson'Bateson'ss publishepublishedd andand unpublisheunpublishedd workwork andand onon ththee foundationalfoundational conceptsconcepts whichwhich circulatecirculate throughouthroughoutt hihiss textstexts.. RanginRangingg overover anan intellectualintellectual lifespanlifespan ofof somesome forty-fiveforty-five yearsyears,, Bateson'Bateson'ss essays,essays, interviews,interviews, correspondencecorrespondence andand publishepublishedd bookbookss revealreveal anan evolutionaryevolutionary growthgrowth inin anan epistemologyepistemology thathatt continuallycontinually renewrenewss andand critiquescritiques itselfitself whilewhile pursuingpursuing botbothh a rigorourigorouss andand yeyett creativelycreatively imaginativeimaginative visiovisionn thatthat hehe wouldwould ultimatelyultimately callcall ththee cyberneticcybernetic Mind.Mind. MovingMoving chronologicallychronologically andand yetyet reiterativelreiterativelyy througthroughh hishis bodybody 3 ofof work,work, somesome keykey conceptsconcepts serveserve toto underscoreunderscore Bateson'sBateson's interestinterest inin patternspatterns andand inin connections,connections, andand toto thatthat endend I focusfocus especiallyespecially onon hishis notionsnotions ofof abductionabduction andand recursiveness,recursiveness, allowingallowing theirtheir interplayinterplay toto provideprovide a multiplemultiple perspectiveperspective onon eacheach ofof hishis texts.texts. DoubleDouble descriptiondescription isis anotheranother ofof Bateson'sBateson's favoritefavorite methodologies;methodologies; recognizingrecognizing inin oneone ofof hishis rarerare poemspoems thatthat "if"if youyou readread betweenbetween thethe lines/Ylines/Yo ouu willwill findfind nothingnothing there,"there,"
BatesonBateson constantlyconstantly seeksseeks notnot things butbut thosethose relationships thatthat resonateresonate betweenbetween themthem asas thethe sourcesource ofof meaningmeaning andand magicmagic inin thethe ecologyecology ofof mindmind (Angels(Angels FearFear 5).5). ThatThat therethere areare relationshipsrelationships andand repetitions,repetitions, asas wellwell asas differences,differences, betweenbetween andand amongamong hishis essaysessays alsoalso servesserves toto forwardforward hishis interestinterest inin thethe waysways thatthat immanentimmanent mentalmental processprocess suggestssuggests a unifyingunifying potentialpotential thatthat cancan defeatdefeat thethe reificationreification ofof differencedifference codifiedcodified inin CartesianCartesian dualityduality andand reinscribedreinscribed byby purposivepurposive consciousness.consciousness. SuchSuch immanenceimmanence cannotcannot bebe embodieembodiedd withiwithinn a singlesingle humanhuman mindmind oror a discretelydiscretely humahumann beingbeing,, bubutt mustmust insteadinstead bebe metaphoricallmetaphoricallyy understoodunderstood aass anan extendedextended andand dynamicdynamic system,system, whichwhich BatesonBateson expressesexpresses aass cyberneticyberneticc Mind.Mind.
ThiThiss setssets upup ththee movemenmovementt iinn ParPartt IIII towardstowards thethe intersectionsintersections ooff Bateson'Bateson'ss ideasideas iinn cyberneticyberneticc resonanceresonance withwith thosethose ofof otherother writerswriters,, particularlparticularlyy ththee worworkk ofof GillesGilles
DeleuzDeleuzee anandd FeliFelixx GuattarGuattarii aass iitt buildbuildss oonn expliciexplicitt connectionconnectionss ttoo Bateson'sBateson's epistemologyepistemology.. UsinUsingg mathematicamathematicall sigsignn aass botbothh a connectivconnectivee anandd aass a figurafigurall devicedevice,, PartPart
IIII probeprobess ththee manifesmanifestt connectionconnectionss betweebetweenn DeleuzDeleuzee anandd Guattari's s materialismaterialistt ontologyontology anandd Bateson'Bateson'ss cyberneticyberneticc epistemologyepistemology,, whilwhilee alsalsoo openinopeningg uupp a widewiderr fielfieldd ooff inquiryinquiry througthroughh thithiss samsamee devicedevice.. DeleuzDeleuzee anandd Guattari'Guattari'ss worworkk togethertogether,, anandd particularlyparticularly
Guattari'Guattari'ss solsoloo worksworks,, botbothh explicitlexplicitlyy anandd implicitlimplicitlyy beabearr ththee imprinimprintt ooff Bateson'sBateson's thoughtthought,, anandd investigatininvestigatingg ththee patternpatternss thathatt connecconnectt thethemm yieldyieldss a deepedeeperr appreciatioappreciationn ooff 4 eacheach.. DeleuzDeleuzee andand GuattariGuattari alsoalso movmovee Bateson'sBateson's thoughthoughtt forward,forward, adaptinadaptingg andand mutatingmutating hihiss thematicthematicss intointo rhizomatirhizomaticc pathwaypathwayss beyonbeyondd hihiss conceptualconceptual structurestructure andand producingproducing nonott onlyonly revolutionarrevolutionaryy bubutt co-evolutionaryco-evolutionary constructionsconstructions.. TheiTheirr worworkk alsoalso servesserves aass a bridgbridgee betweebetweenn Bateson'sBateson's thoughthoughtt atat hihiss deatdeathh iinn ththee twentiettwentiethh centurcenturyy ttoo thethe contemporarcontemporaryy andand more-than-modermore-than-modemn worworkk ofof twenty-firstwenty-firstt centurycentury FrenchFrench philosopherphilosopher
AlaiAlainn Badiou.Badiou.
Badiou'Badiou'ss workwork,, groundedgrounded iinn mathematicamathematicall semioticsemioticss anandd concerneconcernedd witwithh truttruthh andand witwithh ththee subjectssubjects iitt inducesinduces,, provideprovidess a fertilfertilee groungroundd forfor makinmakingg ththee kindkindss ofof abductiveabductive connectionconnectionss thathatt BatesoBatesonn advocatesadvocates.. BadioBadiouu foundsfounds mucmuchh ofof hihiss ontologontologyy iinn specificspecific situationssituations,, aann intellectuallintellectuallyy andand spatiallyspatially appropriateappropriate intersticeinterstice thathatt figuresfigures ththee overlaoverlapp ofof ththee materialismaterialistt concernconcernss ooff DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattarGuattarii witwithh ththee ecologicaecologicall languaglanguagee ooff Bateson.Bateson.
Badiou'sBadiou's philosophphilosophyy iiss presentepresentedd iinn ththee languagelanguage andand notationotationn ofof setset theorytheory,, whichwhich acknowledgesacknowledges ththee earlyearly worworkk ooff BertrandBertrand RussellRussell,, soso criticacriticall ttoo Bateson'Bateson'ss earlyearly epistemology,epistemology, yeyett movemovess beyonbeyondd itit eveneven asas setset theortheoryy hahass evolvedevolved ttoo resolvresolvee somesome oftheof the constraintsconstraints thathatt ththee earlierearlier incarnatioincarnationn createcreatedd foforr BatesonBateson;; ththee resultinresultingg connectionsconnections betweebetweenn BatesonBateson ANANDD DeleuzDeleuzee andand GuattarGuattarii ANANDD BadioBadiouu providprovidee ththee stepstep ttoo yeyett anotheranother plateaplateauu ooff inquiry.inquiry.
InIn PartPart IIIIII,, ththee foundinfoundingg essaessayy forfor ththee newlnewlyy launchelaunchedd journaljournal,, EnvironmentalEnvironmental
CommunicationCommunication,, iiss deconstructeddeconstructed througthroughh ththee multiplmultiplee perspectiveperspectivess ofof BatesonBateson,, Deleuze,Deleuze,
GuattariGuattari,, anandd BadiouBadiou,, iinn ordeorderr ttoo demonstratedemonstrate ththee vitalitvitalityy anandd ththee integrityintegrity ooff theirtheir respectivrespectivee mindmindss conjoineconjoinedd asas ononee whilewhile problematizingproblematizing ththee disciplinarydisciplinary andand ethicalethical visiovisionn promulgatepromulgatedd bbyy authorauthor RoberRobertt CoxCox.. NothinNothingg couldcould bettebetterr illustrateillustrate ththee ongoingongoing vibrancyvibrancy andand valuvaluee ofof GregoryGregory Bateson'Bateson'ss practicpracticee anandd procesprocesss thanthan ttoo utilizutilizee itit inin a 55 contemporarycontemporary critique;critique; toto testtest thethe accuracyaccuracy ofof thesethese proposalsproposals byby recursivelyrecursively feedingfeeding themthem backback throughthrough a Bateson-Deleuze-Guattari-BadiouBateson-Deleuze-Guattari-Badiou machinemachine isis toto productivelyproductively challengechallenge
Cox'sCox's ideasideas andand toto testtest themthem forfor survivalsurvival inin anan ecologyecology ofof mindmind thatthat isis asas elegantlyelegantly alivealive todaytoday asas itit waswas whenwhen BatesonBateson firstfirst proposedproposed itit inin 19711971..
I concludeconclude byby consideringconsidering howhow thisthis sharedshared visionvision mightmight alsoalso informinform aa multidisciplinarymultidisciplinary andand multivocalmultivocal programprogram suchsuch asas thethe UniversityUniversity ofof Utah'sUtah's master'smaster's degreedegree programprogram inin EnvironmentalEnvironmental Humanities.Humanities. BothBoth BatesonBateson andand GuattariGuattari areare concernedconcerned withwith integrationintegration ratherrather thanthan specialization,specialization, andand thethe interplayinterplay betweenbetween theirtheir pointspoints ofof viewview informsinforms thethe kindskinds ofof intellectualintellectual diversitydiversity thatthat anan interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary andand transdisciplinarytransdisciplinary programprogram mustmust advocate.advocate. Guattari,Guattari, nevernever atat a lossloss forfor adaptingadapting languageslanguages (whether(whether majormajor oror minor,minor, writtenwritten oror spoken,spoken, digitaldigital oror analogous)analogous) toto serveserve hishis purposes,purposes, describesdescribes a
"concrete"concrete machinemachine"" aass thathatt whicwhichh "traverses"traverses differendifferentt domains.domains .... .capabl capablee nonott ofof integratinintegratingg bubutt ooff articulatinarticulatingg singularitiesingularitiess ofof ththee fielfieldd undeunderr consideratioconsiderationn ttoo joinjoin absolutelabsolutelyy heterogeneouheterogeneouss components"components" (Chaosoph(Chao sophyy 40)40).. BatesoBatesonn woulwouldd articulatearticulate thithiss asas ththee cyberneticcybernetic Mind'Mind'ss abilitabilityy ttoo locatlocatee meaninmeaningg iinn noisenoise,, ththee sourcesource ooff allall neneww ideas.ideas. ForFor
EnvironmentaEnvironmentall HumanitieHumanitiess ttoo survivsurvivee aass aann ecologecologyy ofof ideasideas,, thathatt accessaccess ttoo ththee plenitudeplenitude ooff ththee voivoidd withiwithinn ititss situatiosituationn musmustt bbee privilegeprivilegedd anandd protected.protected.
FurtheFurtherr thathann thatthat,, aass BatesoBatesonn wrotwrotee iinn hihiss introductorintroductoryy notenotess foforr AngelAngelss FearFear,. I dodo nonott expecexpectt ttoo gogo.. MMyy hophopee iiss ttoo crafcraftt aann argumenargumentt thathatt promotepromotess a furthefurtherr discussiodiscussionn ofof
GregorGregoryy Bateson'Bateson'ss prolifiprolificc epistemologepistemologyy bbyy recursivelrecursivelyy examininexaminingg hihiss ecologecologyy ooff ideasideas anandd bbyy exposinexposingg hihiss concernconcernss ttoo ththee postmoderpostmodernn criticacriticall theoristtheoristss ooff ouourr presenpresentt situation.situation.
TToo ddoo ssoo iiss ttoo embracembracee mmyy owownn immersioimmersionn iinn thathatt ecologecologyy ooff minmindd thathatt iiss BATESOBATESONN +
DELEUZDELEUZEE + GUATTARGUATTARII + BADIOU.BADIOU. PARTPART I:I: ANANDD YEYETT THETHE BEAUTIFULBEAUTIFUL PERSISTSPERSISTS
GregoryGregory Bateson'Bateson'ss firstfirst publishedpublished bookbook appearedappeared inin 1936.1936. NaveNavenn isis anan anthropologicalanthropological treatisetreatise,, ththee resulresultt ofof Bateson'Bateson'ss fieldfield worworkk amongamong ththee head-huntinghead-hunting
IatmulIatmul ooff NewNew Guinea.!Guinea.1 ClassicallyClassically educatededucated inin GreatGreat Britain,Britain, BatesoBatesonn beganbegan hishis academicacademic careercareer inin biologybiology,, followingfollowing inin thethe footstepsfootsteps ofof hishis father,father, thethe distinguisheddistinguished biologisbiologistt anandd geneticsgenetics advocatadvocatee WilliamWilliam Bateson,2 butbut soonsoon shiftedshifted toto ththee newlynewly- emergingemerging socialsocial sciencescience ofof anthropology,anthropology, whichwhich hehe hopedhoped wouldwould "supply"supply thethe personalpersonal inspirationinspiration whicwhichh I believebelieve myselmyselff ttoo needneed,, andand indeedindeed hophopee alwaysalways toto needneed"" (Lipset(Lipset 115).115).
ItIt iiss thatthat samesame needneed whichwhich wouldwould ultimatelyultimately propepropell BatesonBateson forwardforward througthroughh a changingchanging seriesseries ooff disciplinarydisciplinary affiliations;affiliations; overover thethe coursecourse ofof hishis professionaprofessionall andand academicacademic life,life, hehe woulwouldd alsalsoo findfind inspirationinspiration iinn thethe fieldsfields ofof cyberneticscybernetics andand communicationscommunications theory,theory, psychiatripsychiatricc studies,studies, cetaceancetacean andand mammaliamammaliann communication,communication, andand inin thethe relationshiprelationshipss ofof allall thesthesee fields toto individualindividual,, social,social, andand naturanaturall ecologies.ecologies. IInn 1958,1958, a secondsecond editionedition ofof
NaveNavenn wawass publishepublishedd whicwhichh includedincluded a secondsecond epilogueepilogue byby Bateson.Bateson. InIn hihiss "Preface"Preface toto ththee SecondSecond Edition,"Edition," BatesonBateson statesstates thathatt thisthis secondsecond epilogueepilogue wawass dictateddictated byby hishis neeneedd toto reevaluatreevaluatee hihiss originaloriginal investigativeinvestigative conclusionsconclusions inin lightlight ofof thethe multifacetemultifacetedd constellationconstellation ofof knowledgknowledgee hishis intellectualintellectual journejourneyy hahadd exposed.exposed. HiHiss commentcomment thatthat "we"we nownow havehave thethe beginningsbeginnings ofaof a generalgeneral theortheoryy ofof processprocess andand change,change, adaptationadaptation andand pathologypathology...... and and,, inin termtermss oftheof the generalgeneral theory,theory, wewe havhavee toto reexaminreexaminee allall thathatt wwee thoughthoughtt wwee knekneww aboutabout organisms,organisms, societies,societies, families,families, personalpersonal relationshipsrelationships,, ecologicalecological systems,systems, servo-servo- 7 mechanismsmechanisms,, andand ththee like"like" isis anan elegantelegant nodnod ttoo thethe workwork whichwhich wouldwould occupyoccupy himhim forfor thethe nextnext decade.decade.
InIn 1971's1971 's StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof Mind,Mind. BatesonBateson presentedpresented aa collectioncollection ofof hishis essaysessays andand lectureslectures thathatt demonstrateddemonstrated hihiss ongoingongoing reevaluatioreevaluationn ofof hishis thoughtthought inin whatwhat hehe identifieidentifiedd asas fourfour maimainn subjectsubject areas:areas: "anthropology,"anthropology, psychiatry,psychiatry, biologicalbiological evolutionevolution andand genetics,genetics, andand ththee newnew epistemologyepistemology whicwhichh comescomes outout ofof systemssystems theorytheory andand ecology"ecology"
(Steps(Steps "Foreword,"Foreword, 1971"1971" xxii).xxii). HisHis orderingordering mirrormirrorss hihiss owownn interestinterest iinn BertrandBertrand
Russell'sRussell's TheorTheoryy ofof LogicaLogicall Types,Types,33 a philosophical/logicalphilosophical/logical argumentargument thatthat BatesoBatesonn usedused extensivelyextensively inin hihiss earlyearly investigationsinvestigations ofof sequentialsequential ordersorders oror degreesdegrees ofof logicallogical abstractioabstractionn inin humanhuman thoughtthought andand communicationcommunication patterns.patterns. HHee dividesdivides thithiss boobookk firstfirst intointo sections,sections, arrangearrangedd bbyy thematithematicc oror disciplinarydisciplinary homogeneity,homogeneity, inin anan orderorder thatthat correspondscorresponds toto thethe sequencesequence inin whichwhich hihiss disciplinarydisciplinary affiliationsaffiliations progressedprogressed.. WithinWithin eacheach section,section, thethe essaysessays andand lectureslectures areare arrangedarranged chronologically,chronologically, fromfrom hishis earliestearliest investigationsinvestigations toto thosethose mosmostt recentlrecentlyy considered.considered. Critically,Critically, BatesonBateson commentscomments thatthat hehe expectsexpects mostmost readersreaders toto confineconfine themselvethemselvess ttoo theirtheir ownown areaarea ofof interestinterest andand thatthat consequentlyconsequently hehe hashas nonott editededited outout repetitiorepetitionn acrossacross thethe sections,sections, bubutt itit isis herehere thathatt hishis particularparticular stylisticstylistic giftgift revealsreveals itself.itself. ItIt isis thathatt repetitiorepetitionn whicwhichh isis ofof utmosutmostt consequenceconsequence toto Bateson'sBateson's criticalcritical theory,theory, a redundancyredundancy thatthat hhee wilwilll moremore specificallyspecifically developdevelop intointo ththee conceptsconcepts ofof abductionabduction andand recursivity,recursivity, keykey elementselements ofof hishis thirthirdd bookbook,, MindMind andand Nature.Nature.
MindMind andand NatureNature:: A NecessaryNecessary UnityUnity waswas firstfirst publishedpublished inin 1979.1979. SeriouslySeriously illill witwithh lunglung cancer,cancer, ththee seventy-fiveseventy-five yeayearr oldold BatesoBatesonn wawass ableable toto completecomplete thithiss boobookk onlyonly withwith ththee helphelp ofof hishis daughter,daughter, MaryMary CatherineCatherine Bateson,Bateson, andand itsits publicationpublication barelybarely predatepredatedd hihiss deathdeath inin July,July, 1980.1980. InIn thithiss book,book, BatesonBateson hopedhoped toto forwardforward hihiss newnew kindkind ofof 8 science,science, thethe "ecology"ecology ofof mind"mind" hehe concludedconcluded witwithh inin Steps,Steps, bbyy makinmakingg expliciexplicitt thethe implicitimplicit linkageslinkages hhee hahadd begubegunn ttoo forgeforge connectingconnecting cyberneticscybernetics andand evolutionevolution,, relatingrelating informationinformation ttoo difference,difference, anandd conflatingconflating minmindd witwithh naturenature.. InIn hishis IntroductioIntroductionn ttoo Steps,Steps, hehe stated:stated:
MMyy beliebelieff thathatt sucsuchh mattersmatters asas ththee bilaterabilaterall symmetrsymmetryy ooff anan animal,animal, ththee patternepatternedd arrangementarrangement ofof leavesleaves iinn a plantplant,, thethe escalationescalation ofof aann armamentarmamentss racerace,, ththee processeprocessess ooff courtship,courtship, ththee naturnaturee ooff playplay,, thethe grammagrammarr oofaf a sentence,sentence, ththee mysterymystery ofof biologicabiologicall evolution,evolution, anandd ththee contemporarycontemporary crisescrises inin man'man'ss relationshirelationshipp ttoo hihiss environment,environment, cancan onlonlyy bebe understoounderstoodd iinn termtermss ofof suchsuch aann ecologyecology ofof ideaideass aass I propose.propose."" (Step(Stepss xxiii)xxiii)
InIn MindMind anandd NatureNature,, BatesoBatesonn prefaceprefacess hihiss reexaminatioreexaminationn ofof thathatt beliebelieff witwithh a questionquestion toto bbee answered,answered, ononee onon whicwhichh hanghangss ththee majomajorr premisespremises ooff thithiss bookbook.. AskingAsking,, "What"What isis thethe patterpatternn whicwhichh connectconnectss allall ththee livinlivingg creatures,"creatures," BatesoBatesonn proposeproposess thathatt aann aestheticaesthetic ofof connection,connection, ooff patternpattern,, ofof relationshirelationshipp isis thethe definindefiningg metaphometaphorr forfor a cyberneticyberneticc mindmind whicwhichh exceedsexceeds ththee outlinesoutlines andand boundarieboundariess ooff CartesiaCartesiann logilogicc (Min(Mindd andand NaturNaturee 7)7).. HisHis intentiointentionn inin thithiss boobookk isis ttoo finfindd thosthosee connectionsconnections thathatt wilwilll renderenderr differencesdifferences betweenbetween biologicabiologicall theortheoryy anandd cyberneticyberneticc theorytheory permeablpermeablee andand penetrablepenetrable,, ttoo examinexaminee howhow
"differences"differences thougthoughh staticstatic inin ththee outsideoutside worlworldd cancan generategenerate eventsevents iiff you movmovee inin relationrelation ttoo themthem"" (Mind(Mind andand NaturNaturee 199).199). "So"So What?"What?",, hihiss concludingconcluding metalogumetaloguee ((aa literaryliterary devicdevicee hhee employsemploys ttoo greagreatt effecteffect,, advancingadvancing hihiss theorietheoriess bbyy meanmeanss ooff a hypotheticalhypothetical dialogudialoguee betweebetweenn "father""father" andand "daughter"),"daughter"), outlinesoutlines whawhatt woulwouldd becombecomee hihiss finafinall project.project.
PublishePublishedd iinn 1987,1987, sevesevenn yearsyears afterafter GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's death,death, AngelAngelss Fear:Fear:
TowardTowardss anan EpistemologyEpistemology ooff ththee Sacred,Sacred, wawass editededited bbyy MarMaryy CatherinCatherinee BatesoBatesonn frofromm herher father'sfather's manuscriptsmanuscripts,, notesnotes,, andand correspondencescorrespondences.. AAss thethe endingending chapterchapter iinn MinMindd andand
NaturNaturee suggested,suggested, GregorGregoryy Bateson'Bateson'ss finalfinal projecprojectt wawass ttoo havhavee beebeenn anan exploratioexplorationn ofof thethe 9 question,question, "Onto"Onto whatwhat sortsort ofof surfacesurface shallshall 'aesthetics''aesthetics' andand 'consciousness''consciousness' bebe mapped?"mapped?"
(Mind(Mind andand NatureNature 198).198). ThisThis mappingmapping waswas toto havehave providedprovided thethe nextnext "step""step" inin hishis ecologyecology ofof mind,mind, anan interrogationinterrogation ofof thethe beautifulbeautiful andand thethe conscious,conscious, andand anan attemptattempt toto addressaddress a thirdthird term,term, thethe sacred.sacred. ByBy herher ownown admission,admission, hishis daughterdaughter foundfound thethe tasktask ofof attemptingattempting toto completecomplete herher father'sfather's unfinishedunfinished questionsquestions a dauntingdaunting one;one; inin herher introductoryintroductory remarks,remarks, sheshe callscalls thethe publishedpublished bookbook a "testament,"testament, butbut oneone thatthat passespasses onon a tasktask notnot toto meme onlyonly butbut toto allall thosethose preparedprepared toto wrestlewrestle withwith suchsuch questions"questions" (Angels(Angels FearFear
2).2). ToTo aidaid inin thethe furtherancefurtherance ofof thatthat task,task, Ms.Ms. BatesonBateson notesnotes thatthat herher father'sfather's original,original, uneditedunedited manuscriptsmanuscripts andand notebooksnotebooks willwill remainremain inin thethe archivesarchives ofof thethe UniversityUniversity ofof
California,California, SantaSanta Cruz,Cruz, wherewhere futurefuture scholarsscholars mightmight re-visitre-visit them,them, forfor yetyet anotheranother roundround ofof reevaluationreevaluation andand reinterrogation.reinterrogation.
TheThe finafinall metaloguemetalogue,, authoreauthoredd bbyy MarMaryy CatherineCatherine BatesoBatesonn anandd appropriatelappropriatelyy titledtitled
"Persistent"Persistent Shade,"Shade," reiteratereiteratess Bateson'sBateson's ownown wiswishh forfor hihiss legacylegacy.. AAtt ththee conclusioconclusionn ofof thethe
NineteentNineteenthh AnnuaAnnuall KorzybskiKorzybski MemorialMemorial LectureLecture,, whicwhichh GregoryGregory BatesoBatesonn deliveredeliveredd inin
JanuarJanuaryy ofof 1970,1970, hhee emphasizedemphasized hihiss beliebelieff thathatt minmindd iiss immanentimmanent nonott onlonlyy withiwithinn thethe minominorr structurestructure wwee knoknoww aass thethe humahumann braibrainn bubutt alsalsoo alonalongg ththee continuumcontinuum ofof anan infinitelyinfinitely greategreaterr externaexternall trajectorytrajectory,, ononee nonott definedefinedd bbyy physicaphysicall limitationlimitationss oorr bbyy sucsuchh conceptualconceptual outlineoutliness aass liflifee oorr deathdeath.. HHee concludeconcludedd hihiss lecturlecturee bbyy statingstating,, "Th"Thee ideaideass whicwhichh seemeseemedd toto bbee mmee cacann alsalsoo becombecomee immanenimmanentt iinn youyou.. MaMayy thetheyy survive—isurvive-iff truetrue"" (Step(Stepss 471)471).. IInn hishis daughter'daughter'ss finafinall chaptechapterr ooff hihiss less-than-finaless-than-finall bookbook,, Bateson'Bateson'ss persistenpersistentt shadshadee wrylywryly pointpointss ououtt thathatt "suc"suchh immortalitimmortalityy aass wwee havhavee iiss iinn ouourr ideasideas"" (Angel(Angelss FeaFearr 201)201)..
CertainlyCertainly,, iinn Bateson'Bateson'ss casecase,, hihiss legaclegacyy continuecontinuess iinn ththee worworkk nonott onlonlyy ooff hihiss colleaguescolleagues anandd studentsstudents,, bubutt alsalsoo iinn ththee workworkss thathatt havhavee evolveevolvedd frofromm hishis,, thathatt extenextendd anandd broadenbroaden 10 hihiss owownn ecologecologyy ooff minmindd whethewhetherr explicitlexplicitlyy acknowledgeacknowledgedd oorr not.44 TheThe patternpatternss thatthat connecconnectt themthem,, ththee connectionconnectionss whicwhichh betokebetokenn thosthosee patternspatterns,, ripplripplee acrosacrosss disciplinesdisciplines andand flowflow througthroughh texttextss andand timetime.. Bateson'Bateson'ss theorietheoriess andand theorietheoriess oftheories,of theories, ththee patternpatternss andand meta-patternmeta-patternss thathatt informedinformed hihiss evolvingevolving epistemology,epistemology, farfar exceedexceed ththee briebrieff canoncanon ooff hishis publishepublishedd thought.thought. CriticalCritical ttoo ththee pursuipursuitt ooff hihiss immanentimmanent imprinimprintt iiss a closercloser looklook atat hishis theorietheoriess ooff abductioabductionn anandd recursivenessrecursiveness,, anandd atat hohoww ththee evolutioevolutionn andand revisiorevisionn ofof thosethose theorietheoriess circulatcirculatee withiwithinn ananyy efforeffortt ttoo tractracee ththee ongoinongoingg manifestatiomanifestationn ofof Bateson'sBateson's ecologyecology ooff minmindd iinn itsits contemporarcontemporaryy anandd futurafuturall contexts.contexts.
AbductioAbductionn
IInn "Th"Thee SciencSciencee ofof MinMindd anandd Order,Order,"" ththee introductiointroductionn ttoo StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ofof
MindMind,. BatesoBatesonn stressesstresses hihiss beliebelieff thathatt ththee earlearlyy nineteentnineteenthh andand twentiettwentiethh centurycentury scientificscientific emphasiemphasiss oonn mattermatter,, oonn substancesubstance,, hahass occludeoccludedd a mormoree vitavitall andand productivproductivee explorationexploration ooff forformm asas ththee organizinorganizingg principlprinciplee thathatt connectconnectss alalll livinlivingg thingsthings.. BByy leadingleading ththee readerreader ttoo follofolloww hihiss owownn spiralinspiralingg progressioprogressionn frofromm observedobserved physicaphysicall phenomenphenomenaa ttoo observedobserved relationarelationall phenomenaphenomena,, BatesoBatesonn deftldeftlyy underscoreunderscoress hihiss owownn growingrowingg recognitiorecognitionn ooff crosscross- disciplinardisciplinaryy evidencevidencee thathatt suggestsuggestss ththee primacprimacyy ooff forformm asas a meta-messagmeta-messagee circulatingcirculating throughoutthroughout thethe ecologecologyy ofof mindmind.. ItIt isis thithiss recognitiorecognitionn ooff forformm througthroughh connectiveconnective patterninpatterningg thathatt hehe wilwilll comcomee ttoo defindefinee aass anan alternativealternative epistemologicaepistemologicall methodology-hemethodology—he wilwilll espouseespouse nonott inductioinductionn oorr deductiodeductionn bubutt abduction. InIn a pivotapivotall seriesseries ofof CommentsComments whicwhichh follofolloww eaceachh ooff hihiss thematithematicc sectionssections iinn Steps,Steps, hhee unpackunpackss ththee connectionconnectionss whichwhich mighmightt eludeludee thethe impatientimpatient readerreader,, oneone whwhoo receivereceivess ththee messagmessagee signalsignal (i(inn Bateson'sBateson's rephrasinrephrasingg ofof RussellRussell,, "Zero"Zero learning"learning")) anandd whwhoo comprehendcomprehendss iitt ("Learning("Learning I")I"),, bubutt whowho 1111 failsfails toto makemake thethe necessarynecessary movementmovement beyondbeyond thatthat initialinitial frameframe ofof referencereference toto learninglearning- about-learning,about-learning, toto a reflexivereflexive frameframe ofof considerationconsideration thatthat incorporatesincorporates what-is-Iearnedwhat-is-learned whilewhile consideringconsidering whatwhat contextscontexts thatthat specificspecific learninglearning delimitsdelimits (Bateson(Bateson calledcalled thisthis typetype oflearning-to-Iearnof learning-to-learn "deutero-Iearning""deutero-learning" oror "Learning"Learning II").II"). ByBy reintroducingreintroducing thethe knowledgeknowledge streamstream thatthat hehe hashas developeddeveloped sequentiallysequentially throughthrough thethe includedincluded essaysessays andand lectures,lectures, andand byby thenthen consideringconsidering thethe epistemologyepistemology ofof thatthat epistemology,epistemology, thethe descriptiondescription ofof thatthat description,description, BatesonBateson alsoalso subtlysubtly assistsassists hishis readerreader toto participateparticipate inin thethe recursiverecursive processprocess thatthat isis immanentimmanent withinwithin thethe ecologyecology ofof Mind.Mind.
BatesonBateson concludesconcludes Part II: Form and Pattern in Anthropology byby callingcalling forfor a newnew interpretationinterpretation ofof interdisciplinarity-oneinterdisciplinarity—one thatthat willwill notnot simplysimply reframereframe informationinformation inin thethe discursivediscursive codecode ofof oneone disciplinediscipline oror another,another, oneone thatthat willwill notnot simplysimply offeroffer a laterallateral movmovee ttoo a reclassificatioreclassificationn oror renaminrenamingg ooff thingsthings,, bubutt ononee thathatt demandsdemands aann identificationidentification ofof relationshiprelationshipss howevehoweverr thetheyy araree describedescribedd (Steps(Steps 153).153). HHee illustrateillustratess hihiss argumenargumentt byby proposinproposingg aann analoganalogyy betweebetweenn ththee formaformall structurestructure ofof a flowerinfloweringg planplantt andand thathatt ooff a sentencesentence,, anandd wonderwonderss aatt ththee potentiapotentiall significancsignificancee ooff pursinpursingg aann analogyanalogy betweebetweenn twotwo seeminglyseemingly disparatdisparatee examplesexamples,, ononee rootedrooted iinn ththee naturanaturall sciencessciences,, oneone soso manifestlmanifestlyy a signifiesignifierr ooff culturaculturall productionproduction.. HHee iiss suggestinsuggestingg nonott aann inductivinductivee movmovee constructingconstructing theortheoryy frofromm datadata,, nonott a deductivdeductivee lineaglineagee thathatt dissectdissectss datdataa frofromm theorytheory,, bubutt ratheratherr anan abstracabstractt lealeapp ttoo ththee recognitiorecognitionn ooff aann analogouanalogouss relationshirelationshipp (critically(critically,, thathatt relationshirelationshipp iiss already-immanentalready-immanent;; iitt iiss nonott ththee triumphantriumphantt anandd transcendentranscendentt impositioimpositionn ofof a connectionconnection bbyy aann externaexternall anandd omnipotenomnipotentt mind)mind).. OnOnee systesystemm ooff relationshirelationshipp thathatt iiss househousedd iinn
Nature.Nature .... .on onee thathatt iiss immanentlimmanentlyy situatesituatedd iinn MindMind.. HHee goegoess oonn ttoo proposproposee a radicalradical additioadditionn ttoo evolutionarevolutionaryy sciencescience,, ththee concepconceptt ooff co-evolutioco-evolutionn ooff speciespeciess anandd environment.environment. 1212
BatesonBateson writes,writes, "It"It isis ththee context whichwhich evolves,"evolves," a statementstatement ofof suchsuch breathtakingbreathtaking simplicitysimplicity anandd yeyett ofof suchsuch implicativeimplicative enormityenormity thatthat itit fundamentallyfundamentally reordersreorders DarwinianDarwinian thoughthoughtt (Steps(Steps 155).155). ItIt isis notnot ththee relatarelata,, ththee data,data, thethe content ofof ourour descriptivedescriptive notationnotation thathatt shouldshould bbee ththee focalfocal poinpointt ofof thisthis newnew interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary science,science, bubutt ratherrather thethe relationshiprelationship betweebetweenn thethe messagmessagee anandd ththee context, thethe ecologyecology ofof thethe situationsituation into whichwhich ththee messagemessage isis delivereddelivered (and,(and, asas hhee laterlater emphasized,emphasized, ththee contextcontext out o/whichof which thethe messagmessagee isis coming),coming), whichwhich mustmust bebe consideredconsidered inin anyany discussiondiscussion ooff anyany evolutionevolution (and(and bbyy abduction,abduction, byby anyany discussiondiscussion ofof anyany systemsystem oror setset ofof contexts).contexts).
BByy ththee conclusionconclusion ofof Part III: Form and Pathology in Relationship, BatesoBatesonn hashas extendedextended ththee resultresultss ofof hishis studiesstudies ofof psychologypsychology,, familyfamily relationships,relationships, andand pathologiespathologies ofof communicationcommunication toto hishis originaloriginal anthropologicalanthropological observations.observations. StillStill concernedconcerned witwithh formform andand analogyanalogy asas meta-communicativmeta-communicativee devices,devices, hishis useuse ofof logicallogical typestypes hahass ledled himhim toto mapmap ththee communicativecommunicative pathologiepathologiess inin schizophreniaschizophrenia andand alcoholismalcoholism ontoonto hihiss observationsobservations aboutabout co-evolutionco-evolution andand ththee relationshiprelationshipss immanentimmanent inin andand transgressivetransgressive ofof contextualcontextual territoriesterritories.. InIn a seriesseries ofof relatedrelated essays,essays, BatesonBateson exploresexplores thethe communicativecommunicative dysfunctiondysfunction thathatt schizophrenicsschizophrenics commonlycommonly exhibit,exhibit, a pathologpathologyy hehe comparescompares ttoo anan inabilityinability toto distinguishdistinguish betweenbetween logicallogical typetypess oror framesframes ofof reference,reference, thethe tendenctendencyy towardstowards thethe ususee ofof
"unlabeled metaphors"(Stepsmetaphors"(Steps 205)205).. BatesonBateson observesobserves thatthat schizophrenicschizophrenic speechspeech patternspatterns areare adaptationsadaptations borbornn ofof context;context; thathatt certaincertain familyfamily relationshiprelationshipss becomebecome soso toxitoxicc forfor anan individualindividual membermember thathatt he/shehe/she resortresortss toto thisthis metaphorimetaphoricc speechspeech asas a protectivprotectivee response,response, oneone thathatt isis simultaneouslysimultaneously adaptiveadaptive andand pathological.pathological. HHee concludesconcludes thisthis sectionsection byby notingnoting thathatt suchsuch a responsresponsee isis illustrativeillustrative ofof thethe incompatibilityincompatibility ofof thethe logiclogic ofof adaptationadaptation andand thethe logiclogic ofof survival:survival: whawhatt isis atat onceonce a successfulsuccessful adaptationadaptation inin thethe individualindividual cancan havehave 1313 destructivedestructive andand devastatingdevastating consequencesconsequences forfor thethe survivalsurvival ofof thethe systemsystem asas a wholewhole (Steps(Steps
339).339). ForFor Bateson,Bateson, thisthis suggestssuggests thatthat thesethese ideasideas aboutabout schizophrenia,schizophrenia, thethe doubledouble bind,bind, andand pathologypathology areare conceptsconcepts whichwhich "cease"cease toto bebe mattersmatters ofof individualindividual psychologypsychology andand becomebecome partpart ofof thethe ecologyecology ofof ideasideas inin systemssystems oror 'minds''minds' whosewhose boundariesboundaries nono longerlonger coincidecoincide withwith thethe skinsskins ofof thethe participantparticipant individuals"individuals" (Steps(Steps 339).339).
TheThe nextnext twotwo sectionssections ofof StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof MindMind representrepresent thethe systematicsystematic andand cyberneticcybernetic dialecticdialectic betweenbetween oldold andand newnew information,information, reinformingreinforming andand recyclingrecycling disparatedisparate disciplinarydisciplinary concernsconcerns toto produceproduce newlynewly analogousanalogous observations.observations. Part IVIV:
Biology and Evolution, returnsreturns BatesoBatesonn toto thethe anti-Darwinanti-Darwin argumentsarguments ofof hishis father,father, whilewhile
Part VV: Epistemology and Ecology movesmoves himhim forwardforward toto hishis mormoree recentrecent foraysforays intointo cyberneticscybernetics andand thethe environmentalenvironmental argumentsarguments thatthat wouldwould characterizecharacterize hishis laterlater worksworks.. InIn bothboth,, hihiss concludingconcluding commentcommentss focufocuss onon hihiss growinggrowing convictioconvictionn thathatt a neneww sciencescience mustmust providprovidee a conceptuaconceptuall bridgbridgee betweebetweenn hihiss observationobservationss oonn ththee flowflow ofof informatioinformationn inin thethe humahumann worlworldd witwithh hihiss analogousanalogous andand yeyett seeminglyseemingly contradictorycontradictory observationobservationss aboutabout flowsflows ofof informatioinformationn withiwithinn nonhumannonhuman organismsorganisms anandd betweebetweenn thethemm andand theirtheir environments.environments. ThereThere iiss a sensesense ooff hishis growinggrowing concerconcernn abouaboutt ththee impactimpactss ofof technologytechnology oonn ththee healthealthh ooff ththee ecologyecology,, andand a reiteratioreiterationn ooff hihiss senssensee thathatt purposivpurposivee humanhuman interventiointerventionn cacann becombecomee pathologicapathologicall iinn naturanaturall systemssystems.. IInn ththee concludinconcludingg sectiosectionn ofof
StepStepss ttoo aann EcologEcologyy ooff MindMind,, Part VI: Crisis in the Ecology of Mind, BatesoBatesonn offerofferss a serieseriess ooff thematicallthematicallyy linkelinkedd lecturelecturess withouwithoutt aann ostensiblostensiblee conclusioconclusionn oorr hihiss customarycustomary
CommentCommentss sectionsection.. ThThee "crisis"crisis"" hhee describedescribess iiss ononee thathatt hhee believebelievess "arise"arisess ououtt ooff errorserrors iinn ouourr habithabitss ooff thoughthoughtt aatt deedeepp anandd partlpartlyy unconsciouunconsciouss levelslevels"" (Step(Stepss 495)495).. IItt iiss a crisiscrisis whicwhichh MinMindd anandd NaturNaturee iiss intendeintendedd ttoo addressaddress.. 1414
AAss PeterPeter Harries-JoneHarries-Joness observesobserves inin hihiss excellenexcellentt surveysurvey ofof Bateson'sBateson's thought,thought,
RecursivRecursivee VisionVision:: EcologicaEcologicall UnderstandinUnderstandingg andand GregorGregoryy BatesonBateson,, BatesoBatesonn begabegann ttoo findfind thethe languaglanguagee ooff logicallogical typetypess totooo limitinglimiting ttoo enunciateenunciate hihiss attemptattemptss ttoo mamapp thethe connectionsconnections betweebetweenn naturalnatural systemssystems anandd humahumann systemssystems ofof communicationscommunications,, a challengechallenge reflectedreflected iinn hihiss intellectualintellectual movementmovement frofromm ththee structuralisstructuralistt thematicthematicss ofof StepStepss ttoo thethe moremore organiorganicc emphasiemphasiss inin MindMind andand NaturNaturee (Harries-Jone(Harries-Joness 168).168). ConflatinConflatingg thethe evolutionaryevolutionary mechanismmechanism ooff geneticgenetic changchangee witwithh ththee cyberneticyberneticc phenomenophenomenonn ooff learninglearning bbyy assumingassuming thathatt eacheach iiss a stochasticstochastic procesprocesss ((aa procesprocesss thathatt combinecombiness botbothh a randomrandom componencomponentt witwithh a nonrandononrandomm selectionselection process)process),, BatesoBatesonn stressestressess ththee necessitnecessityy forfor replacinreplacingg CartesiaCartesiann dualityduality witwithh a unifieunifiedd philosophphilosophyy ooff naturnaturee anandd minmindd thathatt hhee intimatesintimates iinn hihiss subtitlesubtitle througthroughh ththee clarificationclarification ooff twtwoo kekeyy thematicsthematics,, abductioabductionn anandd recursion.recursion.
WhilWhilee hhee utilizeutilizedd botbothh inin hihiss stylisticstylistic anandd hihiss intellectuaintellectuall methodologmethodologyy iinn StepsSteps,, iitt iiss onlyonly iinn hihiss thirthirdd boobookk thathatt hhee explicitlexplicitlyy namenamess them.them.
RatheRatherr thathann simplsimplyy imposinimposingg connectiveconnective patternpatternss acrosacrosss ththee Mind/NaturMindlNaturee dualismdualism througthroughh ththee traditionatraditionall logisticlogisticss ooff inductiveinductive oorr deductivdeductivee reasoningreasoning,, BatesoBatesonn proposesproposes insteadinstead ththee ususee ooff anotheanotherr methodologymethodology:: abduction,5 5 ththee "lateral"lateral extensionextension ofof abstractabstract componentscomponents ofof description"description" (Mind(Mind andand NaturNaturee 133).133). AAss a meanmeanss ofof recognizinrecognizingg andand articulatingarticulating relationshipsrelationships withoutwithout respecrespectt ttoo formaformall boundarieboundariess oorr limitationslimitations,, abductionabduction isis botbothh transgressivtransgressivee anandd descriptive;descriptive; itit representrepresentss botbothh a leapleap ofof abstractionabstraction andand anan acknowledgementacknowledgement ofof anan immanenimmanentt andand a priorpriorii analogyanalogy,, ththee recognitiorecognitionn ooff a relationshiprelationship ratheratherr thathann ththee creatiocreationn ofof oneone.. ItIt iiss evidencedevidenced inin aann arraarrayy ooff exampleexampless thathatt BatesoBatesonn lists,lists, includinincludingg "metaphor,"metaphor, dreamdream,, parableparable,, allegory,allegory, ththee wholwholee ofof artart,, ththee wholwholee ooff sciencescience,, thethe wholwholee ofof religionreligion,, [and][and] ththee wholwholee ooff poetry,poetry,"" anandd itit lendlendss itselitselff ttoo anotheranother conceptconcept thatthat 1155
BatesoBatesonn demandsdemands inin ththee communicativcommunicativee frameworkframework ofof botbothh naturanaturall anandd humanhuman systems,systems, ththee procesprocesss hhee termsterms "double"double description"description" (Min(Mindd anandd NaturNaturee 133,133, 134).134). Bateson'sBateson's difficultydifficulty witwithh usinusingg logicalogicall theortheoryy ttoo groundground hihiss neneww epistemologepistemologyy iiss ititss abhorrencabhorrencee ofof paradoxparadox;; indeed,indeed, ththee theortheoryy ooff logicalogicall typetypess wawass devisedevisedd specificallspecificallyy ttoo precludprecludee thethe presencpresencee ofof paradoparadoxx iinn philosophicaphilosophicall thoughtthought.. ThThee relationarelationall contexcontextt thathatt promptpromptss thethe schizophrenic'sschizophrenic's adaptiveadaptive (if(if ultimatelultimatelyy pathologicalpathological)) ususee ooff unlabeleunlabeledd metaphometaphorr cancan acceleratacceleratee intointo ththee dilemmadilemma BatesoBatesonn namenamedd ththee doubldoublee bindbind,, a paradoxicaparadoxicall situatiosituationn inin whicwhichh anan individualindividual findfindss thathatt a sequencesequence ooff otherwisotherwisee appropriatappropriatee behaviorbehaviorss resultresultss inin suchsuch negativnegativee consequenceconsequencess thathatt ththee individuaindividuall resortresortss ttoo otherwisotherwisee inappropriateinappropriate behaviorbehaviorss asas a meanmeanss ofof resolvinresolvingg thethe increasinglyincreasingly conflictingconflicting circumstances,circumstances,66 ParadoParadoxx isis thusthus botbothh ththee sourcsourcee ooff creativitcreativityy anandd innovatioinnovationn inin responsresponsee ttoo contextuacontextuall fluxflux aass welwelll asas potentiallpotentiallyy thethe maelstromaelstromm frofromm whicwhichh pathologpathologyy maymay emerge. 77
ParadoParadoxx isis alsalsoo inescapablyinescapably presenpresentt iinn naturenature;; aann explanatoryexplanatory systemsystem thathatt abhorsabhors a paradoxparadox cannotcannot sufficientlsufficientlyy stanstandd asas a discursivediscursive rhetorirhetoricc forfor a neneww sciencescience thathatt attemptsattempts ttoo conflateconflate naturanaturall systemssystems witwithh humahumann communicativcommunicativee onesones.. IInn a fascinatingfascinating lecturelecture delivereddelivered inin 19801980 anandd publishepublishedd iinn Donaldson'Donaldson'ss A SacredSacred UnityUnity,, BatesoBatesonn detaildetailss thethe sequencesequence ofof thoughthoughtt thathatt ledled hihimm awayaway fromfrom logilogicc andand towardtowardss anotheranother solution.solution. IInn "Men"Men areare Grass:Grass: MetaphorMetaphor andand thethe WorlWorldd ofof MentaMentall Process,Process,"" hehe suggestsuggestss thathatt whilwhilee "logic"logic waswas a mostmost elegantelegant tooltool forfor thethe descriptiondescription ofof lineallineal systemssystems ofof causationcausation...... thathatt logiclogic couldcould bebe usedused forfor ththee descriptiodescriptionn ooff biologicabiologicall patterpatternn anandd biologicabiologicall eventevent hahass neveneverr beebeenn atat allall clear.clear. IndeedIndeed,, itit isis ratherrather sharplysharply cleaclearr thatthat itit iiss unsuitableunsuitable,, aatt leasleastt iinn ththee descriptiodescriptionn ofof suchsuch circulacircularr causacausall systemssystems anandd recursivrecursivee systemssystems asas wilwilll generategenerate ththee paradoxparadox"" (Sacred(Sacred
UnityUnity 239).239). HHee proposeproposess insteainsteadd ttoo applapplyy a formform ooff thoughthoughtt thathatt hhee epitomizesepitomizes inin ththee typetype 1616 ooff syllogissyllogismm callecalledd "affirming"affirming ththee consequent,consequent,"" oneone thathatt hehe suggestssuggests isis mormoree suggestivesuggestive ooff hihiss ownown wawayy ooff thinkinthinkingg anandd ofof thathatt ofof ththee poetspoets:: "metaphor"metaphor...... Meta-phor"— Meta-phor"-aa synonymsynonym forfor abductionabduction (Sacre(Sacredd UnityUnity 239)239).. HeHe introduceintroducess ththee followinfollowingg syllogisticsyllogistic exampleexample::
GrassGrass dies.dies. MeMenn die.die. MeMenn areare grass.grass.
FoForr BatesonBateson,, whawhatt isis revealerevealedd inin thithiss poetipoeticc abstractioabstractionn iiss ththee ververyy kinkindd ofof epistemologicalepistemological tootooll needeneededd ttoo thinthinkk ththee patternpatternss andand connectionsconnections ofof ththee cyberneticcybernetic organism-plus-environment.organism-plus-environment. IInn thithiss syllogism,syllogism, ththee equationequation thathatt emergeemergess representrepresentss a leapleap througthroughh processprocess,, througthroughh ththee verb-as-predicateverb-as-predicate,, not a linealineall progressioprogressionn througthroughh subjectssubjects
(as(as inin ththee filialfilial linkagelinkage demonstratedemonstratedd iinn ththee mormoree logicalllogicallyy acceptableacceptable "Men"Men die.die. SocratesSocrates iiss a manman.. SocratesSocrates wilwilll die.die.") ").. IInn abductionabduction,, ththee isolationisolation ofof humahumann subjectssubjects acrossacross thethe
CartesiaCartesiann dividdividee ooff MinMindd fromfrom NaturNaturee iiss breachebreachedd bbyy ththee abstracabstractt lealeapp ttoo co-evolution,co-evolution, toto relationarelationall adaptationadaptation,, ttoo sharesharedd ecologyecology.. NeaNearr ththee enendd ofof thisthis lecture,lecture, BatesoBatesonn suggestssuggests thatthat "Life,"Life, perhapsperhaps,, doesn'tdoesn't alwaysalways asaskk whawhatt iiss logicalllogicallyy sound"sound" anandd thatthat abduction/metaphoabduction/metaphorr predatepredatess ththee SocraticSocratic logilogicc thathatt woulwouldd denydeny itit.. "Metaphor"Metaphor wawass notnot jusjustt prettprettyy poetrypoetry,, iitt wawass nonott eitheeitherr goodgood oorr babadd logic,logic, bubutt wawass inin factfact ththee logilogicc uponupon whichwhich ththee biologicabiologicall worlworldd hahadd beebeenn builtbuilt,, ththee maimainn characteristicharacteristicc anandd organizingorganizing glugluee ofof thithiss worlworldd ofof mentamentall procesprocesss whicwhichh I havhavee beebeenn tryintryingg ttoo sketchsketch foforr yoyouu iinn somesome wawayy oror other"other" (Sacred(Sacred UnitUnityy 241).241).
IInn orderorder ttoo advanceadvance hihiss argumentargument foforr abductionabduction asas a necessarnecessaryy conceptuaconceptuall vehicle,vehicle,
BatesoBatesonn musmustt adapadaptt thethe theortheoryy ofof logicalogicall typetypess witwithh anan evolutionaryevolutionary epistemologepistemologyy thatthat allowsallows forfor a nonlineanonlinearr apprehensioapprehensionn ooff relationshiprelationship,, eveevenn atat ththee risriskk ofof embracinembracingg thethe 1717 randomrandom asas partpart ofof thisthis newnew cyberneticcybernetic holism.holism. AsAs hehe notes,notes, "we"we mustmust passpass throughthrough thethe threatthreat ofof thatthat chaoschaos wherewhere thoughtthought becomesbecomes impossible"impossible" ifif wewe areare toto preservepreserve thethe flexibilityflexibility necessarynecessary forfor survival,survival, whetherwhether intellectual,intellectual, communicative,communicative, oror evolutionaryevolutionary
(Mind(Mind andand NatureNature 134).134). InIn 1970,1970, BatesonBateson completedcompleted anan essayessay entitledentitled "Ecology"Ecology andand
FlexibilityFlexibility inin UrbanUrban Civilization,"Civilization," inin whichwhich hehe positedposited thatthat changechange manifestsmanifests itselfitself adaptivelyadaptively inin twotwo ways.ways. Short-term,Short-term, somaticsomatic alterationsalterations provideprovide immediateimmediate responseresponse toto environmentalenvironmental stimulusstimulus withoutwithout resultingresulting inin thethe hard-wired,hard-wired, moremore permanentpermanent changeschanges evidencedevidenced inin geneticgenetic change.change. InIn orderorder toto remainremain highlyhighly adaptive,adaptive, anan organismorganism needsneeds toto avoidavoid thethe kindskinds ofof permanentpermanent geneticgenetic changeschanges thathatt mighmightt limitlimit furtherfurther adaptability;adaptability; whatwhat isis definitivedefinitive ofof survivalsurvival isis flexibility,flexibility, a qualityquality BatesonBateson definesdefines asas "uncommitted"uncommitted potentiality for change" (Steps(Steps 505).505). WithinWithin certaincertain contextscontexts oror thresholdsthresholds ofof tolerance,tolerance, changechange iiss simplysimply ththee abilityability ttoo movmovee alongalong anan availableavailable rangrangee ofof responsesresponses,, ththee widewiderr thethe rangrangee ththee betterbetter,, witwithh anan oscillatinoscillatingg andand doubldoublyy descriptivdescriptivee movemenmovementt betweebetweenn thethe organismorganism andand itsits environmenenvironmentt asas eacheach attemptsattempts ttoo reacreachh somsomee neneww plateaplateauu ofof stabilitystability
(Mind(Mind anandd NaturNaturee 134).134). FlexibilitFlexibilityy iinn naturanaturall systemsystemss demanddemandss a reservoireservoirr ooff potentialitypotentiality thathatt musmustt bbee derivederivedd frofromm ththee randomrandom,, ththee not-yet-selectednot-yet-selected,, anandd ththee wilwildd diversitydiversity impliciimplicitt iinn a chaochaoss nonott proscribeproscribedd bbyy ththee rationarationall oorr ththee logicallogical.. FlexibilitFlexibilityy iinn communicatiocommunicationn systemsystemss musmustt likewislikewisee bbee generategeneratedd nonott frofromm ththee knowknownn bubutt frofromm thethe abstractabstract,, frofromm thathatt whicwhichh iiss not-yet-defmednot-yet-defined,, anandd alsalsoo frofromm thathatt whicwhichh iiss nonott limitelimitedd bbyy ththee preferencepreferencess ooff ththee logicallogical.. IInn 1967's s "Cyberneti"Cyberneticc Explanation,Explanation,"" BatesoBatesonn wrotewrote propheticallpropheticallyy thathatt "al"alll thathatt iiss nonott informationinformation,, nonott redundancyredundancy,, nonott forformm anandd nonott restraints—irestraints-iss noisenoise,, ththee onlonlyy possiblpossiblee sourcsourcee ooff new patternspatterns"" (Step(Stepss 416)416).. ThThee linearlinear logilogicc ooff a materiamateriall worlworldd ooff thingthingss iiss nonott sufficiensufficientt ttoo apprehenapprehendd ththee stochastistochasticc emergenceemergence 1818 oftheof the new;new; asas differencedifference isis itselfitself notnot a quantifiablequantifiable thingthing butbut ratherrather anan ideaidea predicatedpredicated inin thethe termsterms ofof a relationship,relationship, itit requiresrequires somesome otherother notationnotation toto conveyconvey itits8., AbductionAbduction providesprovides a lenslens thatthat informsinforms difference,difference, a perspectiveperspective thatthat disregardsdisregards outlinesoutlines andand abstractsabstracts patterns,patterns, wherewhere mindmind andand naturenature defydefy thethe dualismsdualisms ofof CartesianCartesian rationality,rationality, andand wherewhere thethe confinesconfines ofof hierarchicalhierarchical logicslogics yieldyield toto anan umestrainedunrestrained ecologyecology ofof ideas,ideas, oneone infusedinfused andand sustainedsustained byby a recursivenessrecursiveness thatthat isis vitalvital toto ensuringensuring a necessarynecessary flexibiliflexibilityty9,9.
RecursivenessRecursiveness
TheThe firstfirst appearanceappearance ofof thethe BatesonBateson termterm recursiveness appearsappears nearnear thethe conclusionconclusion ofof MindMind andand NatureNature,. WrestlingWrestling herehere asas elsewhereelsewhere withwith thethe restrictionsrestrictions imposedimposed onon hishis effortsefforts toto findfind a coherentcoherent descriptivedescriptive contextcontext thatthat embracesembraces bothboth thethe logicallogical ecologyecology ooff minmindd andand ththee naturanaturall ecologecologyy ooff ththee nonhumanonhumann pre-linguistipre-linguisticc naturalnatural world,world, BatesoBatesonn musemusess thathatt "it"it appearappearss thathatt ththee ideaidea oof'f 'logica logicall typing,typing,'' whewhenn transplantedtransplanted from ththee abstractabstract realmrealmss inhabitedinhabited bbyy mathmaticologicamathmaticologicall philosopherphilosopherss ttoo ththee hurly-burlyhurly-burly ofof organisms,organisms, taketakess onon a ververyy differentdifferent appearanceappearance.. InsteadInstead ofof a hierarchhierarchyy ooff classesclasses,, wewe facfacee a hierarchhierarchyy ooff orders of recursiveness" (Mind(Mind anandd NaturNaturee 188).188). RecursioRecursionn referreferss toto ththee repeaterepeatedd applicatioapplicationn ooff a rulrulee oorr procedurproceduree ttoo successivsuccessivee resultsresults;; iinn ThThee OxfordOxford
AmericaAmericann CollegCollegee DictionaryDictionary,, thithiss iiss ironicallironicallyy demonstratedemonstratedd iinn ththee definitiodefinitionn ofof recursionrecursion,, "th"thee repeaterepeatedd applicatioapplicationn ooff a recursivrecursivee procedurproceduree oorr definitiondefinition"" (1137),(1137).
Bateson'Bateson'ss interesinterestt iinn recursivenesrecursivenesss iiss directldirectlyy relaterelatedd ttoo hihiss studstudyy ooff feedbacfeedbackk andand feedbacfeedbackk mechanismsmechanisms,, a characteristicharacteristicc procesprocesss impliciimplicitt iinn cyberneticyberneticc systemssystems;; however,however, aann awarenesawarenesss ooff thithiss kinkindd ooff behaviorabehaviorall looloopp wawass alsalsoo presenpresentt iinn hihiss earlearlyy studiestudiess ooff culturculturee contactcontact.. BatesoBatesonn wawass interesteinterestedd iinn whawhatt hhee callecalledd schismogenesisschismogenesis,, whicwhichh hhee 1919 definedefinedd asas "a process of differentiation in the norms of individual behaviour resultingresulting fromfrom cumulative interaction between individuals"individuals'" (Navemavenn 175).175). HisHis interestinterest iinn hohoww ththee cumulativcumulativee effecteffectss ooff somesome repeaterepeatedd behavior/process resulresultt iinn ththee changchangee oorr differentiationdifferentiation ooff a cultural/systemicformcultural/systemic form iiss reaffirmereaffirmedd inin mucmuchh ofof Part II: Form and
Pattern in Anthropology inin StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ofof MindMind;; hihiss exploratioexplorationn ofof competitivecompetitive andand noncompetitivnoncompetitivee behaviorbehaviorss anandd hihiss interrogationsinterrogations ofof symmetricasymmetricall versusversus complementarycomplementary processeprocessess inin relationshiprelationshipss acrossacross a varietyvariety ooff culturalcultural dividesdivides (gender,(gender, age,age, nationality),nationality), andand hihiss attemptattemptss ttoo correlatecorrelate thosthosee responsivresponsivee changinchangingg patternpatternss witwithh ththee notionotionn ooff biologicabiologicall coevolutioncoevolution ofof species-and-environmentsspecies-and-environments,, leadlead hihimm ttoo aann interesinterestt iinn ththee importanceimportance ooff feedbackfeedback inin communicatiocommunicationn systems.systems. IInn MinMindd anandd NatureNature,, BatesonBateson elaborateelaboratess onon ththee conceptconcept ofof feedbackfeedback bbyy referencinreferencingg HorstHorst Mittelstaedt'sMittelstaedt's workwork,, whichwhich notenotedd thathatt thertheree werweree twtwoo distincdistinctt methodmethodss oorr behaviobehaviorr typetypess thathatt describedescribe ththee procesprocesss ooff perfectinperfectingg anan adaptiveadaptive actact (Min(Mindd anandd NaturNaturee 182).182). ComparingComparing thethe differencesdifferences betweenbetween shootingshooting a riflriflee anandd shootingshooting a shotgun,shotgun, BatesoBatesonn suggestssuggests thathatt whilwhilee shootinshootingg a riflerifle consistconsistss ofof a seriesseries ofof singularsingular actsacts ooff self-correctionself-correction (aim(aim,, correctcorrect,, aim,aim, correct,correct, shoot),shoot), shootingshooting a shotgunshotgun iiss a mormoree complexcomplex processprocess,, oneone wherwheree ththee marksmamarksmann cannocannott selfself- correctcorrect beforbeforee shooting. 1010 IInn thithiss typtypee ofof adaptiveadaptive actact,, "there"there isis nnoo possibilitypossibility ofof errorerror correctioncorrection inin ththee singlesingle actact.. ToTo achievachievee ananyy improvementimprovement,, correctioncorrection mustmust bebe performedperformed uponupon a largelarge class ooff actionsactions"" (Min(Mindd andand NaturNaturee 183).183). InIn otherother words,words, inin orderorder toto selfself- correct,correct, ththee entireentire procesprocesss oorr clasclasss ooff actionactionss thathatt isis shootingshooting thethe shotgunshotgun (rais(raisee ththee gungun + aimaim + shoot)shoot) musmustt bbee fefedd bacbackk intointo ththee systemsystem iinn ordeorderr ttoo leadlead toto anyany kinkindd ooff selfself- correction.correction. CriticalCritical ttoo thithiss kinkindd ooff methodmethod,, whicwhichh MittelstaedMittelstaedtt calledcalled calibrationcalibration,, isis ththee requiremenrequirementt ooff practicepractice,, ooff ththee noniterativnoniterativee repetitiorepetitionn ooff thathatt samesame classclass ofof actions,actions, eacheach 2020 roundround oror cyclecycle subtlysubtly alteredaltered byby thethe information/learninginformation/learning initiatedinitiated byby thethe reconsiderationreconsideration oftheof the previousprevious sequence(s)sequence(s) ofof actions. I1 I1 ForFor Bateson,Bateson, thisthis distinctiondistinction isis a revelation:revelation: simplesimple feedbackfeedback isis muchmuch likelike hishis earlierearlier conceptconcept ofof LearningLearning I;I; calibration,calibration, likelike LearningLearning
II,II, describesdescribes a higherhigher orderorder ofof learning,learning, a second-ordersecond-order levellevel ofof feedback,feedback, andand thethe twotwo maymay bebe viewedviewed asas a metaphor/abductionmetaphor/abduction forfor thethe issuesissues ofof processprocess andand formform thatthat hehe firstfirst investigatedinvestigated inin Naven.Naven. InIn a laterlater essay,essay, hehe connectsconnects thisthis samesame distinctiondistinction toto recursiveness.recursiveness. HeHe observesobserves thatthat NorbertNorbert WienerWiener pioneeredpioneered thethe ideaidea ofof a first-orderfirst-order recursivenessrecursiveness oror "feedback""feedback" inin hihiss descriptiondescription ofof thethe wayway causalcausal informationinformation inin cyberneticcybernetic systemssystems movedmoved inin a sequential,sequential, circularcircular pathwaypathway.. Second-orderSecond-order recursiveness,recursiveness, ofof thethe kindkind whichwhich hehe attributesattributes toto thethe worworkk ofof VarelaVarela andand Maturana,12Maturana,12 isis ofof a moremore complexcomplex naturenature
(Sacred(Sacred UnitUnityy 220).220). First-orderFirst-order recursivenessrecursiveness equatesequates ttoo simplesimple feedbackfeedback inin systems,systems, inin thethe processeprocessess hehe describesdescribes inin bothboth naturanaturall evolutionarevolutionaryy adaptatioadaptationn anandd iinn ththee mentalmental activityactivity ofof learninglearning;; second-ordersecond-order recursivenesrecursivenesss thethenn cacann bbee understoodunderstood aass ththee higherhigher- orderorder movemove ttoo patternpatternss ofof self-reference,self-reference, ttoo introversionintroversion,, andand ttoo ththee embodimentembodiment ofof differencedifference thathatt potentiallpotentiallyy givegivess riserise ttoo ththee perceptioperceptionn ooff a discretediscrete andand atomistiatomisticc self. 1313
AsAs BradforBradfordd KeeneKeeneyy straightforwardlystraightforwardly translatetranslatess Bateson'Bateson'ss recursivenesrecursivenesss intintoo thethe dynamicdynamicss ooff familfamilyy therapytherapy,, iiff ononee imagineimaginess recursivenesrecursivenesss aass a snaksnakee thathatt eateatss ititss ownown tailtail,, "[sjpeakin"[s ]peaking g ooff recursiorecursionn enableenabless uuss ttoo poinpointt ttoo ththee samsamee snakesnake,, whilwhilee indicatinindicatingg thethe ordeorderr ooff recycling..recycling .... [Ther[Theree isis]] a generagenerall self-referentiaself-referentiall paradoparadoxx underlyinunderlyingg alalll observingobserving systemssystems:: ThThee observer'observer'ss observationobservationss mamayy includincludee hihiss observingobserving"" (32)(32)..
FoForr GregorGregoryy BatesonBateson,, recursivenesrecursivenesss commandcommandss nonott onlonlyy a theoreticatheoreticall perspectiveperspective thathatt circulatecirculatess throughouthroughoutt ththee cyberneticyberneticc MindMind,, bubutt alsalsoo aann ethicaethicall dutdutyy ttoo maintaimaintainn a constanconstantt awarenesawarenesss ooff ththee wholwholee systemsystem,, eveevenn whilwhilee considerinconsideringg ananyy parpartt ooff thathatt systemsystem 2211 iinn detaildetail.. HeHe notenotess thethe oscillatiooscillationn iinn hihiss ownown developindevelopingg epistemologyepistemology,, a seeminglyseemingly circuitoucircuitouss andand repetitivrepetitivee movementmovement betweebetweenn form/tautology/calibratioform/tautology/calibrationn andand process/feedbackprocess/feedback,, andand hhee suggestssuggests thathatt iitt iiss hihiss growingrowingg awarenessawareness ofof recursivenesrecursivenesss inin hishis ownown thinkingthinking thatthat hahass radicallradicallyy alteredaltered hishis knowingknowing.. HHee comments:comments:
[A]s[A]s yoyouu becombecomee awarawaree thathatt yoyouu araree doindoingg it,it, yoyouu becomebecome inin a curiouscurious wawayy mucmuchh closecloserr ttoo ththee worlworldd arounaroundd youyou.. TheThe wordword "objective""objective" becomesbecomes,, ooff coursecourse,, quitquitee quietlyquietly obsoleteobsolete;; andand aatt ththee samesame timtimee ththee worwordd "subjective,""subjective," whichwhich normallnormallyy confinesconfines "you""you" withiwithinn youyourr skinskin,, disappeardisappearss asas well.well. ItIt is,is, I thinkthink,, ththee debunkindebunkingg ofof ththee objectivobjectivee thathatt iiss thethe importanimportantt change.change. ThThee worlworldd iiss nnoo longelongerr "out"out therethere"" inin quitquitee ththee samsamee wawayy thathatt iitt useusedd ttoo seeseemm ttoo bebe.. (Afterword(Afterword 245)245)..
TheThe samesame themthemee ofof a mind/naturmind/naturee immanenimmanentt withiwithinn anan oscillatinoscillatingg cyberneticcybernetic systemsystem whichwhich emergesemerges betweebetweenn ththee theoreticatheoreticall abstractionsabstractions ofof forformm anandd processprocess,, structurestructure andand flux,flux, reappearreappearss inin AngelAngelss FearFear:: TowardsTowards aann EpistemologyEpistemology ofof ththee Sacred.Sacred. TheThe recursivenesrecursivenesss thathatt pervadepervadess Bateson'sBateson's thoughthoughtt makemakess itselitselff felfeltt inin ththee echoinechoingg repetitionsrepetitions thathatt ththee readereaderr encounterencounterss throughouthroughoutt hihiss textstexts.. IndeedIndeed,, BradforBradfordd KeeneKeeneyy pointspoints outout iinn a footnotefootnote ttoo hishis introductiointroductionn ttoo AestheticAestheticss ofof ChangeChange thatthat iitt isis becausebecause ofof hihiss particularparticular stylisticstylistic choiceschoices thathatt Bateson'Bateson'ss worworkk iiss "sometimes"sometimes regarderegardedd aass difficultdifficult ttoo readread"" (6)(6).. JustJust asas ththee organizatioorganizationn ofof materialmaterial,, ththee thematithematicc anandd chronologicachronologicall orderinorderingg thathatt BatesonBateson imposedimposed oonn hihiss selectionsselections inin StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ooff MindMind,, inexorablinexorablyy lealeadd ththee readereaderr toto re-encountere-encounterr ideaideass newlnewlyy filteredfiltered througthroughh ththee perspectiveperspectivess ofof disparatdisparatee disciplinesdisciplines,, soso
BatesoBatesonn alsoalso calibratescalibrates hihiss reader'reader'ss appreciatioappreciationn ooff a particulaparticularr ideideaa bbyy a kinkindd ooff enforcedenforced practicpracticee ofof thathatt ideaidea.. InIn ChapterChapter IIVV ofof AngelAngelss FearFear,, "The"The Model,Model,"" hhee returnreturnss ttoo hishis examplesexamples ooff calibratiocalibrationn anandd feedbackfeedback aass modelmodelss ooff forformm anandd processprocess,, modelmodelss fromfrom whichwhich abductionabduction mightmight "draw"draw...... fro fromm phenomenaphenomena inin differentdifferent fieldfieldss thathatt whicwhichh iiss sharesharedd amongamong 2222 themthem"" (Angels(Angels FearFear 37)37).. HereHere,, BatesoBatesonn isis consciouslyconsciously movinmovingg towardtowardss aann interrogationinterrogation ofof ththee aestheticaesthetic andand ththee sacredsacred,, towardtowardss aann articulatioarticulationn oofwholismf wholism asas necessitynecessity.. TheThe distinctiondistinction hhee wantwantss ttoo emphasizemphasizee herehere iinn hihiss comparisoncomparison ofof thethe actactss ooff shootingshooting a riflerifle versuversuss shootinshootingg a shotgunshotgun concernsconcerns ththee wayway eacheach modelmodelss a differentdifferent kinkindd ofof errorerror correction.correction. HeHe pointpointss outout thathatt whilwhilee ththee riflemariflemann hahass ththee opportunitopportunityy ttoo correccorrectt foforr errorerror beforbeforee hhee shootsshoots,, thathatt correctioncorrection isis aimeaimedd atat thethe singularsingular instancinstancee ofof thathatt situationsituation,, EachEach actioactionn presentpresentss a discretediscrete opportunitopportunityy foforr success,success, a uniquuniquee opportunitopportunityy wherwheree aimaim cacann bebe consciouslconsciouslyy adjusteadjustedd ttoo brinbringg aboutabout ththee desireddesired resultresult,, bubutt thatthat correctioncorrection endsends asas thatthat singlsinglee shoshott iiss fired.fired. ShootingShooting a shotgun,shotgun, onon ththee otheotherr handhand,, offerofferss nnoo opportunitopportunityy forfor purposivpurposivee correctiocorrectionn priopriorr ttoo ththee actact ooff firingfiring;; practicepractice,, repetitionrepetition,, ththee calibratiocalibrationn ofof musclmusclee memormemoryy anandd timingtiming,, alalll resulresultt fromfrom thethe procesprocesss ofof anan erroerrorr correctioncorrection thathatt cancan occuroccur onlyonly afterafter ththee shotshot anandd thathatt wilwilll inforinformm allall futurfuturee effortsefforts,, recursivelrecursivelyy becominbecomingg a parpartt ofof ththee ververyy systesystemm iitt seekseekss ttoo correctcorrect.. DrawingDrawing frofromm thithiss exampleexample,, BatesoBatesonn describesdescribes hihiss owownn efforteffortss ttoo learlearnn ttoo plaplayy ththee violiviolinn aass a childchild,, anan infelicitouinfelicitouss exerciseexercise thathatt hehe approachedapproached asas thougthoughh wieldinwieldingg a riflriflee ratheratherr thathann a shotgun.shotgun. "I"I trietriedd ververyy hardhard,, whenwhen playingplaying,, ttoo plaplayy right"right," hhee notesnotes.. "I"I attempteattemptedd ttoo ususee erroerrorr correctioncorrection iinn ththee singlesingle actionaction ofof eacheach notenote.. ThThee resulresultt wawass unmusicalunmusical"" (Angel(Angelss FeaFearr 45).45). TheThe lessolessonn herheree iiss inin thethe interfacinterfacee betweebetweenn levelslevels oror hierarchieshierarchies ofof ordersorders ooff recursivenessrecursiveness,, inin thethe differencedifference betweebetweenn consciousconscious aimaim anandd aann unconsciouunconsciouss habithabit learnedlearned througthroughh practicepractice,, iinn a shiftshift ofof focusfocus frofromm thethe parpartt ttoo thethe wholewhole,, frofromm ththee singularsingular ttoo thethe sequentialsequential.. BatesoBatesonn isis againagain usinusingg abductioabductionn aass a meansmeans ooff makinmakingg visiblvisiblee ththee repetitions/patterns/redundancierepetitions/patterns/redundanciess whichwhich movmovee acrosacrosss thematithematicc oror disciplinardisciplinaryy boundariesboundaries,, causingcausing thethemm ttoo seemseem leslesss divisivedivisive andand mormoree descriptivedescriptive.. HisHis argumentargument inin AngelsAngels FeaFearr isis simplysimply thatthat "when"when wwee focusfocus tootoo 2323
narrowlnarrowlyy upouponn thethe partsparts,, wewe failfail ttoo seesee thethe necessarnecessaryy characteristicscharacteristics ofof ththee whole"whole"
(Angels(Angels FeaFearr 52).52).
RecursivenessRecursiveness andand abductionabduction createcreate bridgebridgess toto a greatergreater wholeness,wholeness, a monismonismm thatthat
isis itsits ownown holismholism.. DenyingDenying thethe existenceexistence ofof oror neeneedd forfor a transcendenttranscendent supernaturalsupernatural beingbeing
anandd equallequallyy distrustfuldistrustful ofof anan egocentricegocentric andand triumphanttriumphant humanism,humanism, BatesonBateson isis moremore
concernedconcerned witwithh enunciatingenunciating thethe potentialitypotentiality immanentimmanent inin cyberneticcybernetic MindMind asas a metaphormetaphor
foforr thathatt dynamicdynamic andand dangeroudangerouss holismholism.. IInn thethe 19641964 essay,essay, "The"The LogicalLogical CategoriesCategories ofof
LearningLearning anandd Communication,"Communication," BatesonBateson expandedexpanded hihiss discussiondiscussion ofof ththee ordersorders oflearningof learning ttoo speculatespeculate onon LearningLearning III,III, anan outwardoutward progressioprogressionn inin mentalmental processprocess beyonbeyondd thethe
recursiverecursive self-referentialityself-referentiality ofof LearningLearning IIII towardstowards a profounprofoundd reorganizationreorganization inin whichwhich
"[the]"[the] 'self'self wilwilll taktakee onon a sortsort ofof irrelevanceirrelevance.. TheThe conceptconcept ofof 'self'self wilwilll nnoo longerlonger
functionfunction asas a nodalnodal argumentargument inin ththee punctuationpunctuation ofof experience"experience" (Steps(Steps 304).304). TheThe
descriptivedescriptive differencesdifferences thatthat areare necessarynecessary toto maintaimaintainn thethe outlinesoutlines thatthat delineatedelineate contextscontexts
andand definedefine selvesselves areare subsumedsubsumed inin "the"the resolutionresolution ofof contrariescontraries [which][which] revealsreveals a worldworld inin whicwhichh personapersonall identityidentity mergemergess intintoo allall ththee processeprocessess ofof relationshiprelationship inin somesome vasvastt ecologyecology
oror aestheticaestheticss ofof cosmiccosmic interaction"interaction" (Steps(Steps 306).306). IncludeIncludedd inin thosethose contrariescontraries whichwhich
BatesonBateson hopehopess ttoo seesee resolveresolvedd isis ththee CartesianCartesian separationseparation ofof mamann fromfrom nature,nature, a resolutionresolution
whichwhich intimatesintimates a necessarnecessaryy unitunityy thatthat ultimatelultimatelyy leadsleads ttoo thethe aestheticaesthetic wholismwholism thatthat
BatesonBateson wilwilll identifyidentify asas ththee sacred.sacred. ThatThat thethe movementmovement towardtowardss suchsuch anan un-limiteun-limitedd orderorder
ofof becomingbecoming cancan bebe botbothh dangerousdangerous andand creativecreative isis clear;clear; ttoo achieveachieve LearningLearning IIIIII wouldwould
requirerequire a mentalmental lealeapp intointo thethe plenitudeplenitude ofof thethe void,void, intointo thethe dynamicdynamic andand unstablunstablee spacespace
thatthat isis thethe interfaceinterface betweenbetween thethe consciousconscious andand thethe unconsciousunconscious.. InIn a revealingrevealing interviewinterview
fromfrom 1979,1979, BatesoBatesonn warnswarns thatthat "we"we havhavee lostlost a wholenesswholeness ofof beingbeing whichwhich woulwouldd includeinclude 2424
'that''that' andand ththee 'other'other'' sidsidee together. .. .r.1 thinkthink thethe sacramentalsacramental isis beingbeing damageddamaged allall thethe timetime.. ThThee damagedamage isis ththee takintakingg apartapart.. TheThe sacrednesssacredness iiss ththee comingcoming togethertogether"" (Sacred(Sacred
UnitUnityy 301-303).301-303).
AbductioAbductionn isis a tootooll thathatt fosterfosterss ththee recoverrecoveryy ooff ththee sacredsacred bbyy encouraginencouragingg ththee rere cognitioncognition ooff thosthosee patternpatternss whicwhichh connect.connect. ItIt iiss a methodologmethodologyy BatesoBatesonn mostmost frequentlyfrequently identifieidentifiedd witwithh artart andand poetrypoetry,, tooltoolss thathatt "are"are discoveriediscoveriess inin ththee literaliterall etymologicaetymologicall sensesense ooff ththee wordword.. TheyThey araree uncoveries ofof thatthat whicwhichh ononee knekneww beforebefore.. ThenThen sacrednessacrednesss hashas somethinsomethingg ttoo ddoo witwithh thisthis coverincoveringg anandd uncoverinuncoveringg deepedeeperr componentscomponents"" (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity
303303,, emphasiemphasiss added)added).. RecursivenesRecursivenesss contributescontributes ttoo thathatt buryinburyingg ofof ideasideas,, ttoo thethe submersiosubmersionn ooff ideaideass iinn ththee unconsciouunconsciouss mindmind,, ththee repositorrepositoryy ofof habit.habit. ImpliciImplicitt inin
Bateson'Bateson'ss understandinunderstandingg ooff ththee differencdifferencee betweebetweenn ththee consciouconsciouss anandd ththee unconsciousunconscious minmindd iiss hihiss assertioassertionn thathatt Freud'Freud'ss theorietheoriess errerr inin placinplacingg totooo mucmuchh emphasisemphasis oonn thethe consciousconscious minmindd aass primarprimaryy anandd ththee unconsciouunconsciouss minmindd aass secondary;secondary; BatesoBatesonn reversereversess thethe emphasis,emphasis, insistininsistingg thathatt ththee consciousconscious minmindd iiss a limitelimitedd fielfieldd ofof mysteriousmysterious yetyet mechanicamechanicall activityactivity,, whilwhilee ththee processeprocessess ooff ththee unconsciouunconsciouss areare "continually"continually active,active, necessarynecessary,, andand all-embracingall-embracing"" (Steps(Steps 135-136).135-136). FoForr BatesonBateson,, thethe artsarts (an(andd herehere hhee meansmeans paintingpainting,, poetrypoetry,, musicmusic,, dance—thosdance-thosee non-Procrusteanon-Procrusteann formformss ofof communicatiocommunicationn thatthat areare inin themselvethemselvess metaphorimetaphoricc anandd analogouanalogouss ratheratherr thathann linguisticalllinguisticallyy specificspecific)) potentiallypotentially serveserve asas a bridgbridgee betweebetweenn ththee consciousconscious andand ththee unconsciousunconscious,, a wawayy ooff communicatingcommunicating externallyexternally thathatt whicwhichh dwelldwellss inwardlyinwardly,, ththee manifestatiomanifestationn ooff ththee "outward"outward anandd visiblvisiblee signsign ofof aann inwardinward anandd spiritualspiritual grace"grace" (Steps(Steps 35)35).. ThThee significancsignificancee ooff thithiss isis thathatt arartt isis abductive;abductive; iitt affordsaffords uuss ththee opportunitopportunityy ttoo enterenter intintoo ththee relationshiprelationshipss iitt expresses,expresses, ttoo fullyfully enterenter intintoo ththee presenpresentt ratheratherr thathann ttoo merelmerelyy observobservee itit,, ttoo apprehenapprehendd nonott jusjustt thethe 2525 arborescentarborescent imagimagee presenpresentt iinn consciousnessconsciousness ("th("thee arcs ofof circuits"circuits")) bubutt alsoalso ththee completecomplete circuitcircuit,, ththee circuitscircuits ofof circuitscircuits,, ththee rhizomatirhizomaticc interrelatednesinterrelatednesss thathatt iiss ththee sacredsacred (Steps(Steps
145).14145).14 InIn 1967,1967, BatesoBatesonn wrotewrote thathatt artart "has"has a positivpositivee functionfunction inin maintaininmaintainingg whawhatt I calledcalled 'wisdom,''wisdom,' i.e.i.e.,, iinn correctincorrectingg a totooo purposivpurposivee vievieww ofof liflifee anandd makinmakingg ththee vievieww moremore systematic"systematic" (Step(Stepss 147).147). YeYett ththee functionfunction hhee namenamess isis nonott a qualitqualityy oorr propertpropertyy ofof anyany specificspecific worworkk ofof artart;; iitt isis ratheratherr a wawayy ooff describingdescribing whawhatt cacann happehappenn througthroughh thethe mediatiomediationn ooff artart iinn itsits articulatioarticulationn ofof a conjunctivconjunctivee synthesissynthesis betweebetweenn ththee consciouconsciouss andand thethe unconsciousunconscious,, betweebetweenn thethe secularsecular anandd ththee aestheticaesthetic.. IInn 1979,1979, BatesoBatesonn observed:observed:
[F]unction[FJunction iiss inherentinherent inin relationrelationss anandd nonott iinn thingsthings.. AAnn axax doesdoes nonott havhavee a useuse.. TheThe ususee ooff anan aaxx iiss relaterelatedd ttoo itsits positiopositionn betweebetweenn a persopersonn anandd a treetree.. NoNoww ifif yoyouu wanwantt toto asaskk aboutabout ththee functiofunctionn ofof aestheticaestheticss I wilwilll say,say, well,well, betweebetweenn whawhatt andand whatwhat,, withiwithinn whawhatt wholwholee areare youyou attributingattributing functionfunction toto whawhatt partsparts?? "Function""Function" iiss a partpart worwordd andand nonott a wholwholee wordword.. AestheticAestheticss andand sacresacredd tentendd toto bbee wholwholee wordswords,, wordwordss abouaboutt wholeswholes,, anandd yoyouu can'tcan't talktalk aboutabout ththee functionfunction ooff a wholewhole.. ItIt iiss nnoo googoodd sayingsaying,, "What"What iiss ththee meaninmeaningg ofof thethe universe?".universe?" .... .Becaus Becausee ttoo saysay,, "What"What isis thethe meaninmeaningg ooff ththee universe?universe?"" assumeassumess thertheree isis anotheranother entitentityy forfor whowhomm ththee universuniversee hahass meaningmeaning.. MeaninMeaningg iiss notnot internalinternal.. ItIt isis betweebetweenn partsparts.. (Sacred(Sacred UnitUnityy 304)304)
MeaninMeaningg
ItIt iiss thathatt phrasphrasee "between"between partsparts"" thathatt isis criticacriticall ttoo ananyy furthefurtherr exploratioexplorationn ooff thethe exponentiallyexponentially expandinexpandingg cyberneticcybernetic MindMindss whicwhichh BatesoBatesonn proposesproposes,, withiwithinn anandd betweenbetween whicwhichh hishis criticacriticall anandd ecologicalecological epistemologyepistemology recursivelrecursivelyy resonatesresonates.. MeaninMeaningg isis constructedconstructed ratheratherr thathann innate,innate, anandd itit iiss dynamidynamicc ratheratherr thathann static-itstatic—it arisesarises inin relationshirelationshipp andand flowflowss betweebetweenn differencesdifferences;; meaninmeaningg iiss informationinformation.. InformationInformation iiss thethe stufstufff ofof mentalmental processprocess,, anandd forfor BatesonBateson,, "th"thee mentamentall world—thworld-thee mind—thmind-thee worlworldd ofof 2626 informationinformation processing—iprocessing-iss nonott limitedlimited byby ththee skin"skin" (Steps(Steps 460).460). TheThe ecologyecology ofof mindmind thathatt GregoryGregory BatesonBateson proposedproposed woulwouldd resonatresonatee withwith ththee patternpatternss thathatt connectconnect notnot onlyonly acrossacross disciplinarydisciplinary boundariesboundaries bubutt alsoalso acrossacross ththee discretediscrete self-referencingself-referencing entitiesentities oror selvesselves thatthat areare partsparts ofthisof this larger,larger, cyberneticcybernetic wholewhole.. InIn hihiss introductionintroduction toto StepsSteps toto anan
EcologyEcology ofof MindMind,, BatesonBateson suggestedsuggested thatthat hishis primaryprimary reasoreasonn forfor assemblingassembling thethe bookbook waswas notnot toto answeranswer questionsquestions butbut ratheratherr toto askask themthem,, toto initiateinitiate ththee firstfirst roundround ofof a recursiverecursive epistemologepistemologyy thathatt woulwouldd resonatresonatee lonlongg beyonbeyondd hihiss owownn mortality.mortality. HeHe proposeproposess suchsuch questionquestionss asas "How"How dodo ideasideas interact?interact? IIss therethere somesome kindkind ofof naturalnatural selectionselection whichwhich determinesdetermines ththee survivalsurvival ooff somesome ideasideas andand ththee extinctionextinction oror deathdeath ofof othersothers?? WhatWhat sortssorts ofof economicseconomics limitslimits thethe multiplicitmultiplicityy ofof ideasideas iinn a givengiven regionregion ofof mind?mind?"" (Steps(Steps xxiii).xxiii). InIn
MindMind andand NatureNature,, hehe asksasks,, "What"What patterpatternn connectsconnects thethe crabcrab ttoo thethe lobsterlobster andand thethe orchidorchid toto ththee primrosprimrosee andand allall ththee fourfour ofof thethemm ttoo me?me? AndAnd mmee toto you?"you?" (Mind(Mind andand NatureNature 7).7).
HiHiss finalfinal book,book, AngelAngelss FearFear,, waswas,, asas hhee wrote,wrote, "intended"intended ttoo beginbegin thethe tasktask ofof makinmakingg thethe newnew challengechallengess perceptibleperceptible ttoo thethe readerreader andand perhapperhapss ttoo givegive somesome definitiondefinition toto thethe newnew problemproblem.. FurtheFurtherr thathann thathatt I dodo notnot expectexpect toto gogo"" (Angels(Angels FearFear 14).14). TToo pursupursuee thethe constellationconstellation ofof recursivrecursivee inquiryinquiry thatthat BatesoBatesonn launches,launches, iitt isis necessarynecessary toto considerconsider howhow hihiss ideasideas havhavee beebeenn botbothh explicitlyexplicitly andand implicitlyimplicitly circulatedcirculated througthroughh anan ecologyecology ofof Mind,Mind, ttoo looklook forfor echoesechoes ofof hishis epistemologyepistemology acrossacross ththee ordersorders ofof contemporarycontemporary thoughtthought.. JohnJohn
BrockmaBrockmann suggestssuggests inin hishis IntroductioIntroductionn toto AbouAboutt Bateson:Bateson: EssaysEssays onon GregoryGregory BatesonBateson thatthat
"Bateson"Bateson isis nonott clearlyclearly understoodunderstood becausebecause hishis worworkk isis notnot anan explanation,explanation, bubutt a commission"commission" (5-6).(5-6). Bateson,Bateson, whenwhen askedasked ttoo writwritee anan AfterwordAfterword toto thithiss collection,collection, quotedquoted himselhimselff asas havinghaving responded,responded, "Don't"Don't letlet itit bbee a Festschrift"Festschrift," andand insteadinstead suggestedsuggested toto
BrockmanBrockman thatthat "you"you woulwouldd askask youyourr authorsauthors ratheratherr forfor somesome workwork andand thinkingthinking ofof theirstheirs 27 thathatt mighmightt havhavee developedevelopedd ououtt ooff oorr alongsidalongsidee somsomee parpartt ooff mmyy work"work" (235).. ThatThat suggestiosuggestionn willwill serveserve asas ththee commissiocommissionn necessarnecessaryy toto taktakee ththee furthefurtherr stepssteps intointo thisthis ecologecologyy ofof MindMind,, stepssteps towardtowardss anan ecologyecology ooff ththee situation.situation. 28
NoteNotess
1 I ItIt isis alsoalso noteworthynoteworthy thatthat itit waswas duringduring thisthis periodperiod ofof hishis personalpersonal lifelife thatthat BatesonBateson met,met, married,married, andand workeworkedd witwithh anthropologisanthropologistt MargareMargarett MeadMead.. TogetherTogether thetheyy publishepublishedd anotheanotherr anthropologicaanthropologicall work,work, BalinesBalinesee CharacterCharacter,, andand theitheirr onlonlyy childchild,, daughterdaughter MarMaryy CatherineCatherine BatesonBateson,, activelactivelyy assistedassisted heherr fathefatherr inin hihiss laterlater publications.publications.
2 2 WilliaWilliamm BatesonBateson gainegainedd notorietnotorietyy forfor hihiss effortsefforts ttoo revitalizerevitalize thethe theorietheoriess ooff GregoGregorr MendelMendel.. BatesoBatesonn iiss creditecreditedd witwithh coinincoiningg thethe termterm "genetics,""genetics," andand hihiss youngesyoungestt sonson wawass namenamedd GregorGregoryy aass a nonodd ttoo Mendel.Mendel. FoForr anan extensivextensivee discussiondiscussion ooff ththee seniorsenior Bateson'Bateson'ss influencinfluencee oonn hihiss son'son'ss careercareer andand interesinterestt inin antianti- DarwiniaDarwiniann notionnotionss relaterelatedd ttoo botbothh geneticgenetic anandd somaticsomatic changechange,, seseee DaviDavidd Lipset'Lipset'ss biographbiographyy entitledentitled GregoryGregory Bateson:Bateson: ThThee LegacLegacyy ofaof a Scientist.Scientist. LipseLipsett alsalsoo contributecontributedd aann abbreviateabbreviatedd versioversionn ooff thithiss storstoryy inin hishis chaptechapterr "Gregor"Gregoryy BatesonBateson:: EarlEarlyy BiographyBiography"" ttoo JohJohnn Brockman'Brockman'ss collectioncollection AbouAboutt BatesonBateson:: EssayEssayss onon GregoryGregory Bateson.Bateson.
3 TheThe theorytheory ofof logicallogical typetypess waswas advancedadvanced byby A.NA.N.. WhiteheaWhiteheadd anandd B.B. RusselRusselll inin 1910's1910's PrincipiaPrincipia MathematicaMathematica asas a meansmeans ooff avoidingavoiding ththee paradoparadoxx thathatt arisesarises whewhenn a setset oorr categorycategory ofof objectobjectss iiss confusedconfused witwithh ththee discretdiscretee membermemberss ooff thathatt set.set. ToTo distinguishdistinguish betweebetweenn a classclass anandd itsits membermemberss soso asas ttoo avoiavoidd thethe paradoparadoxx ooff conflationconflation,, ththee theortheoryy ofof logicalogicall typetypess demandedemandedd thathatt ththee logicalogicall levelevell ooff ananyy tertermm musmustt clearlyclearly specifyspecify ititss levellevel.. BatesoBatesonn andand hihiss associatesassociates,, developindevelopingg a serieseriess ooff theorietheoriess aboutabout communicativecommunicative paradoxparadox andand ititss pathologicapathologicall manifestatiomanifestationn iinn schizophrenia,schizophrenia, extendeextendedd ththee notionotionn ofof logicalogicall typetypess ttoo hierarchicahierarchicall andand sequentialsequential levelslevels ooff learninglearning.. ThThee groundbreakingroundbreakingg 19561956 lecturelecture,, "Toward"Toward a TheorTheoryy ooff Schizophrenia,Schizophrenia,"" andand 1964's1964's "The"The LogicaLogicall CategorieCategoriess ooff LearninLearningg andand Communication,Communication,"" botbothh containecontainedd iinn Part III: Form andand Pathology in Relationship iinn StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ofof MinMindd reflecreflectt Bateson'Bateson'ss applicatioapplicationn ooff Russell'sRussell's theorietheoriess ttoo hihiss ownown workwork.. I amam alsalsoo indebteindebtedd ttoo BradforBradfordd Keeney'Keeney'ss AestheticAestheticss ooff ChangeChange forfor a clearlclearlyy statedstated exegesiexegesiss ofof botbothh Russell'Russell'ss theoriestheories anandd Bateson'Bateson'ss appropriatioappropriationn ofof them.them.
4 IncludeIncludedd iinn thethe BatesonBateson bibliographybibliography iiss A SacredSacred UnityUnity:: FurtheFurtherr StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologyEcology ooff MindMind.. PublishedPublished iinn 1991,1991, a decaddecadee afteafterr Bateson'Bateson'ss deathdeath,, bbyy editoreditor RodneRodneyy EE.. DonaldsonDonaldson,, whwhoo servedserved aass literarliteraryy editoeditorr forfor ththee BatesoBatesonn estate,estate, thithiss isis a collectiocollectionn ooff additionaadditionall lecturelecturess anandd essaysessays bbyy GregoryGregory BatesonBateson.. DonaldsonDonaldson choschosee ttoo presenpresentt thithiss materiamateriall followingfollowing ththee samesame sectionsection headingheadingss anandd chronologicachronologicall orderinorderingg aass thathatt ooff thethe originaoriginall StepsSteps ttoo aann EcologyEcology ofof MindMind,, whilwhilee alsalsoo addinaddingg a finafinall selectionselection ooff Bateson'Bateson'ss workworkss undeunderr thethe headinheadingg "Health,"Health, EthicsEthics,, AestheticsAesthetics,, andand ththee Sacred."Sacred." WhilWhilee nonott originallyoriginally conceivedconceived bbyy GregorGregoryy Bateson,Bateson, thithiss worworkk iiss significantsignificant foforr ititss additionadditionss ttoo hihiss epistemologyepistemology.. DonaldsoDonaldsonn alsalsoo compilecompiledd aann exhaustiveexhaustive bibliographbibliographyy ofof ththee entirentiree canocanonn ooff Bateson'Bateson'ss publishepublishedd worworkk (including(including articlesarticles,, reviewsreviews,, interviewinterviewss andand booksbooks)) whicwhichh iiss alsoalso includeincludedd iinn A SacredSacred Unity.Unity.
5 "Abduction""Abduction" isis a termterm thatthat BatesonBateson liberatesliberates fromfrom ththee philosopherphilosopher C.S.C.S. Peirce.Peirce. NotingNoting thathatt PeircePeirce appliedapplied ththee worwordd ttoo "that"that parpartt ofof thethe procesprocesss ooff inquiryinquiry whicwhichh proposeproposess thathatt a givegivenn setset ooff phenomenphenomenaa iiss a casecase undeunderr somsomee previouslpreviouslyy proposeproposedd rule,"rule," BatesoBatesonn characteristicallycharacteristically givegivess ththee phrasphrasee hihiss owownn interpretationinterpretation anandd employsemploys itit inin thatthat redefineredefinedd capacitycapacity.. SeeSee ththee 19761976 essay,essay, "A Formal Approach to ExplicitExplicit,, Implicit,Implicit, and EmbodieEmbodiedd Ideas and to Their Forms of Interaction'''Interaction" reprintereprintedd iinn Donaldson'Donaldson'ss A SacredSacred UnityUnity,, pp.. 186.186.
6 6 InIn orderorder toto fullyfully connectconnect Bateson'Bateson'ss researchresearch onon schizophreniaschizophrenia andand doubledouble binbindd theorytheory,, seesee ththee essaysessays "Toward"Toward a TheoryTheory ofof Schizophrenia"Schizophrenia" andand "Double"Double BindBind,, 1969,"1969," botbothh includeincludedd inin StepStepss ttoo aann EcologEcologyy ofof MindMind..
7 ForFor anan excellentexcellent explanationexplanation ofof ththee limitationslimitations ofof Russell'sRussell's TheoryTheory ooff LogicalLogical Types,Types, specificallyspecifically withwith regarregardd ttoo paradoxparadox,, andand ttoo ththee waywayss inin whicwhichh BatesoBatesonn recyclerecycledd thesthesee theorietheoriess productivelyproductively,, seesee BradforBradfordd P.P. Keeney'Keeney'ss AestheticAestheticss ofof ChangeChange,, anan invaluableinvaluable applicatioapplicationn ofof Bateson'Bateson'ss theorietheoriess ttoo ththee practicpracticee ooff familyfamily therapytherapy.. KeeneKeeneyy notenotess thathatt "Bateson"Bateson adopteadoptedd logicalogicall typintypingg aass a descriptivdescriptivee tootooll foforr discernindiscerningg ththee formalformal patternpatternss ofof communicationcommunication thathatt underliunderliee humahumann experiencexperiencee anandd interactioninteraction"" anandd thathatt "logical"logical typintypingg cancan thereforthereforee bbee simplysimply regarderegardedd asas a wawayy ooff drawindrawingg distinctionsdistinctions.. FroFromm thithiss perspectiveperspective,, logicallogical typintypingg cacann bebe useusedd ttoo disclosedisclose ratherrather thathann concealconceal self-referenceself-reference andand paradoxparadox"" (30).(30). 2929
8 Bateson'Bateson'ss theoreticatheoreticall understandinunderstandingg ooff differencdifferencee andand ititss implicationimplicationss forfor patternpattern,, numbernumber,, andand cyberneticcybernetic minmindd areare mormoree thoroughlthoroughlyy discusseddiscussed inin ParPartt IIII ooff thithiss thesis.thesis.
9 TheThe strengthstrength ofof MindMind andand NatureNature isis nonott iinn itsits tonetone oorr writinwritingg style,style, whichwhich iiss almostalmost abrasivelyabrasively abrupabruptt inin contrascontrastt ttoo ththee eloquent,eloquent, ifif circuitous,circuitous, rhythmrhythmss ooff StepStepss ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ooff MindMind,, bubutt iinn ititss embodimenembodimentt ofof Bateson'Bateson'ss owownn evolutioevolutionn aass a thinkerthinker.. IInn hihiss AfterworAfterwordd ttoo a compilationcompilation ooff essayessayss produceproducedd ououtt ooff ththee 19791979 AsilomaAsilomarr ConferencConferencee honoringhonoring GregorGregoryy BatesonBateson,, philosophephilosopherr anandd logicianlogician StephenStephen ToulminToulmin roundlyroundly criticizecriticizess botbothh ththee stylstylee anandd contencontentt ooff MinMindd andand NatureNature.. WhilWhilee I agreagreee witwithh hihiss negativnegativee responsresponsee ttoo thethe generagenerall tontonee ofof ththee bookbook,, writtewrittenn durinduringg a perioperiodd ooff seriousserious illnesillnesss foforr BatesoBatesonn anandd witwithh considerableconsiderable editoriaeditoriall inputinput fromfrom hihiss daughterdaughter,, I disagredisagreee witwithh hihiss otheotherr assessmentsassessments.. IInn whawhatt I believbelievee ttoo bbee a seriousserious misreadingmisreading,, ToulmiToulminn observesobserves,, "I"Inn manmanyy waysways,, indeedindeed,, BertranBertrandd RusselRusselll iiss ththee laslastt philosophephilosopherr ononee wouldwould havhavee expecteexpectedd BatesoBatesonn toto choosechoose aass aann ally.ally. (C.S.(C.S. PeircPeircee woulwouldd havhavee beebeenn a happiehappierr choice.choice.)) NeitheNeitherr iinn hishis epistemologyepistemology nonorr iinn hihiss logiclogic dididd RusselRusselll everever showshow mucmuchh sensitivitsensitivityy towartowardd ththee significancesignificance ofof evolutionaryevolutionary waywayss ofof thoughtthought"" (367).(367). ToulmiToulminn iiss mistakemistakenn oonn botbothh countscounts.. BatesoBatesonn doesdoes iinn factfact ususee Peirce'sPeirce's ideaideass inin hihiss workwork (see(see NoteNotess 5 anandd 1010 ttoo thithiss section),section), anandd ttoo suggestsuggest thathatt hhee wawass seekingseeking aann allyally iinn RussellRussell isis ttoo misunderstanmisunderstandd ththee conceptconcept ooff abductionabduction aass BatesoBatesonn employsemploys itit.. BatesoBatesonn demonstratedemonstratess abductioabductionn herehere asas ththee transgressiotransgressionn ofof disciplinardisciplinaryy boundarieboundariess (not(not ththee searchsearch foforr alliesallies)) anandd aass ththee abstracabstractt lealeapp toto recognitiorecognitionn ooff patterpatternn inin situationssituations wherwheree patterpatternn mamayy nonott first bbee apparentapparent.. BatesoBatesonn founfoundd greagreatt resonanceresonance iinn ththee logicalogicall anandd mathematicamathematicall eleganceelegance ofof Russell'Russell'ss theorietheoriess anandd useusedd thethemm quitquitee originalloriginallyy ttoo founfoundd hishis ownown theorietheoriess ooff learninlearningg andand knowledgknowledgee processprocess;; iinn MinMindd anandd NatureNature,, hhee isis engageengagedd preciselpreciselyy iinn evolvingevolving thosthosee conceptsconcepts beyonbeyondd Russell'Russe 11' ss intendedintended ususee withouwithoutt feelinfeelingg eitheeitherr ththee necessitnecessityy oror ththee desirabilitdesirabilityy ofof abandoninabandoningg them.them.
1\00 BatesoBatesonn contrastscontrasts feedbackfeedback anandd calibratiocalibrationn usingusing ththee rifle/shotgurifle/shotgunn exampleexample iinn botbothh MinMindd anandd NaturNaturee andand iinn AngelAngelss Fear,Fear, bubutt hhee appearsappears toto introducintroducee a distinctiodistinctionn iinn ththee lattelatterr exampleexample.. IInn MinMindd andand NatureNature,, botbothh thethe riflriflee andand thethe shotgunshotgun araree employedemployed toto shootshoot a flyingflying birdbird,, whilwhilee inin ththee AngelAngelss FeaFearr chapterchapter hhee seemseemss toto suggessuggestt thatthat onlonlyy inin ththee instanceinstance ofof ththee shotgushotgunn iiss ththee targetargett mobilemobile.. ThThee emphasisemphasis oonn ththee abilitabilityy foforr errorerror correctiocorrectionn priopriorr ttoo shootingshooting ththee riflerifle,, ttoo effectiveleffectivelyy vievieww eaceachh instancinstancee ooff riflriflee shotshot aass a singularsingular acactt ofof feedbacfeedbackk anandd correctiocorrectionn madmadee prior toto ththee actualactual firinfiringg ooff ththee shoshott iiss easieeasierr ttoo visualizvisualizee iiff ththee riflriflee iiss aimedaimed aatt a stationarystationary targettarget.. IInn ththee cascasee ooff ththee shotgun,shotgun, Bateson'Bateson'ss emphasisemphasis isis oonn ththee facfactt thathatt thertheree iiss nono possibilitpossibilityy foforr errorerror correctioncorrection withiwithinn ththee singlsinglee acactt ooff shootingshooting;; calibrationcalibration,, oorr a class ooff seriaseriall actionsactions ultimatelyultimately resultingresulting iinn anan improvedimproved performanceperformance,, requirerequiress a recursivrecursivee practice.practice.
II11 AuthoAuthorr BilBilll BrownBrown devotedevotess ththee secondsecond chapterchapter ofof hihiss boobookk A SensSensee ofof ThingThingss ttoo ththee conceptconceptss ofof repetitiorepetitionn andand iterationiteration,, drawingdrawing heavilheavilyy frofromm ththee philosophiephilosophiess ooff CharleCharless SaundersSaunders PeircePeirce,, frofromm whomwhom BatesoBatesonn adaptedadapted ththee ideaidea ooff "abduction."abduction."" AlsAlsoo referencinreferencingg ththee worworkk ofof suchsuch disparatdisparatee figurefiguress aass WilliamWilliam JamesJames,, GertrudeGertrude SteinStein,, anandd thethe FrencFrenchh theoristheoristt GilleGilless DeleuzeDeleuze,, Brown'Brown'ss thoughtthoughtss oonn noniterativnoniterativee repetitionrepetition anandd oonn habihabitt formatioformationn araree botbothh instructiveinstructive anandd eerileerilyy closclosee ttoo Bateson'Bateson'ss developmendevelopmentt ofof ththee ideaidea ofof calibrationcalibration.. Specifically,Specifically, hhee notenotess thathatt DeleuzDeleuzee makemakess a fine distinctiodistinctionn betweebetweenn repetitiorepetitionn anandd replication.replication. IIff calibrationcalibration botbothh requirerequiress ththee repetitiorepetitionn oror practicpracticee ooff anan acactt thathatt iiss alwayalwayss subtlysubtly alterealteredd bbyy ththee errorerror perceptioperceptionn anandd correctioncorrection ooff ththee previoupreviouss instantiatioinstantiationn oofthatf that act,act, thenthen aass BrowBrownn notesnotes,, "If"If nnoo eventevent (given(given ititss uniquenesuniquenesss inin timetime)) iiss reduciblreduciblee ttoo another,another, thethenn 'repetition''repetition' musmustt namnamee a differencedifference"" (73)(73).. SeeSee ParPartt IIII ofof thisthis thesisthesis forfor a mormoree thorougthoroughh discussiondiscussion ooff Bateson'Bateson'ss ususee ooff differencdifferencee anandd ititss relatiorelationn ttoo thethe worworkk ofof DeleuzDeleuzee andand FelixFelix Guattari.Guattari.
1212 ThThee worworkk ooff ChileanChileanss HumbertHumbertoo MaturanaMaturana anandd FranciscFranciscoo VarelVarelaa divergedivergess sharplysharply fromfrom thathatt ooff Bateson,Bateson, emphasizinemphasizingg autonomousautonomous self-referencingself-referencing andand closeclosedd systemssystems thathatt laclackk ththee connectivconnectivee holisholismm BatesonBateson envisionenvisionss foforr hihiss cyberneticcybernetic MindMind.. A comparisocomparisonn ooff thesthesee competincompetingg philosophiephilosophiess iiss beyonbeyondd ththee scopscopee ofof thisthis paperpaper.. FoForr a briebrieff discussiondiscussion ooff ththee pointpointss ooff botbothh confluencconfluencee anandd divergencedivergence ooff theitheirr worworkk witwithh thathatt ofof BatesonBateson,, seesee thethe sectiosectionn entitleentitledd "Autopoiesis:"Autopoiesis: ThThee BootstrappinBootstrappingg ooff FormForm"" inin Harries-JonesHarries-Jones'' RecursiveRecursive VisionVision..
13 13 BatesonBateson engagesengages thethe ideideaa ooff self-referencself-referencee andand ththee notionotionn ooff selselff repeatedlyrepeatedly throughouthroughoutt hihiss variousvarious essays,essays, lectureslectures,, anandd booksbooks,, yeyett hihiss ideaideass araree seldomseldom referencereferencedd bbyy post-moderpost-modemn authorauthorss strugglingstruggling witwithh thethe 3030
samesame issues.issues. InIn 1977,1977, BatesonBateson addressedaddressed aa conferenceconference inin NewNew YorkYork onon "The"The BirthBirth ofof a Matrix,Matrix, oror DoubleDouble BindBind andand Epistemology,"Epistemology," reprintedreprinted inin A SacredSacred Unity.Unity. InIn thisthis lengthylengthy lecture,lecture, inin whichwhich hehe tracestraces manymany ofof thethe lineslines ofof flightflight thatthat contributecontribute toto thethe outlinesoutlines ofof hishis cyberneticcybernetic epistemology,epistemology, hehe suggestssuggests thatthat thethe discursivediscursive pathologypathology ofof doubledouble bindbind mightmight spurspur somesome creativecreative alternative,alternative, somesome kindkind ofof resistantresistant responseresponse thatthat mightmight radicallyradically alteralter thethe pathologypathology fromfrom whichwhich itit springs.springs. HeHe alsoalso suggestssuggests thatthat therethere areare otherother answersanswers toto otherother questionsquestions thatthat lielie beyondbeyond thethe doubledouble bind,bind, includingincluding thethe notionnotion ofof self,self, thatthat "half"half mythologicalmythological entityentity whosewhose apparentapparent subjectivesubjective realityreality somehowsomehow increasesincreases inin situationssituations ofof reflexivereflexive awareness."awareness." WhileWhile beyondbeyond thethe scopescope ofof thisthis paper,paper, itit wouldwould bebe interestinginteresting toto interrogateinterrogate Bateson'sBateson's notionsnotions ofof thethe selfself andand selfself- referentialityreferentiality againstagainst thosethose proposedproposed byby membersmembers oftheof the FranklinFranklin SchoolSchool andand thosethose articulatedarticulated byby JudithJudith ButlerButler inin GivingGiving anan AccountAccount ofof Oneself.Oneself. ForFor Butler,Butler, thethe paradoxparadox inin thethe attemptattempt toto accountaccount forfor thethe selfself isis thatthat thethe selfself cancan nevernever knowknow itsits origin;origin; itsits originatingoriginating response,response, itsits firstfirst actact ofof distinction,distinction, isis inin responseresponse toto thethe demanddemand ofof another.another. InIn hishis 19771977 AfterwordAfterword toto JohnJohn Brockman'sBrockman's AboutAbout Bateson:Bateson: EssaysEssays onon GregoryGregory Bateson,Bateson. BatesonBateson usesuses a poeticpoetic descriptiondescription ofof a smokesmoke ring,ring, introvertedintroverted andand endlesslyendlessly turningturning uponupon itself,itself, asas a figurefigure forfor a selfself thatthat isis calledcalled notnot byby anotheranother butbut ratherrather formsforms outout ofof thethe self-sameself-same materialmaterial asas itsits environment,environment, givengiven "duration"duration andand locationlocation andand a certaincertain degreedegree ofof separationseparation byby virtuevirtue ofof itsits inturnedinturned motion"motion" (246).(246).
1414 InIn hishis oftenoften expressedexpressed beliefbelief inin thethe powerpower ofof artart andand itsits relationshiprelationship toto thethe unconscious,unconscious, Bateson'sBateson's theoriestheories resonateresonate bothboth withwith andand againstagainst thosethose ofof TheodorTheodor W.W. AdornoAdorno andand otherother membersmembers ofof thethe FrankfurtFrankfurt School.School. LikeLike Adorno,Adorno, BatesonBateson feltfelt thatthat artart hadhad thethe powerpower toto conveyconvey thethe "shock"shock ofof thethe unintelligible,"unintelligible," toto offeroffer a liminalliminal spacespace withinwithin whichwhich aestheticaesthetic truthstruths mightmight bbee uncovered.uncovered. BatesonBateson sawsaw artart asas metaphoricmetaphoric anandd asas engagingengaging somethingsomething moremore thanthan meremere consciousness;consciousness; hehe distinguisheddistinguished betweenbetween thethe aestheticaesthetic anandd appetitive,appetitive, disparagingdisparaging thethe purposivepurposive muchmuch asas AdornoAdorno problematizedproblematized whatwhat hehe consideredconsidered toto bebe committedcommitted art,art, thethe deliberatelydeliberately political.political. InIn hishis 19621962 essay,essay, "Commitment,""Commitment," AdornoAdorno wrotewrote thatthat "it"it isis notnot thethe officeoffice ofof artart toto spotlightspotlight alternatives,alternatives, butbut toto resistresist byby itsits formform alonealone thethe coursecourse ofof thethe world,world, whichwhich permanentlypermanently putsputs a pistolpistol toto men'smen's heads"heads" (304).(304). BatesonBateson would,would, I think,think, agreeagree withwith thisthis assessment.assessment. DespisingDespising thethe purelypurely purposivepurposive andand linguisticlinguistic appropriationappropriation ofof artart byby ththee consciouconsciouss mindmind (the(the univocaunivocall question,question, "What"What doesdoes arartt 'say'?"),'say'?"), hhee preferrepreferredd ttoo interrogateinterrogate howhow art,art, metaphormetaphor,, andand dreamsdreams openopen un-labeleun-labeledd un-namedun-named potentialitypotentiality (he(he wawass fondfond ofIsadoraof Isadora Duncan'sDuncan's responseresponse,, "If"If I coulcouldd teltelll youyou whatwhat itit meant,meant, thertheree woulwouldd bebe nono pointpoint iinn dancingdancing it.it."" SeeSee Steps,Steps, p.p. 137)137).. PARTPART II:II: WHENWHEN A FRENCHMANFRENCHMAN WAVESWAVES HISHIS ARMSARMS
OneOne ofof thethe fundamentalfundamental questionsquestions whichwhich GregoryGregory BatesonBateson advancesadvances inin StepsSteps toto anan
EcologyEcology ofof MindMind isis toto considerconsider whether,whether, ifif wewe acceptaccept thethe parallelsparallels betweenbetween thethe worldworld ofof naturalnatural evolutionaryevolutionary processprocess andand thethe worldworld ofof mentalmental process,process, therethere mightmight bebe somethingsomething analogousanalogous toto naturalnatural selectionselection withwith respectrespect toto ideas.ideas. DoDo somesome ideasideas survivesurvive whilewhile othersothers die?die? HeHe notesnotes thatthat "Socrates"Socrates asas a bioenergeticbioenergetic individualindividual isis dead.dead. ButBut muchmuch ofof himhim stillstill liveslives asas a componentcomponent inin thethe contemporarycontemporary ecologyecology ofof ideas"ideas" (Steps(Steps 467).467). AsAs withwith
Socrates,Socrates, soso withwith GregoryGregory Bateson-whileBateson—while somesome ofof hishis ideasideas havehave longlong beenbeen adaptedadapted outout ooff thethe ecologyecology ofof mindmind,, somesome havhavee continuedcontinued ttoo circulate,circulate, combinincombiningg anandd mutatinmutatingg withwith thosthosee ooff otherother theoriststheorists,, philosophersphilosophers,, ethicists,ethicists, critics,critics, andand activistactivistss iinn ththee richlrichlyy diversediverse heterogeneouheterogeneouss idea-poolidea-pool thathatt iiss ththee cyberneticyberneticc mind.mind.
LikLikee ththee mamapp ofof anyany genomegenome,, Bateson'sBateson's ideasideas areare expressedexpressed inin somsomee casescases explicitly,explicitly, iinn reiterativreiterativee chainschains whicwhichh makmakee identificatioidentificationn apparentapparent,, whilwhilee inin otherother contextcontextss onlonlyy nuancenuancedd tracetracess remairemainn iinn recombinanrecombinantt mutationmutationss thathatt onlonlyy implicitlyimplicitly suggessuggestt hihiss lineliness ooff thoughtthought.. ManManyy ooff hihiss studentstudentss anandd professionaprofessionall colleaguecolleaguess tentendd toto interpreinterprett oorr ttoo extenextendd Bateson'Bateson'ss ideaideass strictlstrictlyy withiwithinn ththee disciplinardisciplinaryy contexcontextt thatthat characterizecharacterizess theitheirr associatioassociationn witwithh himhim;; hencehence,, BradforBradfordd KeeneyKeeney,, whwhoo studiestudiedd withwith
BatesoBatesonn durinduringg hihiss perioperiodd ooff intensintensee interesinterestt iinn psychologypsychology,, applieappliess Bateson'Bateson'ss ecologicalecological premisepremisess ttoo ththee practicpracticee ooff familfamilyy therapytherapy.. IInn a similasimilarr veinvein,, CaroCaroll Wilder-MotWilder-Mottt anandd JohnJohn
WeaklanWeaklandd encounteencounterr BatesoBatesonn strictlstrictlyy iinn termtermss ooff hihiss cyberneticyberneticc theorytheory,, withouwithoutt extendingextending 3232 hihiss observationobservationss beyonbeyondd thathatt somewhatsomewhat narronarroww rangrangee ooff hihiss interestsinterests.. OtheOtherr readerreaderss ofof
Bateson'Bateson'ss worworkk engagengagee hihiss notionnotionss ofof patterpatternn anandd ecologecologyy moremore directlydirectly bbyy applyingapplying thethemm ttoo environmentalenvironmental themethemess acrosacrosss a varietvarietyy ooff humanitiehumanitiess genresgenres.. IInn 1980,1980, agrarianagrarian authorauthor andand poepoett WendelWendelll Berry'Berry'ss poepoemm "A"A GraceGrace"" bearbearss ththee subheadinsubheading/org for GregoryGregory
Bateson andand referencereferencess "the"the chiechieff beautbeautyy ofof ththee worldworld,, patterpatternn ofof patternspatterns"" (8-9).(8-9). IInn anan evocativelevocativelyy lyricalyricall chaptechapterr oonn "Place""Place" inin TheThe EroEross ofof EverydaEverydayy Life,Life, feminisfeministt writerwriter
SusaSusann GriffiGriffinn arguesargues forfor ththee incontrovertibilitincontrovertibilityy ooff aann interdependenceinterdependence betweebetweenn humanhuman thoughthoughtt anandd ththee naturanaturall worldworld,, observinobservingg thathatt "ifby"if by meanmeanss ofof dualitdualityy WesterWesternn cultureculture hashas securedsecured ththee illusionillusion ooff transcendencetranscendence,, ththee culturculturee iiss alsalsoo blinblindd ttoo ththee orderorder andand patternpattern,, thethe memormemoryy anandd intelligenceintelligence,, alalll ththee qualitiesqualities ooff abstracabstractt thoughtthought,, thathatt existexist in nature"nature" (81).(81). ItIt isis hardlhardlyy surprisingsurprising thathatt onon ththee followingfollowing pagpagee shshee referencereferencess GregorGregoryy BatesonBateson andand hishis ususee ofof ththee "Me"Menn areare grassgrass"" syllogissyllogismm ttoo supporsupportt heherr argumenargumentt thathatt abstractabstract thoughthoughtt andand metaphometaphorr areare aass characteristicharacteristicc ofof ththee naturanaturall worlworldd asas ofof ththee mental.mental. EcocriticEcocriticss DeborahDeborah
BirBirdd RosRosee andand LibbyLibby RobinRobin,, writinwritingg iinn ththee AustraliaAustraliann HumanitiesHumanities Review,Review, notnotee Bateson'sBateson's contributioncontribution ttoo discipline-spanningdiscipline-spanning thoughthoughtt inin theitheirr argumenargumentt inin supportsupport ofof thethe emergingemerging interdisciplinarinterdisciplinaryy collaboratiocollaborationn wwee callcall environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities.. InIn PerforPerformm oorr Else:Else:
FroFromm DisciplinDisciplinee ttoo PerformancePerformance,, JoJonn McKenziMcKenziee notenotess ththee importancimportancee ofof GregoryGregory
Bateson'Bateson'ss worworkk aass foundationafoundationall foforr theorietheoriess ooff performancperformancee andand playplay,, employingemploying hishis cyberneticyberneticc modelmodelss ofof feedbacfeedbackk anandd recursivenesrecursivenesss inin conjunctiveconjunctive synthesissynthesis withwith thethe machinimachinicc apparatuapparatuss ooff DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari ttoo identifidentifyy patternpatternss acrosacrosss seeminglyseemingly disparatdisparatee vectorvectorss ofof performancperformancee iinn ththee UniteUnitedd StatesStates sincsincee thethe 1950s.1950s. WhaWhatt isis particularlparticularlyy strikinstrikingg aboutabout McKenzie'McKenzie'ss ususee ooff Bateson'Bateson'ss theorietheoriess ooff plaplayy andand fantasfantasyy isis thathatt hihiss genealoggenealogyy ofof BatesonianBatesonian thoughthoughtt andand influencinfluencee staystayss firmlfirmlyy lodgedlodged iinn a citationalcitational 3333 connectionconnection ttoo anthropologanthropologyy andand ttoo culturalcultural performanceperformance;; McKenzieMcKenzie seemsseems unawareunaware ofof thethe farfar mormoree direcdirectt anandd provocativprovocativee patternpatternss thathatt connectconnect GregoryGregory BatesoBatesonn ttoo GillesGilles DeleuzeDeleuze andand FeliFelixx GuattariGuattari,, a connectionconnection thathatt exemplifieexemplifiess Bateson'Bateson'ss survivasurvivall iinn ththee contemporarycontemporary ecologyecology ooff mind.mind.
GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's thoughthoughtt anandd worworkk hahadd anan enormouenormouss impactimpact onon ththee generationgeneration ofof FrencFrenchh thinkerthinkerss whwhoo emergedemerged aass criticacriticall theoristtheoristss followinfollowingg ththee universituniversityy protestprotestss ofof
1968.1968. AAss VerenVerenaa ConleyConley elaborateselaborates inin heherr criticacriticall pursuipursuitt ooff evidenceevidence ooff environmentalenvironmental consciousnesconsciousnesss iinn ththee worworkk ofof contemporarycontemporary FrencFrenchh postmodernistspostmodernists,, thosethose emergingemerging voicevoicess alsoalso tendetendedd ttoo seizeseize onon ththee systemicsystemic andand ecologicalecological implicationsimplications ofof Bateson'sBateson's cyberneticyberneticc minmindd anandd ttoo subsequentlysubsequently adaptadapt thethemm ttoo theitheirr owownn lineslines ofof argument)argument1 (56).(56).
Bateson'sBateson's influencinfluencee onon botbothh GillesGilles DeleuzDeleuzee anandd FeliFelixx GuattariGuattari iiss manifestlmanifestlyy evidentevident,, asas thesthesee authorauthorss franklyfrankly acknowledgeacknowledge theitheirr debdebtt ttoo Bateson'Bateson'ss imagerimageryy anandd ideaideass whilewhile extendinextendingg thethemm inin a wawayy thathatt farfar exceedexceedss theoreticatheoreticall andand disciplinarydisciplinary boundariesboundaries.. WritingWriting togethetogetherr inin 1980,1980, philosophephilosopherr GilleGilless DeleuzDeleuzee andand psychiatrispsychiatristt FelixFelix GuattariGuattari publishepublishedd A
ThousanThousandd PlateausPlateaus:: CapitalisCapitalismm anandd Schizophrenia,Schizophrenia, a radicallradicallyy unorthodounorthodoxx collectioncollection ofof collaborativcollaborativee thoughthoughtt whicwhichh borrowborrowss ititss titltitlee fromfrom GregorGregoryy Bateson'Bateson'ss ethnographicethnographic comparisoncomparisonss ofof IatmuIatmull andand BalineseBalinese culture.culture. BatesoBatesonn observedobserved thathatt whilwhilee overtlyovertly competitivcompetitivee interpersonainterpersonall behaviorbehavior betweebetweenn IatmulIatmul tribatriball membermemberss frequentlyfrequently ledled ttoo somesome kindkind ooff climaxclimax,, followefollowedd bbyy a differentiationdifferentiation oorr changechange inin behaviorabehaviorall normsnorms
(schismogenesis),(schismogenesis), personapersonall interactiointeractionn iinn BalineseBalinese culturculturee seemedseemed deliberatelydeliberately andand culturallyculturally orchestratedorchestrated ttoo avoiavoidd climacticclimactic momentsmoments ooff cumulativecumulative personapersonall interaction.interaction.
InsteadInstead,, hhee notenotedd thatthat "it"it iiss possiblpossiblee thathatt somesome sortsort ofof continuingcontinuing plateaplateauu ooff intensityintensity"" isis substitutedsubstituted foforr a climaclimaxx iinn certaincertain kindkindss ofof BalinesBalinesee culturaculturall situations,situations, a substitutionsubstitution thatthat 3434 discouragesdiscourages competitivecompetitive behaviorbehavior inin a varietyvariety ofof interactions,interactions, includingincluding quarrelsquarrels (Steps(Steps
113).113). ItIt isis thatthat samesame plateauplateau thatthat DeleuzeDeleuze andand GuattariGuattari incorporateincorporate intointo theirtheir titletitle andand intointo theirtheir mostmost familiarfamiliar metaphor,metaphor, thethe rhizome.rhizome. NotingNoting thatthat "a"a plateauplateau isis alwaysalways inin thethe middle"middle" andand thatthat "a"a rhizomerhizome isis mademade ofof plateaus,"plateaus," theythey seizeseize onon Bateson'sBateson's plateau,plateau, elaboratingelaborating onon hishis usageusage ofof thethe termterm asas a wayway "to"to designatedesignate somethingsomething veryvery special:special: a continuous,continuous, self-self- vibratingvibrating regionregion ofof intensitiesintensities whosewhose developmentdevelopment avoidsavoids anyany orientationorientation towardtoward a culminationculmination pointpoint oror externalexternal end"end" (22).(22). TheyThey adoptadopt Bateson'sBateson's terminologyterminology andand subsequentlysubsequently developdevelop it,it, asas hehe would,would, intointo theirtheir own:own:
WeWe callcall a "plateau""plateau" anyany multiplicitymultiplicity connectedconnected toto otherother multiplicitiesmultiplicities byby superficialsuperficial undergroundunderground stemsstems inin suchsuch a wayway asas toto formform oror extendextend a rhizome.rhizome. WeWe areare writingwriting thisthis bookbook asas a rhizome.rhizome. ItIt isis composedcomposed ofof plateaus.plateaus. WeWe havehave givengiven itit a circularcircular form.form. (22)(22)
JustJust asas thethe referencereference toto plateauplateau originatesoriginates withwith BatesonBateson andand thenthen mutatesmutates intointo somethingsomething thathatt isis botbothh familiarfamiliar andand yetyet radicallradicallyy neneww inin thethe Deleuze/GuattarDeleuze/Guattarii context,context, therethere areare numerousnumerous otherother imagesimages andand phrasephrasess thathatt circulatecirculate throughouthroughoutt A ThousandThousand
PlateausPlateaus whicwhichh havhavee theitheirr germinationgermination inin Bateson.Bateson. Schizophrenia,Schizophrenia, double-binddouble-bind theory,theory, andand a metaphorimetaphoricc useuse ofof organicorganic imagesimages asas abductiveabductive synthesessyntheses acrossacross perceivedperceived boundarieboundariess 2 araree onlonlyy parpartt ooff a remarkablremarkablee confluencconfluencee ooff thoughthoughtt thathatt flowflowss betweebetweenn thisthis textextt anandd StepStepss ttoo aann EcologEcologyy ooff MindMind.. AlAlll contributcontributee ttoo a patterpatternn thathatt connectsconnects,, a connectioconnectionn thathatt emergeemergess iinn a betweebetweenn thathatt iiss "b"byy nnoo meanmeanss aann averageaverage;; oonn ththee contrarycontrary,, itit iiss wherwheree thingthingss picpickk uupp speed.speed .... . a perpendiculaperpendicularr directiondirection,, a transversatransversall movemenmovementt thatthat sweepsweepss ononee and ththee otheotherr awayaway"" (Deleuz(De leuzee anandd GuattarGuattarii 25)25)..
ThThee imprinimprintt ooff GregorGregoryy BatesoBatesonn oonn FeliFelixx GuattarGuattarii iiss eveevenn mormoree apparentapparent.. GuattariGuattari beginbeginss hihiss 19819899 bookbook,, ThThee ThreThreee EcologiesEcologies,, witwithh a quotquotee frofromm a 19619699 BatesoBatesonn lecture,lecture, 3535
"Pathologies"Pathologies ofof Epistemology,"Epistemology," anandd hihiss callcall forfor "a"a praxipraxicc opening-outopening-out"" ooff ththee threethree ecologiesecologies,, ththee naturalnatural,, ththee mentalmental,, andand ththee sociasociall surelsurelyy springspringss fromfrom Bateson'sBateson's observatioobservationn iinn thathatt samsamee lecturelecture thathatt "whe"whenn yoyouu separatseparatee minmindd frofromm ththee structurstructuree inin whicwhichh iitt iiss immanentimmanent,, sucsuchh aass humahumann relationshiprelationship,, ththee humahumann society,society, oorr ththee ecosystem,ecosystem, yoyouu therebtherebyy embark,embark, I believebelieve,, onon a fundamentafundamentall errorerror,, whicwhichh inin ththee enendd wilwilll surelysurely hurthurt youyou"" ((Thre Threee EcologiesEcologies 53,53, StepStepss 493).493). GuattariGuattari notenotess Bateson'sBateson's assertionassertionss aboutabout thethe necessitnecessityy forfor ththee ecologecologyy ofof minmindd ttoo extendextend beyonbeyondd ththee corporeacorporeall limitationslimitations ooff thethe individuaindividuall bodybody,, anan argumenargumentt thathatt supportssupports hihiss ownown calcalll forfor ththee recognitiorecognitionn ooff thethe interdependencinterdependencyy ofof threthreee heterogeneouheterogeneouss ecologiesecologies (Three(Three EcologieEcologiess 54).54).
GuattarGuattarii beginbeginss hihiss 19951995 boobookk ChaosophyChaosophy witwithh aann essaessayy entitledentitled,, "So"So What,"What," replicatinreplicatingg ththee titltitlee ooff ththee concludingconcluding metalogumetaloguee ofof Bateson'sBateson's MinMindd anandd NatureNature.. HerHeree hehe notenotess hihiss owownn eclectieclecticc interestsinterests,, reminiscenreminiscentt ofof Bateson'sBateson's disciplinardisciplinaryy cross-fertilization,cross-fertilization, reflectinreflectingg thathatt "I"I wawass preoccupiepreoccupiedd witwithh joininjoiningg togethetogetherr differentdifferent layerslayers ooff thingthingss whichwhich fascinatedfascinated meme:: ththee philosophphilosophyy ofof science,science, logiclogic,, biologybiology,, earlyearly workworkss inin cyberneticcyberneticss [this[this isis clearlyclearly a nodnod ttoo Bateson]"Bateson]" andand suggestssuggests thathatt "my"my problemproblem isis toto extracextractt elementselements fromfrom
3 oneone domaindomain iinn ordeorderr ttoo transfetransferr thethemm intintoo otheotherr fieldsfields ofof applicationapplication"" (8-9)(8-9).. WhilWhilee muchmuch ofof thithiss collectioncollection ofof essayessayss andand interviewinterviewss focusesfocuses onon hihiss worworkk witwithh GilleGilless DeleuzeDeleuze andand theitheirr expliciexplicitt linkinlinkingg ooff capitalismcapitalism anandd schizophrenia,schizophrenia, Bateson'Bateson'ss influenceinfluence isis apparenapparentt inin ththee openingopening section.section.
HiHiss finafinall bookbook,, ChaosmosisChaosmosis:: AAnn Ethico-AesthetiEthico-Aestheticc Paradigm,Paradigm, offersoffers Guattari'sGuattari's idiosyncraticidiosyncratic insightinsightss intointo thethe samesame problemproblemss ooff ththee aesthetiaestheticc andand ththee sacred,sacred, vieweviewedd aass a paradigmatiparadigmaticc wholismwholism,, thathatt absorbedabsorbed BatesoBatesonn inin AngelAngelss Fear.Fear. AAss BatesoBatesonn attemptedattempted toto developdevelop anan interfaceinterface betweebetweenn thesthesee twtwoo conceptsconcepts,, hhee ofteoftenn employeemployedd aann almosalmostt propheticprophetic 3636 tone,tone, askingasking "what"what isis itit toto movemove throughthrough a largerlarger andand moremore complexcomplex mentalmental system,system, involvedinvolved inin multiplemultiple encountersencounters withwith otherother mentalmental subsystems,subsystems, eacheach ofof whichwhich offersoffers aa certaincertain possibilitypossibility ofof wholeness?"wholeness?" (Angels(Angels Fearl77).Fearl77). GuattariGuattari proposesproposes a similarsimilar interface,interface, notingnoting thatthat "the"the refoundationrefoundation ofof politicspolitics willwill havehave toto passpass throughthrough thethe aestheticaesthetic andand analyticalanalytical dimensionsdimensions impliedimplied inin thethe threethree ecologies-theecologies—the environment,environment, thethe sociussocius andand thethe psyche"psyche" (Chaosmosis(Chaosmosis 20).20). ThatThat suchsuch anan interfaceinterface containscontains bothboth potentialpotential forfor growthgrowth andand potentialpotential forfor runaway,runaway, a criticalcritical understandingunderstanding inin Bateson'sBateson's epistemology,epistemology, alsoalso resurfacesresurfaces inin Guattari;Guattari; hishis descriptiondescription ofof "Chaosmosis""Chaosmosis" asas "a"a comingcoming andand goinggoing atat infiniteinfinite speedspeed betweenbetween chaoschaos andand complexity"complexity" isis againagain reminiscentreminiscent ofof Bateson'sBateson's hypotheticalhypothetical modelmodel ofof mentalmental process,process, depicteddepicted inin MindMind andand NaturNaturee asas a "zigzag ladder ofof dialectic between form and process" (Chaosmosis(Chaosmosis 75,75, MindMind andand NatureNature 182).182). JustJust asas
BatesonBateson recognizerecognizess thatthat therethere is,is, withinwithin cyberneticcybernetic mindmind,, thethe potentialpotential forfor insanity,insanity, soso
GuattarGuattarii goegoess onon ttoo notnotee thathatt "the"the submersiosubmersionn iinn chaosmichaosmicc immanencimmanencee isis alwayalwayss readreadyy toto exploiexploitt ththee slightestslightest weaknessweakness"" (Steps(Steps 493493,, ChaosmosiChaosmosiss 75).75).
EveEvenn asas ththee expliciexplicitt connectionconnectionss amonamongg BatesoBatesonn andand DeleuzeDeleuze anandd GuattariGuattari attestattest ttoo Bateson'Bateson'ss ongoinongoingg vibrancyvibrancy asas a foundationalfoundational theoristtheorist,, therethere araree otherother,, lessless overtovert connectionconnectionss ttoo bbee madmadee iinn ordeorderr ttoo fulfilfulfilll ththee commissiocommissionn thathatt hihiss worworkk assignassignss hishis readersreaders.. JusJustt aass abductioabductionn demanddemandss abstractivabstractivee leapleapss thathatt ignorignoree ththee fictivfictivee boundaryboundary betweebetweenn minmindd anandd naturenature,, ssoo cacann ththee samsamee methodologmethodologyy alloalloww ththee mappinmappingg ooff patternspatterns whicwhichh araree implicitlimplicitlyy suggestivsuggestivee ratheratherr thathann explicitlexplicitlyy drawndrawn.. ShortlyShortly beforbeforee hihiss untimelyuntimely deatdeathh iinn 19951995,, GilleGilless DeleuzDeleuzee wawass contemplatincontemplatingg a collaboratiocollaborationn witwithh a youngeyoungerr FrenchFrench philosophephilosopherr anandd ethicistethicist,, ononee witwithh whowhomm hhee hahadd entertaineentertainedd a long-standinlong-standingg academicacademic anandd theoreticatheoreticall rivalryrivalry,, AlaiAlainn BadiouBadiou.. 4 MucMuchh ooff Badiou'Badiou'ss philosophphilosophyy centercenterss oonn ththee 3377
emergencemergencee ooff a postmoderpostmodernn subjectsubject iinn ththee wakwakee ofof a foundingfounding event,event, anandd onon relatedrelated
questionquestionss ooff ethicsethics anandd activism,activism, anan activisactivismm thathatt isis botbothh politicallpoliticallyy anandd sociallysocially
motivatedmotivated.. ReaReadd iinn conjunctioconjunctionn witwithh ththee patternepatternedd intersectionintersectionss betweebetweenn BatesoBatesonn andand
Deleuze/GuattariDeleuze/Guattari,, yeyett anotheanotherr sesett ofof patternpatternss beginbeginss ttoo emergeemerge,, drawndrawn thithiss timtimee nonott fromfrom
expliciexplicitt referencreferencee bubutt fromfrom certaicertainn repetitionsrepetitions anandd iterationiterationss thatthat areare seductivelyseductively familiar.familiar.
IInn hihiss ongoingongoing interesinterestt inin botbothh differencedifference andand iinn patternpattern,, BatesoBatesonn notenotedd whawhatt hhee termedtermed
ththee moire phenomenon, ththee possibilitpossibilityy thathatt oneone mighmightt "investigate"investigate aann unfamiliaunfamiliarr patternpattern
bbyy combinincombiningg iitt witwithh a knowknownn seconsecondd patterpatternn andand inspectininspectingg ththee thirthirdd patterpatternn whicwhichh theythey togethetogetherr generate"generate" (Min(Mindd andand NaturNaturee 74).74). OuOutt ooff differencedifference,, patterpatternn mighmightt yeyett emergemergee inin thosthosee ververyy iterationsiterations acrossacross apparentlapparentlyy unconnecteunconnectedd philosophies.philosophies. ToTo recursivelrecursivelyy considerconsider thosethose refrainrefrainss anandd theitheirr potentialpotential applicatioapplicationn ttoo contemporarcontemporaryy issuesissues ooff criticalcritical theory,theory, environmentaenvironmentall rhetoricrhetoric,, andand ecosociaecosociall praxispraxis,, ononee mustmust firstfirst locatlocatee thosthosee patternpatternss thatthat oscillatoscillatee betweebetweenn GregorGregoryy BatesoBatesonn anandd ththee radicaradicall intellectuaintellectuall gesturinggesturing ofof thesethese contemporarycontemporary FrencFrenchh thinkers.thinkers.
GregoryGregory BatesoBatesonn foundsfounds hishis notionotionn ooff ththee cyberneticcybernetic minmindd witwithh aann interrogatiointerrogationn ofof difference,difference, a discussiondiscussion whicwhichh isis repeaterepeatedd iinn ththee worworkk ofof DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattarGuattarii anandd iinn thatthat ooff AlaiAlainn BadiouBadiou.. EachEach ofof thesthesee authorauthorss woulwouldd ultimatelultimatelyy seseee differencdifferencee aass dispersingdispersing intointo a radicallyradically multiplemultiple consistency,consistency, a heterogeneousheterogeneous SameSame thatthat isis notnot sameness,sameness, a polysemicpolysemic universauniversall singularitysingularity.. EachEach ultimatelultimatelyy looklookss ttoo a mormoree diffusediffuse ethos-theethos—the mindmind,, thethe rhizomerhizome,, thethe situation—asituation-ass a more-than-temporamore-than-temporall sitsitee ooff cyberneticcybernetic fecundityfecundity,, ooff desiringdesiring- productionproduction,, ooff subject-inducinsubject-inducingg fidelityfidelity.. TToo tractracee ththee intersectionsintersections ofof theitheirr singulasingularr voicesvoices isis ttoo reveareveall ththee resonancresonancee ofof a multivocamultivocall anandd kaleidoscopikaleidoscopicc ecologecologyy ooff mind.mind. 3838
InIn hishis autobiographicalautobiographical reflectionreflection firstfirst publishedpublished inin 1940,1940, G.H.G.H. HardyHardy wrotewrote thatthat
"a"a mathematician,mathematician, likelike a painterpainter oror a poet,poet, isis a makermaker ofof patterns"patterns" (84).(84). ItIt isis notnot byby
coincidencecoincidence thatthat eacheach ofof thesethese radicalradical thinkers,thinkers, Bateson,Bateson, Deleuze/Guattari,Deleuze/Guattari, andand Badiou,Badiou,
invokesinvokes mathematicsmathematics asas a semioticsemiotic languagelanguage withwith whichwhich toto navigatenavigate anan infiniteinfinite
potentialitypotentiality thatthat cancan onlyonly bebe realizedrealized inin thethe movemove fromfrom thethe individualizedindividualized andand culturallyculturally
constructedconstructed OneOne toto thethe universallyuniversally singularsingular 1,1, toto thatthat whichwhich isis bothboth greatergreater thanthan andand lessless
thanthan thethe linguisticlinguistic signifier.signifier. MathematicianMathematician andand culturalcultural theoristtheorist BrianBrian RotmanRotman notesnotes thatthat
formalformal mathematicmathematicss isis withoutwithout "indexical expressions,expressions, thosethose fundamentalfundamental andand universaluniversal
elementselements ofof naturalnatural languageslanguages wherebywhereby suchsuch termsterms asas 'I,''I,' 'you,''you,' 'here,''here,' 'this,''this,' asas wellwell asas
tensedtensed verbs,verbs, tietie thethe meaningmeaning ofof messagesmessages toto thethe physicalphysical contextcontext ofof theirtheir utterance"utterance" (Ad(Ad
InfinitumInfinitum 7).7). UsingUsing mathematicalmathematical notationnotation allowsallows thesethese writerswriters ttoo avoidavoid thethe limitationslimitations ofof
denotativedenotative andand connotativeconnotative grammars,grammars, allowingallowing theirtheir workwork toto bebe moremore generative,generative, moremore
genericgeneric,, andand ttoo foregroundforeground theitheirr conceptconceptss iinn a descriptivedescriptive anandd relationarelationall contextcontext,, ratherrather
thathann inin oneone constricteconstrictedd bbyy linguistilinguisticc delimitatiodelimitationn anandd overcoding.overcoding.
ItIt iiss BatesonBateson whowho recognizerecognizess thathatt "epistemology"epistemology iiss alwayalwayss anandd inevitablyinevitably personal"personal," thathatt ththee meaninmeaningg whicwhichh emergesemerges iinn ananyy relationshirelationshipp betweebetweenn thingsthings oror personspersons
oorr circumstancecircumstancess iiss constraineconstrainedd anandd constructeconstructedd bbyy ththee expressivexpressivee vehiclvehiclee useusedd ttoo mapmap thathatt relationshirelationshipp (Min(Mindd anandd NaturNaturee 82)82).. LanguagLanguagee produceproducess onlonlyy ononee sidsidee ooff anyany relationshiprelationship;; languagelanguage,, foforr BatesonBateson,, hahass a tendenctendencyy ttoo stabilizstabilizee (an(andd thuthuss to fix)fix) meaning.meaning .... .an andd thereforthereforee ttoo overlaoverlayy a temporatemporall indeindexx ontontoo a fluifluidd constructionconstruction,, ttoo locatlocatee a patterpatternn whilwhilee perhapperhapss obscurinobscuringg ththee facfactt ooff ititss mobilitymobility.. WritinWritingg thathatt "numbe"numberr iiss ooff thethe worlworldd ooff patternpattern,, gestaltgestalt,, anandd digitadigitall computation,computation,"" hhee useusess mathematicmathematicss ttoo illustrateillustrate 3939 patternpattern,, patternpatternss ofof connectioconnectionn andand comprehensiocomprehensionn andand patternpatternss ofof epistemologicaepistemologicall errorerror
(Min(Mindd anandd NaturNaturee 46).46).
BatesonBateson emphasizeemphasizess thathatt thertheree iiss a vasvastt differencedifference betweebetweenn "the"the ordinal name ofof thethe givegivenn ododdd numbenumberr andand itsits cardinal value,value,"" anandd inin thathatt differencedifference wewe movmovee toto recognizrecognizee thathatt thertheree iiss a vasvastt differencdifferencee betweebetweenn ththee linguisticalllinguisticallyy fixefixedd anandd subjectivelysubjectively isolatableisolatable OneOne andand ththee materiamateriall andand integraintegrall 1 (Mind(Mind anandd NaturNaturee 71)71).. DeleuzDeleuzee andand
GuattariGuattari pursupursuee mucmuchh thethe samesame distinctiondistinction iinn theitheirr notionnotion ooff ththee numberenumberedd numbenumberr (again,(again, one,one, twotwo,, threethree)) andand ththee numberinnumberingg numbenumberr (1,2,3(1,2,3)) whicwhichh representrepresentss forfor thethemm "the"the countersignifYingcountersignifying semioticsemiotic...... a numericanumericall signsign thathatt iiss nonott produceproducedd bbyy somethinsomethingg outsideoutside ththee systesystemm ofof markinmarkingg iitt institutes"institutes" (118)(118).. TheTheyy combinecombine numbenumberr andand languaglanguagee inin a seriesseries ofof equationequationss intendedintended ttoo deterritorializdeterritorializee familiafamiliarr perceptionsperceptions,, ttoo creatcreatee rupturerupturess iinn habitualhabitual thoughthoughtt processesprocesses,, andand toto escapescapee ththee limitationslimitations ofof ththee culturallculturallyy boundbound anandd bindingbinding linguistilinguisticc semiotic.semiotic. BadiouBadiou goesgoes eveneven fartherfarther;; "for"for BadiouBadiou,, mathematicmathematicss iiss ontology,"ontology," andand mathematicmathematicss isis thereforthereforee ththee mosmostt appropriatappropriatee languaglanguagee foforr articulatingarticulating hihiss philosophyphilosophy
(Feltham(Feltham andand ClemensClemens 10).10). MucMuchh ooff hihiss worworkk iiss couchedcouched iinn termtermss ofof equationsequations andand formulasformulas,, semiotisemioticc expressionexpressionss ofof relationshiprelationship andand patterpatternn thathatt yielyieldd botbothh connectioconnectionn andand contradictiocontradictionn whewhenn consideredconsidered alongsidealongside ththee worworkk ooff BatesoBatesonn anandd DeleuzDeleuzee andand GuattariGuattari iinn plateauplateauss ooff interactiointeractionn withiwithinn whicwhichh mindmindss becombecomee Mind.Mind.
DifferencDifferencee (n(n -1-1)) = MultiplicityMultiplicity 1:11:1 :j:± OneOne
I suggestsuggest toto you,you, now,now, thatthat thethe wordword "idea,""idea," inin itsits mostmost elementaryelementary sense,sense, isis synonymoussynonymous witwithh "difference.""difference." KantKant,, iinn ththee Critique of JudgmentJudgment-if —if I understanunderstandd hihimm correctlycorrectly— assertassertss thathatt ththee mosmostt elementaryelementary aesthetiaestheticc acactt iiss ththee selectionselection ooff a factfact.. HHee arguearguess thathatt iinn a piecpiecee ofof chalkchalk thertheree areare aann infiniteinfinite numbenumberr ooff potentiapotentiall factsfacts. ... .1.1 suggestsuggest thathatt Kant'sKant's statemenstatementt cacann bbee modifiemodifiedd ttoo saysay thathatt thertheree iiss aann infinitinfinitee numbenumberr ooff differencesdifferences aroundaround 4040 andand withinwithin thethe piecepiece ofof chalkchalk...... An Andd withinwithin thethe piecepiece ofof chalk,chalk, therethere isis forfor everyevery moleculemolecule anan infiniteinfinite numbernumber ofof differencesdifferences betweenbetween itsits locationlocation andand thethe locationslocations inin whichwhich itit mightmight havehave been.been. OfthisOf this infinitude,infinitude, wewe selectselect a veryvery limitedlimited number,number, whichwhich becomebecome information.information. InIn fact,fact, whatwhat wewe meanmean byby information-theinformation—the elementaryelementary unitunit ofof information-isinformation—is a difference which makes a difference (Gregory(Gregory Bateson,Bateson, StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof MindMind 459).459).
TheThe diagonaldiagonal freesfrees itself,itself, breaksbreaks oror twists.twists. TheThe lineline nono longerlonger formsforms a contour,contour, andand insteadinstead passespasses between things,things, between points.points. ItIt belongsbelongs toto a smoothsmooth space.space. ItIt drawsdraws a planeplane thatthat hashas nono moremore dimensionsdimensions thanthan thatthat whichwhich crossescrosses it;it; thereforetherefore thethe multiplicitymultiplicity itit constitutesconstitutes isis nono longerlonger subordinatedsubordinated toto thethe One,One, butbut takestakes onon a consistencyconsistency ofof itsits ownown (Deleuze(Deleuze andand Guattari,Guattari, A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus 505).505).
[G]enuine[GJenuine thoughtthought shouldshould affirmaffirm thethe followingfollowing principle:principle: sincesince differencesdifferences areare whatwhat therethere is,is, andand sincesince everyevery truthtruth isis thethe coming-to-becoming-to-be ofof thathatt whichwhich isis notnot yet,yet, soso differencesdifferences areare thenthen preciselyprecisely whatwhat truthstruths depose,depose, oror renderenderr insignificant.insignificant. NoNo lightlight isis shedshed onon anyany concreteconcrete situationsituation byby thethe notionnotion ofof thethe 'recognition'recognition ofof thethe other'other' (Alain(Alain Badiou,Badiou, EthicsEthics 27).27).
InIn oneone ofof severalseveral "Metalogues""Metalogues" withwith whichwhich hehe beginsbegins StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof
MindMind,, GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's interlocutoryinterlocutory voicevoice respondsresponds ttoo thethe questionquestion "Why"Why dodo thingsthings havhavee outlines?outlines?"" witwithh a mormoree provocativprovocativee questionquestion,, "Do"Do yoyouu meameann 'Wh'Whyy ddoo wwee givegive thingthingss outlineoutliness whewhenn wwee dradraww them?them?'' oorr dodo yoyouu meameann thathatt ththee thingthingss have outlinesoutlines whethewhetherr wwee dradraww themthem oorr not?not?"" (Step(Stepss 27)27).. HiHiss exploratioexplorationn ooff ththee notionotionn ofof differencedifference isis interwoveninterwoven witwithh hishis interestinterest inin issueissuess ooff patterpatternn anandd symmetry.symmetry. AAss hihiss disciplinarydisciplinary affiliatioaffiliationn movemovedd througthroughh biologbiologyy ttoo anthropologanthropologyy anandd acrossacross psychologpsychologyy intointo cyberneticscybernetics,, hhee begabegann ttoo formulatformulatee a notionotionn ooff differencdifferencee aass aann operatiooperationn iinn mentalmental processprocess,, ththee predominanpredominantt functiofunctionn iinn ththee consciouconsciouss mindmind.. IInn a 19541954 papepaperr BatesonBateson suggestsuggestss thathatt ththee humahumann minmindd reliereliess oonn ththee impositioimpositionn ooff differencdifferencee iinn ordeorderr ttoo avoiavoidd thethe discomfortdiscomfortss produceproducedd bbyy abstractioabstractionn (Step(Stepss 189).189). BByy 19691969,, hhee simplsimplyy statestatess thathatt "a"a differencdifferencee whicwhichh makemakess a differencdifferencee is aann ideaidea.. IItt iiss a 'bit,'bit,'' a uniunitt ooff informationinformation"" (Steps(Steps
272)272).. DifferencDifferencee iiss descriptivdescriptivee anandd discriminatorydiscriminatory;; vieweviewedd aass a procesprocesss oorr a practicepractice,, iitt iiss ththee abilitabilityy ttoo segregatsegregatee anandd ttoo isolateisolate,, ttoo categorizcategorizee anandd ttoo classifyclassify,, ttoo identifidentifyy thethe 4141 concreteconcrete elementselements oror relatarelata thatthat areare partpart ofof (or(or thatthat areare notnot partpart of)of) a systemsystem oror set.set. TheThe abilityability toto makemake distinctionsdistinctions aboutabout levelslevels ofof meaningmeaning isis ofof a higherhigher orderorder ofof mentalmental processprocess thanthan thethe abilityability toto distinguishdistinguish betweenbetween thisthis materialmaterial thingthing andand thatthat materialmaterial thing,thing, betweenbetween thisthis objectobject whichwhich I namename "cat""cat" andand thatthat objectobject whichwhich I namename "horse"."horse". ForFor Bateson,Bateson, thethe impositionimposition ofof differencedifference asas a concreteconcrete delimiterdelimiter ofof thingsthings isis thethe firstfirst stepstep inin a progressiveprogressive movementmovement ofleamingof learning thatthat mustmust ultimatelyultimately exceedexceed itself.itself. JustJust asas anan ideaidea isis informationinformation ofof a difference,difference, soso a differencedifference isis itselfitself onlyonly anan idea.idea. DifferenceDifference isis neitherneither materialmaterial nornor measurable;measurable; itit isis ratherrather thethe representationrepresentation ofof a relationship.5relationship.5 DifferenceDifference maymay bebe consideredconsidered herehere notnot asas a limitation,limitation, nornor asas a set of attributes, butbut asas thatthat irreducibleirreducible andand liminalliminal spacespace whereinwherein meaningmeaning maymay bebe drawn,drawn, inin thethe mostmost literalliteral fashion,fashion, byby imposingimposing outlines.outlines. DifferenceDifference andand SamenessSameness areare thusthus merelymerely qualitiesqualities thatthat emergeemerge onon eithereither sideside ofof thethe outlinesoutlines themselves;themselves; theythey areare effectseffects ofof comparison,comparison, perspectivesperspectives ratherrather thanthan quantitiesquantities,, anandd areare thuthuss mutablemutable,, volatilvolatilee conventionsconventions ooff perceptioperceptionn ratheratherr thathann essencesessences ooff beingbeing.. TheThe communicationcommunication ofaof a differencedifference (o(orr asas BatesonBateson specifiesspecifies,, newnewss oofaf a differencdifferencee thathatt makemakess a differencedifference)) iiss information,information, aann ideideaa ratheratherr thanthan a truthtruth.. IfIf differencdifferencee iiss ththee warwarpp ofof mentamentall processprocess,, thethenn informationinformation iiss thethe weft,weft, whicwhichh movesmoves overover anandd underunder,, througthroughh anandd betweenbetween,, ththee outlineoutliness thathatt knowinknowingg producesproduces.. FoForr Bateson,Bateson, differencdifferencee iiss ththee coicoinn ooff ththee realrealmm ooff mentamentall processprocess;; iiff "min"mindd iiss aann aggregataggregatee ofof interactininteractingg partpartss oorr components,components,"" thethenn ththee interactiointeractionn betweebetweenn thosthosee partpartss thathatt iiss thethe sourcsourcee ooff ititss coherenccoherencee aass minmindd iiss ththee perceptioperceptionn ooff discontinuitdiscontinuityy (Min(Mindd anandd NaturNaturee 85)85)..
ThiThiss perceptioperceptionn ooff differencdifferencee hhee thuthuss definedefiness aass "a"ann eventevent,, a stestepp function,function,"" ononee thatthat triggertriggerss oorr causecausess eventeventss oorr changechangess whicwhichh inducinducee ththee aggregatioaggregationn ooff mindmindss iinn thethe forminformingg ooff outlinesoutlines,, ththee drawindrawingg ooff distinctionsdistinctions.. UnarticulateUnarticulatedd differencedifferencess havhavee nnoo 4242 materiality-"thosemateriality—"those distinctionsdistinctions thatthat remainremain undrawnundrawn areare not" (Mind(Mind andand NatureNature 90).90).
LikeLike Kant,Kant, BatesonBateson acknowledgesacknowledges thatthat a plenitudeplenitude ofof differencesdifferences aboundsabounds inin thethe ongoingongoing contextcontext ofof ourour existence,existence, butbut hehe isis onlyonly interestedinterested (and(and can onlyonly bebe interested)interested) inin thosethose
6 differencesdifferences whichwhich makemake a difference.difference. 6
DeleuzeDeleuze andand GuattariGuattari focusfocus onon differencedifference asas convention,convention, asas a semanticsemantic paradoxparadox ofof descriptiondescription thatthat arisesarises outout ofof a communicativecommunicative necessity:necessity: "in"in orderorder toto designatedesignate somethingsomething exactly,exactly, anexactanexact expressionsexpressions areare utterlyutterly unavoidable.unavoidable. NotNot atat allall becausebecause itit isis a necessarynecessary stepstep oror becausbecausee oneone cancan onlyonly advanceadvance bbyy approximationsapproximations...... i itt isis thethe exactexact passagpassagee ofof thatthat whichwhich isis underunder way"way" (20).(20). DifferenceDifference capturedcaptured andand reifiedreified asas a negativenegative thematicthematic appearsappears throughoutthroughout A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus asas signification,signification, asas segmentation,segmentation, asas sedentarity,sedentarity, asas a tracing,tracing, a boundary.boundary. DifferenceDifference isis a distraction,distraction, anan artificialartificial constructconstruct thathatt cancan onlyonly bebe seenseen asas nonproductive;nonproductive; itit isis a discriminationdiscrimination thatthat wilwilll dissipatedissipate inin ththee movmovee toto thethe rhizomatirhizomaticc middlemiddle,, a vectovectorr thathatt wilwilll "nullify"nullify endingendingss anandd beginningsbeginnings"" (25)(25).. DifferenceDifference reifiedreified,, differencdifferencee abstracteabstractedd frofromm ititss processuaprocessuall rolrolee aatt ththee intersectiointersectionn ooff significationsignification anandd subjectivitysubjectivity becomebecomess differencdifferencee concretizeconcretizedd asas facialityfaciality,, aass ththee faceface,, aass singularsingular identityidentity,, "the"the white wall/black hole system"system" (167)(167).. FocusinFocusingg ththee gazegaze oonn differencedifference leadsleads ttoo botbothh ththee inwarinwardd recognitiorecognitionn ooff a separateseparate selselff anandd ththee outwaroutwardd perceptioperceptionn ooff ththee other;other; iinn eitheeitherr casecase,, differencdifferencee produceproducess ththee starklstarklyy definedefinedd outlineoutliness thathatt areare descriptive/definitivdescriptive/definitivee ooff CartesiaCartesiann dualityduality,, outlineoutliness thathatt servservee ttoo imprisoimprisonn anandd ttoo restrict.restrict.
FoForr DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari,, "the"the facfacee iiss a politics,politics,"" anandd differencdifferencee iiss a manifestatiomanifestationn ofof sociasociall powepowerr thathatt reinscribereinscribess lineliness ooff hegemonhegemonyy ratheratherr thathann lineliness ooff flighflightt (181)(181)..
SegmentaritSegmentarityy carvecarvess ououtt ththee singulasingularr anandd produceproducess lineliness thathatt becombecomee impenetrableimpenetrable boundarieboundariess preventinpreventingg ththee formatioformationn ooff multiplicitiemultiplicitiess anandd ththee becoming-potentiabecoming-potentiall thathatt iiss 4343 notnot attainableattainable inin thethe homogeneityhomogeneity ofof thethe One.One. InIn thatthat 'hole-ism"'hole-ism" thatthat resultsresults fromfrom thethe singularizingsingularizing effecteffect ofof difference,difference, therethere isis notnot plenitudeplenitude butbut emptiness;emptiness; identityidentity predicatedpredicated onon differencedifference isis trappedtrapped inin a pitpit ofof itsits ownown making.making.
ForFor Badiou,Badiou, differencedifference isis bothboth fundamentalfundamental andand problematic;problematic; itsits invocationinvocation isis thethe basisbasis forfor mostmost humanisthumanist ethics,ethics, andand itsits reinscriptionreinscription throughthrough thatthat discoursediscourse defeatsdefeats hishis fundamentalfundamental projectproject whereinwherein a truth-processtruth-process cancan emerge.emerge. RecallRecall thatthat forfor Bateson,Bateson, newsnews ofof a differencedifference constitutesconstitutes information,information, whichwhich inin thethe unconsciousunconscious mindmind conveysconveys somethingsomething aboutabout relationshipsrelationships andand servesserves toto sparkspark thethe integrationintegration ofof elementselements thatthat coherescoheres inin thethe aggregateaggregate hehe callscalls a mind.mind. CapturedCaptured inin languagelanguage byby thethe consciousconscious mind,mind, however,however, differencedifference becomesbecomes somethingsomething else.else. ConsciousnessConsciousness "talks"talks aboutabout thingsthings oror persons,"persons," whichwhich quantifiesquantifies andand localizeslocalizes differencedifference asas limitationlimitation (Steps(Steps 139).139). BadiouBadiou namenamess notnot informationinformation butbut opinionopinion asas "the"the primaryprimary materialmaterial ofof allall communication,"communication" whichwhich inin a likelike mannemannerr servesserves ttoo circulatcirculatee newnewss ooff differencedifference;; whilwhilee opinioopinionn alsalsoo servesserves ttoo consolidateconsolidate humanityhumanity alongalong thethe lineslines ooff differencedifferencess thathatt areare constitutivconstitutivee ofof identitiesidentities,, iitt iiss "beneath"beneath ththee trutruee anandd ththee falsefalse,, preciselpreciselyy becausbecausee ititss solsolee officofficee iiss toto bbee communicablecommunicable"" (Ethic(Ethicss 50-50-
51).51). IdentifyinIdentifyingg iinn contemporarycontemporary ethicsethics ththee continuedcontinued colonizatiocolonizationn ooff ththee OtherOther bbyy anan insistencinsistencee upouponn a "righ"rightt ttoo differencedifference"" thathatt presupposepresupposess (an(andd thereforthereforee redoublesredoubles)) anan inferioritinferiorityy assumeassumedd iinn thathatt alterityalterity,, BadioBadiouu proposeproposess a radicallradicallyy alternativalternativee approach.approach.
BeginninBeginningg witwithh ththee assumptioassumptionn thathatt "infinit"infinitee alteritalterityy iiss quitquitee simplsimplyy what there is,"is"
BadioBadiouu proposeproposess ttoo founfoundd hihiss ontologontologyy nonott iinn whawhatt is, "th"thee infinitinfinitee multiplicitmUltiplicityy ofof differences,differences,"" bubutt iinn ththee SameSame,, iinn "wha"whatt comes to be" (Ethic(Ethicss 25-27)25-27).. DifferencDifferencee iiss notnot swepsweptt away—iaway-inn a truth-procestruth-processs iitt iiss nonott recognizerecognizedd oorr outlined. BecausBecausee differencdifferencee iiss a priori,priori, foforr allall,, iitt cannocannott functiofunctionn aass a delimitindelimitingg factor. 7 A truthtruth,, whicwhichh iiss "indifferent to 4444
differences"differences," inin itsits emergencemergencee throughthrough a truth-processtruth-process,, makesmakes possiblpossiblee ththee adventadvent ofof thethe
SamSamee (Ethics(Ethics 27).27).
HowHow mighmightt thesthesee ververyy differentdifferent notionnotionss ofof differencedifference servservee ttoo informinform oror toto
problematizproblematizee oneone anotheranother?? BatesoBatesonn emphasizeemphasizess thathatt anan unacknowledgeunacknowledgedd differencedifference hashas
nnoo meaningmeaning;; iitt produceproducess nnoo informationinformation andand isis consequentlconsequentlyy unrecognizedunrecognized.. MentalMental
procesprocesss isis characterizedcharacterized bbyy somsomee triggerintriggeringg event/changevent/changee thatthat,, whilewhile initiatedinitiated iinn newnewss ooff a
differencdifferencee thathatt makemakess a difference,difference, iiss itselfitself nonott ththee separationseparation intointo identityidentity bubutt ratheratherr thethe
coherenccoherencee ofof mindmind,, ththee aggregatioaggregationn oror assemblageassemblage ofof multiplmultiplee partpartss intintoo somsomee greatergreater wholwholee whicwhichh isis itselfitself dynamic,dynamic, cyberneticcybernetic.. PatterPatternn isis botbothh connecteconnectedd anandd connecting,connecting, thethe
expressioexpressionn ofof mind'mind'ss aggregationaggregation andand yeyett excessiveexcessive,, more-thamore-thann ththee perceptionperceptionss thatthat recognizrecognizee itit.. Difference/alterity/opinioDifference/alterity/opinionn resonateresonatess beneatbeneathh andand throughouthroughoutt aann ecologecologyy ofof minmindd oorr aann ontologicaontologicall situationsituation;; truthtruth,, whicwhichh forfor BadioBadiouu signalssignals ththee coming-to-becoming-to-be ooff thethe
SameSame isis onlonlyy enabledenabled bbyy aann eventevent,, a rupture.rupture .... .an andd hohoww iiss thathatt nonott comparablcomparablee toto
Bateson'Bateson'ss notionotionn thathatt newnewss ooff differencdifferencee enablesenables thethe coming-to-becoming-to-be ofof a mindmind inin thethe alteredaltered perceptioperceptionn thathatt cancan onlyonly bbee facilitatefacilitatedd bbyy a rupturrupturee inin pattern:pattern:
BuButt ththee patterpatternn mamayy bbee changechangedd oror brokebrokenn bbyy additionaddition,, byby repetitionrepetition,, bbyy anythinganything thathatt wilwilll forceforce yoyouu ttoo a neneww perceptioperceptionn ooff it,it, andand thesthesee changechangess cancan nevernever bbee predictepredictedd withwith absolutabsolutee certaintycertainty becausbecausee theythey havhavee nonott yeyett happenedhappened.. (Mind(Mind anandd NaturNaturee 26)26)
BadioBadiouu repeatedlrepeatedlyy addressesaddresses thethe ideaidea ooff culturaculturall differencedifferencess andand theitheirr limitationslimitations
o on the kinds of potential that truth-processes are intended to generate. 8 For Badiou, on the kinds of potential that truth-processes are intended to generate. For Badiou, identity politics becomes an autopoietic limitation rather than an evental site for the identity politics becomes an autopoietic limitation rather than an evental site for the emergence of a truth-process. In Saint Paul he writes that "neither can a truth procedure emergence of a truth-process. In Saint Paul he writes that "neither can a truth procedure take root in the element of identity. For ifit is true that every truth erupts as singular, its take root in the element of identity. For if it is true that every truth erupts as singular, its singularity is immediately universalizable. Universalizable singularity necessarily breaks singularity is immediately universalizable. Universalizable singularity necessarily breaks 4545 witwithh identitarianidentitarian singularity"singularity" (Saint(Saint PauPaull 11).11). UniversalizableUniversalizable singularitysingularity cancan bebe restatedrestated asas ththee numberinnumberingg numbenumberr 1,91,9 whilewhile identarianidentarian singularitysingularity findsfinds itselfitself connotativelyconnotatively andand denotativelydenotatively outlinedoutlined inin ththee semioticsemiotic One,One, inin ththee conceptualconceptual signifiedsignified thathatt reinscribereinscribess thethe
SubjectSubject andand thethe subjective.subjective. BadioBadiouu arguesargues thathatt ththee fragmentationfragmentation ofof contemporarycontemporary societysociety isis deliberatelydeliberately sustainedsustained bbyy thethe marketplace:marketplace:
ForFor eaceachh identificationidentification (the(the creationcreation oror cobblingcobbling togethetogetherr ofof identity)identity) createscreates a figurefigure thatthat providesprovides a materialmaterial forfor itsits investmentinvestment bbyy ththee market.market. ThereThere iiss nothinnothingg moremore captive,captive, soso farfar asas commercialcommercial investmentinvestment isis concerned,concerned, nothingnothing moremore amenable ttoo ththee inventioinventionn ofof newnew figuresfigures ofof monetarymonetary homogeneity,homogeneity, thathann a communitycommunity andand itsits territoryterritory oror territories.territories. ThThee semblancesemblance ofof a nonequivalencnonequivalencee isis requiredrequired soso thathatt equivalenceequivalence itselfitself cacann constitutconstitutee a process.process. WhatWhat inexhaustibleinexhaustible potentiapotentiall forfor mercantilemercantile investmentsinvestments inin thisthis upsurge—takinupsurge-takingg thethe formform ofof communitiescommunities demandingdemanding recognitiorecognitionn andand so-calledso-called culturalcultural singularities--ofsingularities—of women,women, homosexualshomosexuals,, thethe disabled,disabled, Arabs!Arabs! AndAnd thesthesee infiniteinfinite combinationscombinations ofof predictivepredictive traitstraits,, whawhatt a god-sendgod-send!! BlackBlack homosexualshomosexuals,, disabledisabledd Serbs,Serbs, CatholicCatholic pedophiles,pedophiles, moderatmoderatee MuslimsMuslims,, marriedmarried priestspriests,, ecologistecologist yuppiesyuppies...... Capita Capitall demanddemandss a permanenpermanentt creationcreation ofof subjectivesubjective andand territoriaterritoriall identitiesidentities inin orderorder foforr itsits principleprinciple ofof movemenmovementt toto homogenizhomogenizee itsits spacespace ofof action;action; identities,identities, moreovermoreover,, thathatt neveneverr demanddemand anythinganything bubutt ththee rightright toto bebe exposedexposed inin ththee samesame wayway aass otherotherss toto ththee uniformuniform prerogativeprerogativess ofof thethe marketmarket (Ethics(Ethics 110-11)0-1 1)..
TheThe manipulationmanipulation ofof differencedifference asas a meanmeanss ofof maintaininmaintainingg andand eveneven producinproducingg newnew marketmarketss forfor capitalismcapitalism isis a cautionarcautionaryy notenote thatthat BadiouBadiou revisitrevisitss inin hishis politicalpolitical philosophy.philosophy.
HHee findsfinds equallyequally dangerousdangerous ththee tendencytendency forfor identitarianidentitarian logiclogic toto ggoo a stepstep further,further, valorizinvalorizingg itsits ownown differencedifference byby positinpositingg "that"that thithiss culture'sculture's constitutiveconstitutive elementselements areare onlonlyy fullyfully comprehensiblecomprehensible oonn ththee conditioncondition thatthat oneone belonbelongg toto ththee subsetsubset inin question,"question," a conditioconditionn thathatt bbyy itsits naturnaturee preventpreventss thethe eventaeventall appearanceappearance ofof a truth-procestruth-processs (Saint(Saint PaulPaul
12).10 4646
ConsistencyConsistency AndAnd...... AndAnd...... AndAnd NotNot AllAll
TheThe Same,Same, inin effect,effect, isis notnot whatwhat isis (i.e.(i.e. thethe infiniteinfinite multiplicitymultiplicity ofof differences)differences) butbut whatwhat comes to be. I havehave alreadyalready namednamed thatthat inin regardregard toto whichwhich onlyonly thethe adventadvent ofof thethe SameSame occurs:occurs: itit isis a truth. OnlyOnly a truthtruth is,is, asas such,such, indifferent to differences (Alain(Alain Badiou,Badiou, EthicsEthics 27).27).
AllAll thethe materialmaterial ofof humanhuman multiplicitymultiplicity cancan bebe fashioned,fashioned, linked,linked, byby a 'consistency''consistency' (Alain(Alain Badiou,Badiou, EthicsEthics 48).48).
LetLet usus summarizesummarize thethe principleprinciple characteristicscharacteristics ofof a rhizome:rhizome: unlikeunlike treestrees oror theirtheir roots,roots, thethe rhizomerhizome connectsconnects anyany pointpoint toto anyany otherother point,point, andand itsits traitstraits areare notnot necessarilynecessarily linkedlinked toto traitstraits ofof thethe samesame naturenature...... Th Thee rhizomerhizome isis reduciblereducible neitherneither toto ththee OneOne nornor thethe multiplemultiple (Deleuze(Deleuze andand Guattari,Guattari, A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus 21).21).
NothinNothingg willwill enterenter memory,memory, everythingeverything waswas onon thethe line,line, betweenbetween thethe lines,lines, inin thethe ANDAND thatthat mademade oneone and thethe otherother imperceptible,imperceptible, withoutwithout disjunctiondisjunction oror conjunctionconjunction butbut onlyonly a lineline ofof flightflight foreverforever inin thethe processprocess ofof beingbeing drawn,drawn, towartowardd a newnew acceptance,acceptance, thethe oppositeopposite ofof renunciationrenunciation oror resignation-aresignation—a newnew happiness?happiness? (Deleuze(Deleuze andand Guattari,Guattari, A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus 206-207).206-207).
WhaWhatt ifif "Truth"Truth"" inin somesome ververyy larglargee and,and, forfor usus,, overridinoverridingg sensesense iiss informatioinformationn nonott aboutabout what wwee perceivperceivee (the(the greegreenn leavesleaves,, ththee stones,stones, thathatt voicevoice,, thathatt faceface)) bubutt abouaboutt ththee processprocess ofof perception?perception? (Gregory(Gregory BatesonBateson,, SacredSacred UnitUnityy 227)227)
ThatThat iiss anan elementarelementaryy exampleexample ofof somethingsomething whicwhichh iiss aatt ththee rootrootss ofof beautbeautyy andand somethingsomething whicwhichh isis aatt ththee rootrootss ooff ththee sacred.sacred. ItIt isis atat ththee rootrootss ofof hohoww ththee worlworldd tendtendss toto bebe a unifieunifiedd worlworldd anandd nonott a dualistidualisticc worlworldd (Gregory(Gregory Bateson,Bateson, A SacredSacred UnitUnityy 300)300)
BadioBadiouu identifieidentifiess "three"three majomajorr dimensiondimensionss ooff a truth-process,truth-process,"" whicwhichh hhee conceivesconceives ooff aass ththee event, a rupturrupturee iinn ordinarordinaryy processprocess,, a turturnn thathatt iiss immanenimmanentt iinn a specificspecific situatiosituationn anandd yeyett iiss nonott limitelimitedd oorr bounboundd bbyy ththee conditionconditionss ooff thathatt situationsituation,, ththejidelity,e fidelity, whicwhichh representrepresentss ththee vibratorvibratoryy emanatioemanationn thathatt iiss botbothh ththee residuresiduee ooff ththee eveneventt anandd thethe infinitinfinitee vectovectorr ooff procesprocesss iitt generatesgenerates,, anandd ththee truth, "wha"whatt ththee fidelitfidelityy gathergatherss togethertogether anandd produces,produces,"" whicwhichh iinn turtumn callcallss fortforthh oorr produceproducess aann ImmortaImmortall subjecsubjectt (Ethic(Ethicss 67-68)67-68)..
TrutTruthh iiss new, potentpotent,, generativegenerative;; iitt iiss revealerevealedd bbyy ththee eveneventt whicwhichh rupturerupturess ththee voivoidd ooff ththee
situationsituation,, whicwhichh punctuatepunctuatess ththee plenitudplenitudee ooff knowledgknowledgee thathatt previouslpreviouslyy obscureobscuredd thithiss 4747 universaluniversal singularity.singularity. TruthTruth andand thethe fidelityfidelity whichwhich gathersgathers itit induceinduce a subject.subject. A subjectsubject isis
"a"a locallocal actact ofof truth,"truth," a "point"point ofof truth"truth" foundedfounded inin materialmaterial humanhuman bodiesbodies thatthat participateparticipate inin thethe composingcomposing ofof a subject,subject, whichwhich isis a consistencyconsistency notnot limitedlimited toto a singlesingle corporealcorporeal body-abody—a subjectsubject maymay appearappear inin a workwork ofof art,art, a scientificscientific theory,theory, a politicalpolitical movement,movement, oror inin a pairpair ofloversof lovers (Infinite(Infinite ThoughtThought 47,47, EthicsEthics 44).1144).11 InIn thisthis processprocess ofof becoming-subject,becoming-subject,
"the"the 'some-one''some-one' thusthus caughtcaught upup inin whatwhat attestsattests thatthat hehe belongsbelongs toto thethe truth-processtruth-process asas ononee ofof itsits foundation-pointsfoundation-points isis simultaneouslysimultaneously himself, nothingnothing otherother thanthan himself,himself, a multiplemultiple singularitysingularity recognizablerecognizable amongamong allall others,others, andand in excess of himself, becausebecause thethe uncertainuncertain coursecourse...... o offidelityf fidelity passes through him" (Ethics(Ethics 45).45). CriticalCritical toto hishis argumentargument isis Badiou'sBadiou's insistenceinsistence thatthat thethe trajectorytrajectory ofof a truthtruth isis botbothh ongoingongoing andand consistent;consistent; truthtruth isis conceivedconceived notnot asas thethe universal,universal, total,total, oror essential truth-theretruth—there isis nono unifiedunified truth.truth. Rather,Rather, thethe excessexcess whichwhich emergesemerges inin a subjectsubject inducedinduced byby truthtruth isis linkedlinked toto thethe voidvoid fromfrom whichwhich itit emerges;emerges; iitt iiss unknowunknownn andand unchosenunchosen,, nonott somethinsomethingg whicwhichh cacann bbee decidedecidedd oonn betweebetweenn specificspecific elementelementss knowknownn a priorpriorii iinn a situation.situation. ItIt iiss thithiss ververyy not-knownot-knownn (and(and inin a BatesonianBatesonian way,way, unconsciousunconscious)) excesexcesss whicwhichh givegivess consistencconsistencyy toto ththee truttruthh processprocess;; itit iiss thathatt whicwhichh iiss universalluniversallyy singular,singular, ooff ththee Same,Same, whicwhichh convokeconvokess ititss subjecsubjectt ououtt ooff differencedifference andand intointo samenessamenesss anandd whicwhichh formformss itselitselff arounaroundd ththee potentialitpotentialityy presentpresent,, yeyett until-nowuntil-now unrecognizedunrecognized,, iinn ththee situation.situation.
IItt iiss onlonlyy iinn a becoming-trutbecoming-truthh thathatt ththee advenadventt oorr comincomingg ooff ththee SamSamee cacann occuroccur.. IItt iiss nonott ththee additioadditionn ooff ononee ttoo ononee bubutt ratheratherr aann iterativiterativee conjunctionconjunction,, a multiplicitmultiplicityy thathatt iiss accomplisheaccomplishedd bbyy becominbecomingg "lik"likee everybodeverybodyy else,else,"" ththee abilitabilityy ttoo painpaintt oneseloneselff ououtt ooff foregrounforegroundd anandd intintoo ththee backgroundbackground.. DifferencDifferencee iiss subsumesubsumedd bbyy ththee multiplicitymultiplicity.. IItt iiss "th"thee magimagicc formulformulaa wwee alalll seek—PLURALISseek-PLURALISMM = MONISMMONISM"" ((AA ThousanThousandd PlateauPlateauss 20)20).. FoForr 4848
DeleuzDeleuzee anandd Guattari,Guattari, ththee nonlineanonlinearr metaphometaphorr ofof ththee rhizomrhizomee aass a liminaliminall spacespace whicwhichh "is"is
alwaysalways iinn ththee middlemiddle,, betweebetweenn thingsthings,, interbeinginterbeing"" suggestsuggestss generativgenerativee potentiapotentiall iinn a
combinatorycombinatory multiplicitymultiplicity;; "the"the rhizomrhizomee iiss ththee conjunction"conjunction" (25).(25). TherTheree iiss inin thithiss smoothsmooth
spacespace a consistencconsistencyy thathatt isis alsalsoo constructeconstructedd inin differencdifferencee yeyett indifferenindifferentt ttoo it;it; defineddefined asas
haecceityhaecceity,, iitt isis intensitintensityy yeyett nonott homogeneityhomogeneity,, "a"a powerfupowerfull nonorganinonorganicc liflifee thatthat escapesescapes
ththee stratastrata,, cutcutss acrossacross assemblagesassemblages,, andand drawsdraws aann abstracabstractt linlinee withouwithoutt contourcontour"" (507).(507).
GuattariGuattari woulwouldd latelaterr notnotee thathatt "n"noo existentialexistential approacapproachh hahass prioritpriorityy overover
another.another .... .Relationshi Relationshipp ttoo ththee otherother doedoess nonott proceeproceedd througthroughh identificatioidentificationn witwithh a
preexistinpreexistingg icon,icon, inhereninherentt ttoo eacheach individual"individual" (Chaosmosi(Chaosmosiss 95)95).. ImpliciImplicitt inin DeleuzDeleuzee andand
Guattari'Guattari'ss notionotionn ofof thithiss SameSame iiss thathatt individualitindividualityy iiss nonott eradicatederadicated iinn multiplicitymultiplicity;; inin
conjunctionconjunction,, iinn haecceityhaecceity,, ththee individuaindividuall iiss nonott loslostt bubutt iiss intensified,intensified, becoming-excessive.becoming-excessive.
BatesoBatesonn alsalsoo longlongss ttoo defindefinee aass a kinkindd ooff monismonismm ththee abilityability ttoo movmovee fromfrom thethe dualismdualism ofof ththee traditionatraditionall mind/bodmind/bodyy distinctiodistinctionn beyonbeyondd ththee singularsingular SelfSelf toto thethe universaluniversal procesprocesss oror systemsystem hhee callcallss "Mind.""Mind." ThisThis lossloss ooff singularitsingularityy inin a unifyinunifyingg nonlinearitynonlinearity isis forfor BatesoBatesonn ththee promispromisee ooff ththee aesthetiaestheticc ooff ththee sacredsacred.. HHee writeswrites,, "We"We havhavee loslostt a wholenesswholeness ooff beinbeingg whicwhichh woulwouldd includincludee 'that'that'' anandd ththee 'other'other'' sideside together..together .... TheThe damagdamagee isis ththee takintakingg apartapart.. ThThee sacrednessacrednesss iiss ththee comingcoming togethertogether"" (Sacred(Sacred UnitUnityy 301301--
302).302). ImpliciImplicitt inin hihiss cyberneticcybernetic modemodell ofof thathatt systemicsystemic comincomingg togethetogetherr isis anotheanotherr namename forfor ththee voidvoid,, foforr thathatt undifferentiateundifferentiatedd unnameunnamedd liminaliminall spacespace frofromm whicwhichh truttruthh maymay emerge.emerge. "All"All thathatt iiss nonott informationinformation,, nonott redundancy,redundancy, nonott forformm andand nonott restraints-isrestraints—is noisenoise,, ththee onlyonly possiblpossiblee sourcsourcee ooff new patternspatterns"" (Step(Stepss 416)416).. LikeLike Badiou,Badiou, BatesonBateson recognizerecognizess thathatt iitt iiss onlonlyy fromfrom ououtt ofof ththee voivoidd ofof ththee situation,situation, ththee un-nameun-namedd un-countedun-counted alteritalterityy thathatt iiss immanenimmanentt iinn ththee chaoticchaotic hearheartt ooff existenceexistence,, thathatt ththee truttruthh mamayy bbee gathered.gathered. 4949
OnlyOnly outout ofof thethe coherencecoherence ofof singularsingular aspectsaspects cancan a cyberneticcybernetic mindmind engenderengender a faithfulfaithful subject,subject, oneone co-evolvedco-evolved inin relationshiprelationship (organism-plus-environment)(organism-plus-environment) withwith itsits context,context, oneone initiatedinitiated inin thethe rupturalruptural differencedifference thatthat newsnews ofof a differencedifference opensopens Up.12up.12
FrameFrame I| ContextContext I| FrameFrame IntensityIntensity = 0 {0}{0}
ButBut whilewhile thethe analogyanalogy ofof thethe mathematicalmathematical setset isis perhapsperhaps overover abstract,abstract, thethe analogyanalogy oftheof the picturepicture frameframe isis excessivelyexcessively concrete.concrete. TheThe psychologicalpsychological conceptconcept whichwhich wewe areare tryingtrying toto definedefine isis neitherneither physicalphysical nornor logical.logical. Rather,Rather, thethe actualactual physicalphysical frameframe is,is, wewe believe,believe, addedadded byby humanhuman beingsbeings toto physicalphysical picturespictures becausebecause thesethese humanhuman beingbeingss operateoperate moremore easilyeasily inin a universeuniverse inin whichwhich somesome ofof theirtheir psychologicalpsychological characteristicscharacteristics areare externalizedexternalized (Gregory(Gregory Bateson,Bateson, StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof MindMind 187)187)
A BwOBwO isis mademade inin suchsuch a wayway thatthat itit cancan bebe occupied,occupied, populatedpopulated onlyonly byby intensities.intensities. OnlyOnly intensitiesintensities passpass andand circulate.circulate. Still,Still, thethe BwOBwO isis notnot a scene,scene, a place,place, oror eveneven a supportsupport uponupon whichwhich somethingsomething comescomes toto pass.pass. ItIt hashas nothingnothing toto dodo withwith phantasyphantasy,, therethere isis nothingnothing toto interpret.interpret. TheThe BwOBwO causescauses intensitiesintensities toto passpass;; itit producesproduces andand distributesdistributes themthem inin a spatium thatthat isis itselfitself intensive,intensive, lackinglacking extension.extension. ItIt isis notnot space,space, nornor isis itit inin space;space; itit isis mattematterr thathatt occupieoccupiess spacspacee ttoo a givegivenn degree—tdegree-too ththee degreedegree correspondingcorresponding ttoo thethe intensitieintensitiess producedproduced.. ItIt isis nonstratifiednonstratified,, unformedunformed,, intensintensee mattermatter,, ththee matrimatrixx ooff intensity,intensity, intensitintensityy = 00;; bubutt thertheree iiss nothinnothingg negativnegativee aboutabout thathatt zero,zero, thertheree areare nnoo negativnegativee oror oppositoppositee intensitiesintensities.. MatteMatterr equalsequals energy.energy. ProductioProductionn oftheof the reareall asas aann intensiveintensive magnitudmagnitudee startingstarting aatt zerzeroo (Deleuz(Deleuzee andand Guattari,Guattari, A ThousanThousandd PlateauPlateauss 153).153).
ThThee concepconceptt ofof ththee situatiosituationn isis especiallespeciallyy important,important, sincesince I maintaimaintainn thatthat thertheree cancan bbee nono ethicethicss iinn generalgeneral,, bubutt onlyonly anan ethiethicc ofof singularsingular truthstruths,, anandd thuthuss anan ethicethic relativrelativee ttoo a particulaparticularr situationsituation.. I nonoww accepacceptt thathatt a situatiosituationn cannocannott bbee understoounderstoodd simplysimply asas a multiplmultiplee [i.e[i.e.. aass a set]set].. WWee musmustt alsalsoo taktakee intintoo accounaccountt ththee networnetworkk ooff relationrelationss iitt sustains,sustains, whicwhichh involveinvolvess makinmakingg senssensee ooff ththee wawayy a multiplmultiplee appearappearss iinn ththee situatiosituationn (Alain(Alain BadiouBadiou,, EthicEthicss lvi)lvi)..
OnOnee ooff severaseverall themethemess thathatt flofloww acrosacrosss anandd betweebetweenn ththee worworkk ooff BatesonBateson,, ofof
DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari,, anandd ooff BadiouBadiou,, iiss a metaphorimetaphoricc ususee ooff sesett theortheoryy ttoo conveconveyy notionsnotions ooff framinframingg anandd contextcontext,, boundarieboundariess anandd relationshipsrelationships.. BatesoBatesonn useusess sesett theortheoryy aass anan abstracabstractt metaphometaphorr ttoo complemencomplementt ththee mormoree concretconcretee examplexamplee ooff ththee picturpicturee frame, whichwhich hhee useusess ttoo demonstratdemonstratee thathatt frameframess ooff referencreferencee nonott onlonlyy distinguisdistinguishh subjecsubjectt fromfrom 5050 surroundings,surroundings, figurefigure fromfrom ground,ground, butbut alsoalso thatthat framingframing constitutesconstitutes meaning,meaning, meaningmeaning whichwhich isis contingentcontingent uponupon framing.framing. Bateson'sBateson's discourse,discourse, likelike hishis examples,examples, isis metacommunicative;metacommunicative; hishis movementmovement fromfrom anthropologicalanthropological observationsobservations ofof culturalcultural interactionsinteractions throughthrough homologoushomologous biologiCalbiological structuresstructures toto anan emphasisemphasis onon thethe psychologicalpsychological interactioninteraction ofof thethe unconsciousunconscious (primary(primary process)process) withwith thethe consciousconscious
(secondary(secondary process)process) isis alwaysalways a processprocess ofof doubledouble description.description. HisHis intentintent isis toto movemove fromfrom a discussiondiscussion ofof "things"things which are related "(Steps"(Steps 153,153, emphasisemphasis added)added) toto a considerationconsideration ofof thethe relationshipsrelationships whichwhich circulatecirculate amongamong thosethose relata,relata, anan continuedcontinued movementmovement awayaway fromfrom a visionvision ofof singularsingular boundbound setssets rigidlyrigidly discriminatingdiscriminating betweenbetween logicallogical typestypes towardstowards anan understandingunderstanding ofof thethe progressiveprogressive interactioninteraction betweenbetween elements,elements, whichwhich callscalls forfor thethe moremore mobilemobile andand fluidfluid imaginaryimaginary ofof setset theory.theory. ConstrainedConstrained byby thethe logicallogical limitationslimitations imposedimposed byby Russell'sRussell's TheoryTheory ofof LogicalLogical Types,Types, BatesonBateson isis yetyet drawndrawn toto thethe productiveproductive naturnaturee ofof mathematicamathematicall sesett theorytheory,, recognizinrecognizingg thathatt ititss imaginarimaginaryy andand porouporouss bracketsbrackets offer anan intriguinintriguingg contrascontrastt ttoo ththee rigirigidd outlinesoutlines imposeimposedd bbyy psychologicapsychologicall framinframingg (Steps(Steps
186).13186).13
TheThe rigiditrigidityy inhereninherentt iinn psychologicapsychologicall framingframing supportsupportss Bateson'Bateson'ss contentioncontention thatthat classificatioclassificationn iiss aann arbitrararbitraryy propertpropertyy ooff humahumann consciousnessconsciousness,, ononee thathatt exemplifieexemplifiess a tendenctendencyy ttoo abhoabhorr abstractioabstractionn anandd ttoo prefepreferr discretdiscretee differencedifference.. IInn hihiss 19541954 essayessay,, "A"A
TheorTheoryy ooff PlaPlayy anandd Fantasy,Fantasy,"" BatesoBatesonn provocativelprovocativelyy observeobservess thathatt ththee dreamedreamerr anandd thethe schizophrenicschizophrenic,, botbothh exemplarexemplarss ooff primarprimaryy process/unconsciouprocess/unconsciouss thinkingthinking,, araree "unabl"unablee toto discriminatdiscriminatee betweebetweenn 'some'some'' anandd 'all,'all,'' anandd unablunablee ttoo discriminatdiscriminatee betweebetweenn 'no'nott allall'' andand
'none'none'' (Step(Stepss 184)184).. ThThee abilitabilityy ttoo makmakee thosthosee distinctiondistinctionss iiss a producproductt oofthef the consciousconscious mindmind,, anandd BatesoBatesonn comecomess ttoo defindefinee thathatt abilitabilityy aass "eg"egoo function,function,"" aann abilitabilityy ttoo drawdraw 5151 distinctdistinct outlinesoutlines thatthat clearlyclearly foregroundforeground thethe 'some''some' withinwithin thethe backgroundbackground oftheof the 'all''all'
(Steps(Steps 205).205). InIn hishis laterlater essays,essays, Bateson'sBateson's understandingunderstanding ofof thethe progressiveprogressive naturenature ofof a hierarchyhierarchy ofof logicallogical typestypes andand thethe needneed forfor somesome semioticsemiotic betterbetter designeddesigned toto exploreexplore andand toto promotepromote abstractiveabstractive leapsleaps betweenbetween themthem suggestssuggests anan epistemologicalepistemological movemove outward,outward, beyondbeyond thethe isolatingisolating confinesconfines ofof discretediscrete setssets ofof thingsthings andand towardstowards a moremore immanentimmanent spacespace thatthat isis indifferentindifferent toto difference,difference, towardstowards thethe transcontextualtranscontextual inter-faceinter-face thatthat hehe proposesproposes asas thethe ecologyecology ofof mind.mind. MindMind becomes,becomes, forfor Bateson,Bateson, somethingsomething likelike a universaluniversal set,set, anan infiniteinfinite arrayarray ofof interactinginteracting contextualcontextual subsetssubsets whosewhose boundarieboundariess areare merelymerely fictiveActive andand withinwithin whichwhich truthtruth cancan onlyonly bebe immanent.immanent.
DeleuzeDeleuze andand GuattariGuattari alsoalso referencereference thethe humanhuman tendencytendency toto classifyclassify oror toto segmentsegment livedlived experienceexperience accordingaccording ttoo a varietyvariety ofof stratifyingstratifying differences.differences. UsinUsingg mathematicalmathematical notationnotation toto underscoreunderscore theirtheir seminalseminal metaphormetaphor ofof thethe BodyBody withoutwithout Organs,Organs, DeleuzeDeleuze andand
GuattarGuattarii devotedevote anan entireentire plateaplateauu ttoo ththee ideideaa thathatt a multiplicitmultiplicityy cannotcannot bbee constructeconstructedd byby thethe additioadditionn oror multiplicatiomultiplicationn ofof singlesingle elementselements;; iitt isis,, insteadinstead,, a subtractivsubtractivee movement,movement, representerepresentedd bbyy thethe formulformulaa (n(n -1),-1), whicwhichh besbestt articulatesarticulates ththee smootsmoothh spacespace ooff generativegenerative intensitintensityy characterizecharacterizedd bbyy ththee multiplemultiple,, ththee undifferentiatedundifferentiated,, a voivoidd whicwhichh iiss not-empty.not-empty.
HereHere,, ththee mathematicamathematicall semioticsemiotic 1 signifiesignifiess nonott a unitunityy bubutt aann isolateisolate,, nonott universaluniversal singularitsingularityy bubutt ththee discretdiscretee individualindividual.. TToo removremovee ththee singulasingularr iiss ttoo w«-delimitun-delimit,, ttoo dede differentiatedifferentiate.. ThThee BwBwOO iiss a fielfieldd ofof purpuree immanenceimmanence,, a plateaplateauu oorr planplanee ooff consistencyconsistency,, a
"movemen"movementt ooff generalizegeneralizedd deterritorializatiodeterritorializationn iinn whicwhichh eaceachh persopersonn taketakess anandd makesmakes whawhatt shshee oorr hhee cancan,, accordinaccordingg ttoo tastetastess shshee oorr hhee wilwilll havhavee succeedesucceededd iinn abstractinabstractingg fromfrom a Self'Self (157)(157).. ThThee BwBwOO isis ththee sesett ofof not-Onenot-One,, anandd iinn ththee fullnesfullnesss ooff ititss conjunctiveconjunctive 5252 potential,potential, thethe AND...AND.AND ... AND .... .AN ANDD suggestssuggests anan exponentialexponential recombinationrecombination,, a multiplicitymultiplicity ofof relationshiprelationshipss coming-to-be.coming-to-be.
Badiou'sBadiou's ususee ofof setset theorytheory isis paradigmaticparadigmatic.. FoForr Badiou,Badiou, thethe situation,situation, a circulatingcirculating andand repeatingrepeating seriesseries ofof knowledges,knowledges, constitutesconstitutes a locallocal addressaddress organizedorganized aroundaround a void,void, thethe nulnulll set,set, ththee uncounteuncountedd whicwhichh iiss yetyet presenpresentt inin thethe multiplicitymultiplicity ofof ththee situation.situation.
EnabledEnabled byby ththee worworkk ofof setset theoristheoristt PauPaull CohenCohen toto movmovee beyondbeyond thethe limitationslimitations thatthat
Russell'sRussell's theoriestheories imposedimposed onon Bateson'Bateson'ss work,14work,14 BadioBadiouu isis ableable toto introduceintroduce ththee nulnulll setset asas ththee voidvoid presentpresent inin ththee situationsituation anandd asas ththee sourcesource ofof ththee new,new, thethe immanenimmanentt fountfount outout ooff whicwhichh ththee eventevent cancan initiateinitiate thethe truth-processtruth-process.. Badiou'sBadiou's truttruthh emergesemerges inin thethe situationsituation aass botbothh singularsingular andand generic,generic, universalluniversallyy singular,singular, indifferentindifferent toto difference,difference, multiplemultiple ratheratherr thanthan unified.unified.
OneOne ofof thethe criticismscriticisms leveledleveled againstagainst BadiouBadiou byby hishis translatortranslator,, PeterPeter Hallward,Hallward, isis thathatt Badiou'sBadiou's useuse ofof mathematicalmathematical setset theortheoryy equatesequates hishis conceptconcept ofof situationsituation toto thathatt ofof a set,set, whichwhich "ensure"ensuress thatthat a situationsituation isis defineddefined exclusivelyexclusively bbyy whawhatt belongs ttoo itit (its(its elements,elements, oror members),members), withoutwithout referencereference toto ththee constituentconstituent relations thathatt mightmight existexist amongamong thesthesee elements,"elements," whereawhereass Badiou'sBadiou's definitiondefinition ofof thethe statestate createscreates permanenpermanentt setssets thatthat areare definedefinedd exclusivelyexclusively bbyy relationrelationss (Translator's(Translator's IntroductionIntroduction xxxii)xxxii).. Hallward'sHallward's readingreading isis thatthat BadioBadiouu isis oversimplifyingoversimplifying hihiss conceptconcept ofof ththee situationsituation bbyy failingfailing toto recognizrecognizee thethe presencepresence inin anyany humahumann situation/setsituation/set ofof thosthosee biologicalbiological andand culturalcultural relationrelationss thathatt hehe describesdescribes asas "universal"universal structuringstructuring principlesprinciples (biological,(biological, cognitive,cognitive, linguisticlinguistic. ...) ) onon ththee oneone hand,hand, oror ofof certaincertain 'specifying''specifying' attributesattributes (based(based onon culture,culture, religionreligion,, classclass,, gender.gender... .. )) onon ththee other"other" ("Translator'S("Translator's IntroductionIntroduction"" xxxii).xxxii). TheThe questionquestion ofof thosthosee relationrelationss is,is, forfor Badiou,Badiou, oneone ofof recognizinrecognizingg thethe environmentenvironment ofof ththee situation,situation, ifif 5533 yoyouu willwill.. AAss hhee indicatesindicates inin ththee "Preface"Preface ttoo ththee EnglisEnglishh Edition,"Edition," hihiss thoughthoughtt iiss evolvingevolving towardtowardss recognizinrecognizingg thosthosee relations—burelations-butt thithiss doesdoes nonott suggestsuggest thathatt hhee isis embracingembracing thethe limitinglimiting descriptordescriptorss thathatt HallwarHallwardd advocatesadvocates.. BadiouBadiou iiss emphatiemphaticc iinn hihiss emphasisemphasis oonn thethe negativnegativee impacimpactt ofof recognizinrecognizingg eitheeitherr universauniversall oorr specificspecific delimitersdelimiters thathatt woulwouldd advanceadvance ththee causcausee ofof culturaculturall oorr identitariaidentitariann classificationclassification.. FoForr BadiouBadiou,, setset theortheoryy iiss "a"a subtractivesubtractive ontologyontology:: iitt speakspeakss ooff beingbeingss withouwithoutt referencreferencee ttoo theitheirr attributeattributess oorr theitheirr identity,identity,"" anan assumptioassumptionn thathatt echoeechoess Bateson'Bateson'ss perceptioperceptionn ooff setssets aass constellationconstellationss ooff relationshipsrelationships between things ratheratherr thathann aass collectionscollections of thingthings s anandd whicwhichh correlatecorrelatess ttoo DeleuzeDeleuze andand
Guattari'Guattari'ss formulformulaa oof(nf (n - 1)1) (Feltha(Felthamm andand ClemensClemens 17).1517).15 BadioBadiouu isis adamantadamant thathatt truthtruth admitadmitss nnoo exclusionexclusion andand cannocannott bbee foundedfounded inin itit,, a fundamentafundamentall hhee elaborateselaborates inin SaintSaint
PaulPaul:: TheThe FoundatioFoundationn ooff UniversalismUniversalism.. WhilWhilee a truth-procestruth-processs isis ththee effeceffectt ooff aann eveneventt thatthat occuroccurss withiwithinn a concretconcretee anandd reareall situation,situation, iitt iiss nonott subjecsubjectt ttoo ththee conditionsconditions oror limitationslimitations inhereninherentt inin thathatt situationsituation;; thosthosee relationrelationss ooff differencdifferencee thathatt HallwarHallwardd woulwouldd privilegeprivilege simplysimply ddoo nonott adhereadhere ttoo ththee emerginemergingg truttruthh ofof ththee eveneventt forfor Badiou:Badiou:
WhenWhen oneone readreadss Paul,Paul, ononee iiss stupefiedstupefied bbyy ththee paucitpaucityy ofof tracestraces leftleft inin hihiss prosprosee bbyy ththee eraera,, genres,genres, andand circumstancescircumstances.. TherTheree iiss inin thithiss ,prose,prose, undeunderr ththee imperativeimperative ofof ththee event,event, somethinsomethingg solisolidd anandd timelesstimeless,, somethinsomethingg that,that, preciselpreciselyy becausbecausee iitt iiss a questionquestion ooff orientinorientingg a thoughtthought towartowardd ththee universauniversall in its suddenly emerging singularity,singularity, bubutt independentlindependentlyy ooff alalll anecdoteanecdote,, iiss intelligiblintelligiblee ttoo usus withouwithoutt havinhavingg ttoo resorresortt ttoo cumbersomcumbersomee historicalhistorical mediationsmediations.. (Saint(Saint PauPaull 36)36)
WhaWhatt BadioBadiouu iiss projectinprojectingg iiss thathatt a situationsituation hahass itsits ownown context,context, ititss ownown internalinternal relationrelationss betweebetweenn ititss membersmembers,, whicwhichh musmustt bbee revisiterevisitedd inin ordeorderr ttoo determindeterminee nonott thethe differencedifferencess bubutt ththee patternspatterns;; itit iiss ththee informationinformation thathatt differencdifferencee yieldyieldss thathatt allowsallows uuss toto locatlocatee ththee largerlarger patternpatternss thathatt emergeemerge withiwithinn andand amongamong ththee multiplemultipless thathatt arise.arise. BatesonBateson 5454
returnreturnss throughouthroughoutt hihiss lectureslectures andand essaysessays ttoo ththee ideaidea ofof difference,difference, ttoo thethe informationinformation thatthat
itit conveysconveys andand ttoo thethe contextscontexts withinwithin whicwhichh itit functions.functions. IInn hishis 19771977 AfterworAfterwordd toto AboutAbout
Bateson,Bateson, hehe arguesargues thatthat "a"a differencedifference isis nonott materialmaterial andand cannotcannot bbee localizedlocalized....T .... Too locatelocate
difference,difference, i.e.,i.e., ttoo delimitdelimit thethe contextcontext oror interface,interface, wouldwould bbee ttoo positposit a worlworldd incapableincapable ofof
change"change" (240).(240).
ForFor botbothh BadioBadiouu andand forfor Bateson,Bateson, thethe paramounparamountt qualityquality ofof thethe
situation/set/contextsituation/set/context isis itsits potential,potential, notnot itsits limit.limit. BatesonBateson remindsreminds usus,, "It"It isis ththee contextcontext
whicwhichh evolvesevolves"" (Steps(Steps 155).155). Badiou'sBadiou's conceptconcept ofof thethe voidvoid setset asas existentialexistential (that-which-(that-which-
is)is) andand asas immanentimmanent withiwithinn everyevery situation/set/contextsituation/set/context (and(and yeyett asas retainingretaining anan un-namedun-named
andand thereforthereforee un-countedun-counted andand unlabeledunlabeled property-seeproperty—see indiscernible inin InfiniteInfinite ThoughtThought
24),24), offersoffers anan opportunityopportunity forfor a neneww discoursediscourse onon environmentsenvironments andand ecosystems.ecosystems. BeyondBeyond identifyingidentifying a collectioncollection ofof interactinginteracting beingsbeings,, wewe cancan beginbegin toto appreciateappreciate anan ecosystemecosystem asas a setset structuredstructured oror defineddefined byby itsits be-ing, a locallocal relationshiprelationship withwith itsits ownown immanentimmanent truthtruth andand potentiapotentiall forfor subject-generation.subject-generation. Place-basedPlace-based sensibilities,sensibilities, longlong ththee provincprovincee ofof naturenature writerswriters anandd memoirists,memoirists, taketake onon a newnew dimension—biophilidimension-biophiliaa emergesemerges notnot asas anan attributeattribute oror traitraitt bubutt asas fidelityfidelity ttoo a truth-processtruth-process whicwhichh isis heraldedheralded bbyy somesome eventalevental counting-for-counting-for- one.one. SuchSuch a setset defiesdefies humanistichumanistic oror anthropocentricanthropocentric definitiondefinition oror delineation;delineation; itit isis insteadinstead whatwhat GuattariGuattari imaginesimagines asas "an"an incorporealincorporeal ecosystem,ecosystem, whosewhose beingbeing isis notnot guaranteedguaranteed from ththee outside"outside" (Chaosmosis(Chaosmosis 94).94).
MinMindd rhizome~rhizomerhizomes-rhizome xeX€~p
ItIt seemsseems thathatt rigidrigid focusingfocusing upouponn anyany singlesingle setset ofof relatrelataa destroysdestroys forfor ththee artistartist thethe moremore profoundprofound significancesignificance ofof ththee workwork.. IfIf thethe picturepicture werweree only aboutabout sexsex oror only aboutabout socialsocial organization,organization, itit woulwouldd bebe trivialtrivial.. ItIt isis nontrivianontriviall oror profounprofoundd preciselpreciselyy becausebecause itit isis aboutabout sexsex andand socialsocial organizationorganization andand cremation,cremation, andand otherother thingsthings.. InIn a wordword,, itit isis onlyonly aboutabout 5555
relationshirelationshipp anandd nonott abouaboutt any identifiablidentifiablee relatrelataa (Gregory(Gregory BatesonBateson,, StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologyEcology ooff MinMindd 151).151).
BuButt iiff minmindd iiss immanenimmanentt nonott onlonlyy iinn thosthosee pathwaypathwayss ooff informatioinformationn whichwhich areare locatedlocated insidinsidee ththee bodbodyy bubutt alsalsoo inin externaexternall pathwayspathways,, thethenn deatdeathh taketakess onon a differentdifferent aspect.aspect. TheThe individuaindividuall nexunexuss ooff pathwaypathwayss whicwhichh I calcalll "me""me" iiss nnoo longelongerr soso precioupreciouss becausbecausee thatthat nexunexuss iiss onlonlyy parpartt ofaof a largerlarger minmindd (Gregory(Gregory BatesonBateson,, StepStepss ttoo anan EcologEcologyy ooff MinMindd 471).471).
IIff humahumann beingbeingss havhavee a destiny,destiny, iitt iiss ratheratherr ttoo escapescapee ththee face,face, ttoo dismantledismantle ththee facfacee andand facializations,facializations, ttoo becombecomee imperceptibleimperceptible,, ttoo becombecomee clandestine,clandestine, nonott bbyy returninreturningg toto animalityanimality,, nonorr eveneven bbyy returninreturningg ttoo ththee head,head, bubutt bbyy quitquitee spirituaspirituall anandd specialspecial bebecomings comings- animalanimal,, bbyy strangstrangee trutruee becomingbecomingss thathatt gegett paspastt ththee walwalll andand getget ououtt ooff ththee blackblack holes...(Deleuzholes ... (Deleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari,, A ThousanThousandd PlateauPlateauss 171).171).
OnOnee mighmightt alsoalso puputt itit liklikee thisthis:: hohoww wilwilll I continuecontinue to think? ThaThatt isis,, ttoo maintaimaintainn in thethe singularsingular timtimee ooff mmyy multiple-beingmultiple-being,, andand witwithh ththee solesole materiamateriall resourceresourcess ofof thithiss beingbeing,, thethe ImmortaImmortall thathatt a truttruthh bringbringss intintoo beinbeingg througthroughh mmee iinn ththee compositioncomposition ofof a subjectsubject (Alain(Alain BadiouBadiou,, EthicEthicss 50).50).
ThThee wholwholee poinpointt iiss thathatt differencedifferencess bbee traversedtraversed,, conservedconserved andand deposeddeposed simultaneously,simultaneously, somewheresomewhere otheotherr thathann iinn ththee frozenfrozen waterwaterss ooff selfishselfish calculationcalculation (Alai(Alainn Badiou,Badiou, EthicsEthics 113).113).
FoForr GregoryGregory BatesonBateson,, patterpatternn iiss ththee essenceessence ooftheory,f theory, relationshiprelationship iiss ththee operatingoperating principlprinciplee thathatt governgovernss ththee ontologontologyy ofof ththee materiamateriall worldworld,, anandd ththee minmindd isis ththee expressionexpression ooff interactininteractingg multiplicitiemultiplicitiess acrossacross materiamateriall bodiebodiess anandd beyonbeyondd temporatemporall andand physicalphysical boundariesboundaries.. HiHiss efforteffortss ttoo revisirevisitt anandd ttoo rethinrethinkk thesthesee truthtruthss asas thetheyy manifesmanifestt themselvesthemselves iinn sociasociall anandd environmentalenvironmental issueissuess cacann bbee tracetracedd ttoo severaseverall events:events: ththee publicatiopublicationn ofof
Darwin'Darwin'ss OriginOrigin ofof Species,Species, ththee ratificatioratificationn ooff ththee TreatyTreaty ooff VersaillesVersailles,, anandd thethe deploymendeploymentt ofof nucleanuclearr weaponweaponss bbyy ththee UniteUnitedd StatesStates iinn WorlWorldd WaWarr II.II. IInn hihiss introductionintroduction ttoo StepsSteps ttoo aann EcologEcologyy ofof MindMind,, BatesoBatesonn indicateindicatess hihiss realizatiorealizationn thathatt hihiss bodbodyy ooff worworkk isis aann efforteffort toto proposproposee a newnew science,science, ononee thathatt doesdoes nonott exist;exist; oneone thathatt woulwouldd elaboratelaboratee onon hihiss studiesstudies ofof a varietvarietyy ofof pathologiepathologiess iinn oneone areaarea ofof knowledgknowledgee oorr anotheranother anandd whichwhich wouldwould calcalll forthforth a neneww recognitiorecognitionn ofof a phenomenophenomenonn immanenimmanentt withiwithinn thethemm anandd yetyet notnot previouslpreviouslyy counted.counted. BatesoBatesonn namesnames thithiss metacontexmetacontextt "the"the ecologecologyy ofof mind,mind,"" andand hehe 5656
proposesproposes thatthat "the"the mentalmental world-theworld—the mind-themind—the worldworld ofof informationinformation processing-isprocessing—is notnot
limitedlimited byby skin"skin" (Steps(Steps 460).460). ByBy linkinglinking mindmind andand environment,environment, hehe expandsexpands Darwin'sDarwin's
focusfocus onon thethe singlesingle organismorganism asas thethe unitunit ofof survival,survival, recombiningrecombining elementselements ofof thethe human,human,
thethe other-than-human,other-than-human, thethe social,social, cultural,cultural, andand thethe biologicalbiological toto envisionenvision a situationsituation whichwhich
"expands"expands mindmind outwardsoutwards...... and. and .... .reduce[s reduce[s]] thethe scopescope ofof thethe consciousconscious self'self (Steps(Steps 467).467).
ByBy movingmoving beyondbeyond thethe finitefinite andand thethe concrete,concrete, BatesonBateson alsoalso redefinesredefines survival,survival, notingnoting thatthat "the"the contentscontents ofof thethe skinskin areare randomizedrandomized atat deathdeath andand thethe pathwayspathways withinwithin thethe skinskin
areare randomized.randomized. ButBut thethe ideas,ideas, underunder furtherfurther transformation,transformation, maymay gogo onon outout inin thethe worldworld
inin booksbooks oror worksworks ofof art"art" (Steps(Steps 467).467). ThisThis ongoingongoing vectoringvectoring oftheof the ecologyecology ofof mindmind isis
thethe infiniteinfinite pathpath ofof truth,truth, alongalong whichwhich BatesonBateson recognizesrecognizes himselfhimself asas a nomad,nomad, a wanderer,wanderer, a setset ofof ideasideas whowho isis simultaneouslysimultaneously unifiedunified inin himself,himself, boundbound withwith othersothers whosewhose ideasideas flowflow throughthrough him,him, andand randomizable,randomizable, dispersive,dispersive, toto bebe conjoinedconjoined withwith a
largerlarger flofloww iinn a mormoree universauniversall trajectorytrajectory.. WhatWhat hhee alsalsoo valorizevalorizess inin thithiss newnew thinkingthinking isis ththee hophopee thathatt a certaincertain humilithumilityy mighmightt bbee introducedintroduced intintoo thethe relationshirelationshipp betweebetweenn manman anandd ththee environment;environment; hhee cautioncautionss thathatt "we"we araree nonott outsidoutsidee ththee ecologyecology forfor whicwhichh wewe plan—wplan-wee areare alwayalwayss anandd inevitablinevitablyy a parpartt ooff it"it" (Steps(Steps 512).512).
DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattarGuattarii invokinvokee nonott ththee minmindd bubutt ththee rhizomrhizomee aass ththee metacontextmetacontext withiwithinn whicwhichh differencdifferencee fallfallss awaawayy anandd multiplicitmultiplicityy emergesemerges.. DisdaininDisdainingg ththee linealinearr andand ththee causalcausal,, refusinrefusingg botbothh ththee beginninbeginningg anandd ththee endend,, DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattarGuattarii finfindd movementmovement anandd potentiapotentiall iinn ththee middlemiddle,, iinn ththee undifferentiateundifferentiatedd liminalitliminalityy ooff ththee between. TheThe rhizomerhizome,, liklikee ththee ecologecologyy ooff mindmind,, iiss connectivconnectivee anandd conjunctiveconjunctive.. IItt iiss madmadee uupp ofof multiplmultiplee BwOsBwOs,, eaceachh ooff whicwhichh iiss madmadee uupp ooff multiplmultiplee plateausplateaus.. ItItss linkagelinkagess araree vitavitall andand
organicorganic,, nonott linguistilinguisticc anandd semanticsemantic,, anandd multiplmultiplee becomingbecomingss alalll movmovee towardtowardss dispersiondispersion 5757 intointo thethe multiple:multiple: "flows"flows ofof intensity,intensity, theirtheir fluids,fluids, theirtheir fibers,fibers, theirtheir continuumscontinuums andand conjunctionsconjunctions ofof affects,affects, thethe wind,wind, finefine segmentation,segmentation, microperceptions,microperceptions, havehave replacedreplaced thethe worldworld ofof thethe subject.subject. Becomings,Becomings, becomings-animal,becomings-animal, becomings-molecular,becomings-molecular, havehave replacedreplaced history,history, individualindividual oror general"general" (162).(162).
ForFor Badiou,Badiou, thethe situationsituation isis thethe metacontextmetacontext forfor thethe truth-process,truth-process, thethe presentationpresentation ofof multiplicitymultiplicity whichwhich arrangesarranges itselfitself aroundaround thethe void.void. TheThe eventevent interruptsinterrupts thethe acceptedaccepted knowledgeknowledge ofof thethe situation,situation, a rupturerupture thatthat revealsreveals a newnew truthtruth thatthat emergesemerges intointo thethe situationsituation andand proceedsproceeds intointo thethe worldworld asas a truth-process.truth-process. TheThe singularsingular aspectaspect ofof a truthtruth isis derivedderived fromfrom itsits emergenceemergence outout ofof a situation,situation, a relatedrelated seriesseries ofof elementselements relatedrelated notnot byby concreteconcrete qualitiesqualities bubutt rather,rather, asas hehe describesdescribes it,it, byby thethe operationoperation ofof thethe situationsituation itself.itself.
"Every"Every faithfulfaithful truth-processtruth-process isis anan entirelyentirely inventedinvented immanentimmanent breakbreak withwith thethe situation"situation"
(Ethics(Ethics 44).44). RachelRachel Carson'sCarson's SilentSilent Spring,Spring, firstfirst publishedpublished inin 1962,1962, waswas anan eventevent whichwhich rupturerupturedd ththee WesterWesternn world'world'ss consciousnessconsciousness ooff human-naturahuman-naturall interactioninteraction.. DriveDrivenn byby anan instrumentainstrumentall capitaliscapitalismm whicwhichh sasaww ththee naturanaturall worlworldd aass a wellsprinwellspringg ooff extractableextractable value,value, thertheree wawass beforbeforee 19621962 nnoo environmentaenvironmentall movemenmovementt peperr sese.. SilentSilent SpringSpring "happened""happened" toto thathatt stratustratumm ofof consciousnessconsciousness,, allowinallowingg ththee missinmissingg soundssounds ooff birdsongbirdsong,, eradicatederadicated byby overusoverusee ooff pesticidepesticidess ttoo extracextractt recorrecordd agriculturaagriculturall cropcropss whilwhilee decimatindecimatingg nativnativee avianavian speciesspecies,, ttoo bbee "counted-as-one,"counted-as-one,"" initiatininitiatingg a neneww perspectivperspectivee whicwhichh coulcouldd nonott bbee undoneundone iinn a spacspacee wherwheree iitt hahadd nonott beebeenn anandd yeyett coulcouldd onlonlyy bebe.. AmonAmongg ththee subjectsubjectss induceinducedd byby thithiss truttruthh whicwhichh iiss consequentiallconsequentiallyy coming-to-bcoming-to-bee araree ththee contemporarcontemporaryy environmentalenvironmental movemenmovementt anandd a varietvarietyy ooff politicapoliticall actionactionss forwardinforwardingg greegreenn issuesissues.. 5858
{{...... } = {{...... } = {{...... }
SometimesSometimes ifif bothboth peoplepeople areare willingwilling toto listenlisten carefully,carefully, itit isis possiblepossible toto dodo moremore thanthan exchangeexchange greetingsgreetings andand goodgood wishes.wishes. EvenEven toto dodo moremore thanthan exchangeexchange infonnation.information. TheThe twotwo peoplepeople maymay eveneven findfind outout somethingsomething whichwhich neitherneither ofof themthem knewknew before.before. (Gregory(Gregory Bateson,Bateson, StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof MindMind 12)12)
Don'tDon't bebe oneone oror multiple,multiple, bebe multiplicities!multiplicities! (Deleuze(Deleuze andand Guattari,Guattari, A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus 24)24)
'Keep'Keep going!'going!' ContinueContinue toto bebe thisthis 'some-one','some-one', a humanhuman animalanimal amongamong others,others, whichwhich neverthelessnevertheless findsfinds itselfitself seized andand displaced byby thethe eventalevental processprocess ofof a truth.truth. ContinueContinue toto bebe thethe activeactive partpart ofthatof that subjectsubject ofof a truthtruth thatthat youyou havehave happenedhappened toto become.become. (Alain(Alain BadiouBadiou,, EthicsEthics 91)91)
InIn PartPart I ofof StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof Mind,Mind. GregoryGregory BatesonBateson reprintedreprinted sevenseven metalogues,metalogues, fictivefictive conversationsconversations whichwhich interrogateinterrogate a thematicthematic subject.subject. AsAs BatesonBateson describesdescribes a metaloguemetalogue,, itit shouldshould ideallyideally replicatereplicate inin itsits structurestructure thethe samesame discursivediscursive orderorder thatthat thethe problemproblem undeunderr discussiondiscussion demands.demands. InIn "Why"Why DoDo Frenchman?Frenchman?"" thethe problemproblem underunder discussiodiscussionn hahass ttoo ddoo witwithh ththee differencedifferencess betweebetweenn gesturgesturee anandd languagelanguage,, witwithh howhow differendifferentt thingthingss areare communicatedcommunicated iinn differendifferentt waysways,, anandd witwithh ththee surprisinsurprisingg suggestionsuggestion thathatt whawhatt iiss NONOTT saisaidd mamayy perhapperhapss bbee aass importanimportantt asas whawhatt isis (Step(Stepss 11).11). GregoryGregory
BatesoBatesonn hahass suggestedsuggested thatthat hihiss ideaideass mighmightt survivsurvivee hihiss physicaphysicall deatdeathh anandd continuecontinue toto evolvevolvee withiwithinn ththee cyberneticyberneticc minmindd hhee theorizedtheorized.. ManManyy ooff hihiss conceptconceptss havhavee indeedindeed survivesurvivedd himhim,, taketakenn uupp anandd elaborateelaboratedd uponupon,, adapteadaptedd anandd recombinedrecombined,, oorr revealerevealedd byby silencesilence,, presenpresentt iinn theitheirr absenceabsence,, iinn texttextss bbyy a multiplicitmultiplicityy ooff authorsauthors,, amonamongg thethemm thethe
FrenchmeFrenchmenn GilleGilless DeleuzeDeleuze,, FeliFelixx GuattariGuattari,, anandd AlaiAlainn BadiouBadiou.. WhaWhatt doedoess theitheirr criticalcritical gesturinggesturing,, theitheirr eloqueneloquentt wavingwaving,, suggessuggestt abouaboutt ththee survivasurvivall ooff ideaideass anandd abouaboutt thethe procesprocesss ooff selectioselectionn thathatt movemovess somsomee ideaideass intintoo ouourr activeactive,, daildailyy conversationconversation,, anandd submergesubmergess otherotherss undeunderr layerlayerss ooff assumptionassumption,, burieburiedd undeunderr ththee rubblrubblee ooff habitualhabitual 5959
acceptanceacceptance?? IfIf abductionabduction remindremindss usus thatthat patternspatterns ofof ideasideas mamayy bebe mappedmapped acrossacross timetime
andand space,space, acrossacross culturescultures andand disciplines,disciplines, thenthen recursivenessrecursiveness commissionscommissions usus ttoo revisitrevisit
ourour assumptionsassumptions anandd toto questionquestion thethe survivalsurvival ofof somesome ofof ourour oldestoldest ideas.ideas. InIn hishis firstfirst book,book,
BatesoBatesonn wrylwrylyy observesobserves thatthat duringduring hihiss longlong tenurtenuree asas a professorprofessor,, anan annualannual rumorrumor wouldwould
begibeginn toto circulatcirculatee amongamong hishis studentsstudents thatthat "There's"There's somethingsomething behinbehindd whatwhat BatesonBateson says,says,
bubutt hhee neveneverr sayssays whatwhat itit is"is" (Steps(Steps xxv).xxv). WhenWhen askedasked forfor a draftdraft ofof whatwhat hehe woulwouldd likelike toto
saysay inin a theoreticatheoreticall laslastt lecture,lecture, hhee wrote,wrote, "What"What isis form,form, pattern,pattern, purposepurpose,, organization,organization,
andand soso onon...... ? ThoseThose werweree mymy questionsquestions whenwhen I started,started, andand areare stillstill mymy questions"questions"
(Sacred(Sacred UnitUnityy 307).307). ItIt isis thethe continuingcontinuing fidelityfidelity toto thosethose andand manymany otherother questionsquestions thatthat
induceinduce ththee subjectsubject ofof truthtruth thathatt isis BatesonBateson ANDAND DeleuzeDeleuze ANDAND GuattariGuattari ANDAND Badiou.Badiou.
WhatWhat emergeemergess betweenbetween thethemm maymay nonott bebe answers,answers, butbut thertheree isis surelysurely meaningmeaning.. WhenWhen a
FrenchmaFrenchmann wavewavess hishis arms,arms, a multiplicitmultiplicityy resonatesresonates iinn thethe cyberneticcybernetic mind.mind. 6060
NotesNotes
1I ConleyConley offersoffers anan in-depthin-depth studystudy ofof thethe historyhistory ofof post-structuralispost-structuralistt environmentalenvironmental thoughthoughtt inin France,France, groundegroundedd iinn ththee structuralisstructuralismm ooff ClaudeClaude L6vi-StrausLevi-Strausss andand progressinprogressingg througthroughh MicheMichell Serres,Serres, PrigoginPrigoginee anandd Stengers,Stengers, DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari,, dede Certeau,Certeau, CixousCixous anandd IrigaryIrigary.. WitWithh a notablnotablee feminisfeministt emphasisemphasis,, heherr discussiondiscussionss ofof ththee developmentdevelopment ooff ecologicaecologicall consciousnessconsciousness amonamongg ththee soixante-huitards givgivee enthusiasticenthusiastic anandd perceptivperceptivee summariesummariess ofof FrencFrenchh theoriststheorists,, whilwhilee providinprovidingg anan unfortunatelunfortunatelyy one-dimensionalone-dimensional discussiondiscussion ooff GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's work.work. Conley'Conley'ss summationsummation ooff BatesoBatesonn iiss drawdrawnn entirelentirelyy fromfrom StepsSteps ttoo aann EcologyEcology ofof MinMindd andand soso failsfails ttoo appreciatappreciatee ththee evolvingevolving nuancnuancee ofof hihiss thoughtthought,, anandd heherr connectionconnection ofof BatesoBatesonn ttoo GuattariGuattari citecitess onlyonly ththee overovertt referencesreferences,, nonott ththee mormoree subtlsubtlee connectionconnectionss betweebetweenn themthem.. HeHerr fIrstfirst twtwoo chapterchapterss offeofferr provocativprovocativee argumentargumentss againstagainst ththee neneww eco-righeco-rightt neoliberalisneoliberalismm oofLucf Luc FerrFerryy andand aann interestininterestingg oppositionaoppositionall taktakee oonn JeaJeann Baudrillard'Baudrillard'ss "techno-liberalism.""techno-liberalism."
2 TheThe persistencpersistencee ofof certaincertain organicorganic imagesimages acrossacross thethe texttext thathatt iiss Bateson+Deleuze+GuattarBateson+Deleuze+Guattarii iiss itselfitself worthworthyy ofof a mormoree focusefocusedd treatmentreatmentt thathann iiss warrantewarrantedd iinn thithiss contextcontext.. BatesoBatesonn useusess aann imagimagee ofof a tretreee andand ththee symmetrsymmetryy betweebetweenn ititss branchebranchess abovabovee groundground ttoo ititss rootrootss belobeloww asas anan exampleexample ooff systemssystems anandd circuitscircuits;; DeleuzeDeleuze andand GuattarGuattarii coincoin ththee phrasphrasee "arborescence"arborescence"" ttoo describedescribe ththee linealinearr descentdescent ofof languaglanguagee systems,systems, a fIlialfilial descendescentt thetheyy wilwiIIl discardiscardd iinn favorfavor ooff ththee radicallradicallyy unpredictablunpredictablee andand nonlineanonlinearr rhizomerhizome.. BatesonBateson celebratecelebratess ththee co-evolutioco-evolutionn ofof grassesgrasses,, andand notenotess thathatt liklikee a weedweed,, epistemologicalepistemological errorerror wilwilll propagatpropagatee itselfitself throughouthroughoutt a systemsystem.. BatesonBateson arguesargues symmetrsymmetryy usinusingg exampleexampless drawndrawn frofromm lobsterlobsterss anandd orchidsorchids,, andand bothboth appearappear inin metaphorimetaphoricc guiseguise iinn DeleuzDeleuzee anandd Guattari.Guattari. EveEvenn figurefIguress asas disparatdisparatee asas wolvewolvess anandd ticktickss recurecurr iinn botbothh textstexts,, demonstratingdemonstrating nonott onlonlyy patterpatternn betweebetweenn bubutt alsoalso ththee creativitcreativityy anandd mutabilitmutabilityy ooff naturanaturall imageryimagery iinn linguistilinguisticc contexts.contexts.
3 GuattariGuattari notenotess thathatt hehe hahass coinedcoined ththee termterm "transversality""transversality" ttoo standstand forfor hihiss interesinterestt nonott inin limitinglimiting himselfhimself toto a singlesingle areaarea ofof studstudyy oror focufocuss bubutt ratheratherr ttoo "consider"consider ththee unconsciouunconsciouss elementelementss thathatt secretlysecretly animateanimate sometimessometimes ververyy heterogeneouheterogeneouss specialties"specialties" (Chaosoph(Chaosophyy 8).8). HiHiss ususee ofof ththee tertermm impliesimplies somethingsomething likelike Bateson'sBateson's notionotionn ooff abduction, andand ththee abilitabilityy ttoo recognizrecognizee patternpatternss thathatt extenextendd acrossacross seeminglseeminglyy disparatedisparate systemssystems alsoalso informinformss Guattari'sGuattari's theorietheoriess ofof schizoanalysis.schizoanalysis.
4 OOff hihiss lostlost opportunityopportunity ttoo collaboratcollaboratee witwithh DeleuzeDeleuze,, BadiouBadiou wrotewrote disconsolatelydisconsolately oofthisf this "amitie"amitie conflictuelleconflictuelle quiqui,, enen uunn certaicertainn senssens,, n'n'ajamaisa jamais eueu lieu"lieu" inin hihiss book,book, Deleuze,Deleuze, lala c1ameurclameur dede l'etrel'etre (qtd.(qtd. inin a revierevieww bbyy PhilippPhilippee BarbeBarbe,\ publishepublishedd iinn ththee FebruarFebruaryy 19991999 issuissuee ofof ThThee FrencFrenchh ReviewReview,, p.580).p.580).
5 IInn hihiss 19671967 essayessay "Cybernetic"Cybernetic Explanation,"Explanation," BatesoBatesonn providesprovides a lengthlengthyy andand provocativprovocativee discussiondiscussion ofof differencedifference,, contrast,contrast, symmetry,symmetry, correspondencecorrespondence,, andand otheotherr relationarelationall termtermss whicwhichh hhee re-termre-termss asas "variables"variables ofof zerzeroo dimensionsdimensions"" whicwhichh areare "of"of zerzeroo dimensionsdimensions andand,, thereforetherefore,, areare nonott ttoo bbee located"located".. TheThe mathematicalmathematical formulationformulation thathatt hhee resortresortss ttoo iinn orderorder ttoo posipositt ththee nonquantifiablnonquantifIablee anandd thereforthereforee nonlocatablnon locatablee naturnaturee ofof differencedifference hahass resonancresonancee forfor DeleuzeDeleuze anandd Guattari'sGuattari's stipulationstipulation thathatt ththee BwBwOO "is"is nonott spacespace,, nonorr iiss iitt iinn a space."space." SeeSee StepsSteps ttoo aann EcologyEcology ooff MindMind,, pppp 414-415414-415,, anandd A ThousanThousandd PlateausPlateaus,, pp.. 153153..
6 InIn AAdd Infinitum,Infinitum, BriaBriann RotmaRotmann alsoalso extendsextends Bateson'sBateson's insistencinsistencee oonn hierarchieshierarchies oorr levelslevels ofof differencedifference asas evidenceevidence ooff ththee kindkindss ofof metacommunicatiometacommunication n presupposepresupposedd iinn hihiss critiqucritiquee ofof ththee foundationafoundationall assumptionsassumptions inhereninherentt iinn EuclideaEuclideann mathematicsmathematics.. ThiThiss wilwilll bbee furthefurtherr examineexaminedd iinn ParPartt IIIIII..
7 7 RecallRecall totooo Bateson'Bateson'ss explanationexplanation thathatt meaningmeaning cancan existexist onlyonly betweenbetween thingsthings;; ththee universuniversee cacann havhavee nono meaningmeaning,, sincesince itit iiss assumedassumed ttoo bbee alalll thathatt thertheree is-thereis—there cancan bbee nnoo otherother thinthingg betweebetweenn whicwhichh itit andand thethe universuniversee cancan proposproposee meaningmeaning.. FoForr BadiouBadiou,, alterityalterity iiss nonott a part-wordpart-word..
8 GuattariGuattari isis alsoalso concernedconcerned thathatt a re-emergencre-emergencee ofof anan emphasiemphasiss oonn sectariansectarian subjectivitysubjectivity ratheratherr thathann a diffusiodiffusionn ooff differencedifference iinn ththee consistencconsistencyy ooff ththee multiplicitmultiplicityy wilwiIIl adverselyadversely affecaffectt ththee ecologicalecological movement,movement, particularlparticularlyy iinn ththee wakwakee ooff ththee firsfIrstt GulGulff WaWarr andand ththee attendanattendantt surgesurge oofneo-liberalism.f neo-liberalism. SeeSee Chaosmosis,Chaosmosis, "The"The EcosophiEcosophicc Object"Object" andand hihiss discussiodiscussionn ofof ththee returreturnn ooff nationalismnationalism andand racism.racism. 6161
99 Badiou'sBadiou's useuse ofof thethe singularsingular 11 stressesstresses neitherneither anan originaryoriginary firstfirst personperson nornor eveneven thethe primacyprimacy ofof anan ordinal;ordinal; thethe universalityuniversality ofof 1 isis inin itsits equality,equality, inin itsits uniformityuniformity ofof beingbeing thatthat admitsadmits nono fractionalfractional identity.identity.
1010 TheThe cautionarycautionary notenote herehere forfor thethe contemporarycontemporary environmentalenvironmental movementmovement cannotcannot bebe overlooked.overlooked. TooToo often,often, identarianidentarian differencedifference becomesbecomes thethe rallyingrallying pointpoint forfor anan isolatingisolating andand concretizingconcretizing identityidentity politicspolitics thatthat suffocatessuffocates itsits ownown potentialpotential withinwithin self-drawnself-drawn boundaryboundary lineslines thatthat excludeexclude creativecreative andand collaborativecollaborative opportunitiesopportunities forfor praxis.praxis. I amam indebtedindebted toto NicholasNicholas RussellRussell forfor pointingpointing meme towardstowards JoanJoan Scott'sScott's essay,essay, "The"The EvidenceEvidence ofof Experience,"Experience," whichwhich clearlyclearly notesnotes thethe consequencesconsequences ofof anan overlyoverly claustrophobicclaustrophobic commitmentcommitment toto anan overcodedovercoded singularitysingularity rootedrooted solelysolely inin difference.difference.
II11 InIn thisthis sense,sense, Badiou'sBadiou's subjectsubject isis likelike Bateson'sBateson's cyberneticcybernetic Mind:Mind: notnot boundedbounded byby skin.skin.
1212 InIn Chaosmosis,Chaosmosis, GuattariGuattari notesnotes thatthat "Nothing"Nothing happenshappens ofof itself.itself. EverythingEverything hashas toto continuallycontinually beginbegin againagain fromfrom zero,zero, atat thethe pointpoint ofof chaosmicchaosmic emergence,"emergence," namingnaming thethe productiveproductive potentialpotential ofof thethe void,void, ofof thethe cyberneticcybernetic chaoschaos thatthat noisenoise representsrepresents (94).(94). AndAnd notenote tootoo thatthat inin Chaosophy,Chaosophy, hehe makesmakes a veryvery similarsimilar move.move. HeHe writeswrites thatthat "I"I believebelieve thatthat concreteconcrete situationssituations alwaysalways confrontconfront usus withwith thisthis kindkind ofof moralmoral ambiguityambiguity...... It It hashas nothinnothingg toto dodo withwith thethe questionquestion 'Where'Where areare youyou speakingspeaking from?'from?'...bu ... butt ratherrather 'What'What isis itit thatthat beginsbegins toto speakspeak throughthrough youyou inin a givengiven situationsituation oror context?'"context?'" (42).(42). MovingMoving fromfrom anan indexicalindexical queryquery toto oneone thatthat interrogatesinterrogates process,process, GuattariGuattari echoesechoes Badiou'sBadiou's notionnotion thatthat anan alreadyalready locatedlocated subjectsubject doesdoes notnot initiateinitiate oror enunciateenunciate a truth;truth; rather,rather, a subjectsubject isis locallylocally convokedconvoked bbyy a situationalsituational truth-procestruth-processs andand emergesemerges inin fidelityfidelity toto it.it. Badiou'sBadiou's theoriestheories ofof ththee subject,subject, toto bebe furtherfurther explicatedexplicated inin hishis forthcomingforthcoming (and(and asas yetyet unavailableunavailable inin EnglishEnglish translation)translation) LogiguesLogiques du Monde,Monde, representrepresent oneone ofof hishis mostmost radicalradical departuresdepartures fromfrom postmodernpostmodern thought.thought. SeeSee FelthamFeltham andand Clemens'Clemens' excellentexcellent IntroductionIntroduction toto InfiniteInfinite ThoughtThought forfor a briefbrief butbut usefuluseful explanationexplanation (2-7).(2-7).
1313 AndAnd notnot coincidentally,coincidentally, BadiouBadiou statesstates thatthat "the"the realreal terrainterrain forfor thethe examinationexamination ofof thethe relationrelation betweenbetween psychoanalysipsychoanalysiss anandd philosophphilosophyy iiss founfoundd first ooff alalll inin mathematicsmathematics"" (Infinit(Infinitee ThoughThoughtt 67).67).
1414 Russell'Russell'ss paradoparadoxx recognizerecognizess thathatt thertheree cacann bbee nnoo setset whicwhichh iiss ththee setset ooff allall setsetss whicwhichh areare nonott membersmembers ofof themselvesthemselves,, a contradictiocontradictionn whicwhichh woulwouldd seeseemm ttoo eliminateliminatee ththee possibilitpossibilityy foforr ththee emergencemergencee ooff newnew,, anandd previouslpreviouslyy nonott "counted,""counted," truthstruths.. Bateson'Bateson'ss positioninpositioningg ofof "noise"noise"" aass ththee potentiapotentiall sourcesource forfor newnew informatioinformationn anticipateanticipatess Badiou'Badiou'ss introductiointroductionn ooff ththee nulnulll set,set, a concepconceptt linkelinkedd ttoo Cohen'Cohen'ss theortheoryy ofof thethe genericgeneric set.set.
1515 TranslatorTranslatorss OliveOliverr FelthaFelthamm anandd JustiJustinn ClemenClemenss offeofferr aann immenselimmenselyy helpfuhelpfull anandd cleaclearr historhistoryy ofof thethe developmentdevelopment ooff sesett theortheoryy inin theitheirr IntroductioIntroductionn ttoo InfinitInfinitee ThoughtThought.. TheTheyy alsalsoo explicatexplicatee Badiou's ususee ooff setset theortheoryy aass outlineoutlinedd iinn hihiss L'EtrL'Etree eett l'ev^nementl'evenement.. TheTheyy notnotee thathatt ththee significancesignificance ofof BadBadiou' iou'ss claimclaimss iiss notnot thathatt hhee initiateinitiatess hihiss philosophphilosophyy within ththee domaidomainn ooff sesett theorytheory,, bubutt ratheratherr thathatt hhee identifieidentifiess sesett theortheoryy as ontologyontology.. HiHiss focufocuss iiss nonott oonn hohoww wwee knoknoww (epistemology(epistemology)) nonorr oonn whawhatt wwee knoknoww OORR oonn whawhatt wwee areare,, bubutt oonn beinbeingg ququaa beingbeing.. PARTPART III:III: THETHE CHARMCHARM ANDAND THETHE TERRORTERROR
InIn thethe inauguralinaugural essayessay ofof thethe premierepremiere issueissue ofof thethe journaljournal EnvironmentalEnvironmental
Communication,Communication, scholarscholar RobertRobert CoxCox proposesproposes thatthat environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication oughtought toto definedefine itselfitself asas a crisiscrisis, discipline; hehe furtherfurther arguesargues thatthat thethe consequenceconsequence ofthisof this selfself- reflexivereflexive movemove isis toto revealreveal a concomitantconcomitant demanddemand forfor thethe acknowledgementacknowledgement ofof anan obligatory ethicalethical duty.duty. DrawingDrawing onon argumentsarguments circulatingcirculating withiwithinn thethe emergingemerging fieldfield ofof conservationconservation biology,biology, CoxCox extendsextends MichaelMichael Soule'sSoule's assertionassertion thatthat "ethical norms areare a genuinegenuine partpart ofof conservationconservation biology,biology, asas theythey areare inin allall...... crisis-oriente crisis-orientedd disciplines"disciplines" toto supportsupport hihiss ownown examinationexamination ofof thethe purpospurposee ofof ththee disciplindisciplinee ofof environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication,, ttoo defindefinee thatthat purpospurposee withiwithinn a contexcontextt ofof botbothh urgencurgencyy andand uncertainty,uncertainty, framedframed bbyy crisiscrisis,, andand ttoo imposeimpose onon ththee practitionerpractitionerss andand proponentproponentss ofof environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication "a"a distinctlydistinctly ethical duty"duty" (6-7).(6-7). JusJustt aass SouleSoule identifieidentifiess botbothh functionalfunctional andand ethicalethical premisepremisess forfor conservationconservation biologybiology,, ssoo CoCoxx conflateconflatess ththee termtermss "crisis"crisis disciplinediscipline"" anandd "ethica"ethicall duty,duty,"" premisinpremisingg hihiss argumenargumentt oonn ththee assertioassertionn thathatt "th"thee hallmarkhallmark ooff practicinpracticingg a crisicrisiss disciplindisciplinee iiss ththee neeneedd ttoo makmakee decisiondecisionss oorr recommendationrecommendationss withwith imperfecimperfectt knowledge,knowledge,"" anandd suggestinsuggestingg thathatt ththee functionafunctionall postulatepostulatess ooff a disciplindisciplinee alsoalso servservee aass ththee originaroriginaryy "basi"basiss foforr ththee ethicaethicall normnormss foforr interventiointerventionn oorr recommendationsrecommendations foforr managinmanagingg naturanaturall systemssystems"" (8)(8).. IdentifyinIdentifyingg foufourr basibasicc tenettenetss ooff ththee fielfieldd ofof environmentaenvironmentall communicationcommunication,, fundamentafundamentall meaningmeaningss oorr values thathatt hhee seeseess constructedconstructed iinn ththee tensiontensionss betweebetweenn functionafunctionall anandd ethicaethicall valencesvalences,, CoCoxx articulatearticulatess crisicrisiss aass nascentnascent 6363 iinn ththee communicativcommunicativee pathologiepathologiess thathatt characterizcharacterizee alternativealternative framingsframings ofof environmentalenvironmental eventsevents oorr issueissuess bbyy ideologicallideologicallyy "interested"interested"" partiepartiess (12-13)(12-13).. CoxCox suggestssuggests thathatt thesethese principleprincipless areare nonott simplsimplyy ththee constructivconstructivee underpinningunderpinningss ooff a disciplinardisciplinaryy practice-hepractice—he alsalsoo re-positionre-positionss thesthesee tenettenetss asas value-ladevalue-ladenn normativnormativee commitmentscommitments,, aass ththee raraww materialmaterial whicwhichh botbothh constructsconstructs anandd mandatemandatess aann environmentaenvironmentall communicatiocommunicationn ethicethic.. IInn anotheranother articulation,articulation, Cox'Cox'ss normnormss marrmarryy crisicrisiss reaction/responsreaction/responsee ttoo democraticdemocratic processprocess,, andand suggestsuggest a heuristiheuristicc ethiethicc thathatt woulwouldd encouragencouragee opportunitieopportunitiess foforr transparenttransparent communicativcommunicativee interactiointeractionn thathatt doedoess nonott privilegprivilegee a specificspecific ethicaethicall orientationorientation (biocentric(biocentric versuversuss anthropocentricanthropocentric,, foforr example)example) anandd whicwhichh woulwouldd encourageencourage allall partiepartiess affecteaffectedd byby environmentaenvironmentall issueissuess ttoo participatparticipatee iinn ththee decision-makindecision-makingg procesprocesss (15)(15).. HHee concludesconcludes byby advocatinadvocatingg foforr environmentaenvironmentall communicatiocommunicationn scholarsscholars ttoo speakspeak outout publiclpubliclyy whewhenn "the"the resultsresults ofof theitheirr scholarshipscholarship poinpointt ttoo danger,danger,"" anandd ttoo therebtherebyy providprovidee criticalcritical evaluationevaluation ofof discursivdiscursivee practicepracticess whicwhichh mighmightt otherwisotherwisee bbee "constrained"constrained oorr subornedsuborned forfor harmfuharmfull oror unsustainablunsustainablee policiepoliciess towartowardd humahumann communitiecommunitiess andand ththee naturanaturall worldworld"" (16)(16).. ThusThus forfor
CoxCox,, definindefiningg environmentaenvironmentall communicatiocommunicationn aass a crisicrisiss disciplindisciplinee implieimpliess a purposivepurposive anandd ethicalethical dutdutyy ttoo facilitatfacilitatee responsresponsee ttoo crisis—tcrisis-too activelactivelyy makmakee recommendationrecommendationss forfor solutionsolutionss anandd ttoo enableenable communitcommunityy decisiodecisionn makermakerss toto reacreactt appropriately ttoo "signals"signals ofof environmentaenvironmentall stress,"stress," eveevenn iinn circumstancecircumstancess wherwheree systemicsystemic knowledgeknowledge iiss imperfecimperfectt oror incompletincompletee (18).(18).
HoHoww mighmightt sucsuchh a proposaproposall resonatresonatee withiwithinn ththee cyberneticcybernetic minmindd thathatt isis GregoryGregory
BatesoBatesonn ANANDD DeleuzDeleuzee GuattarGuattarii ANANDD AlaiAlainn BadiouBadiou?? HoHoww woulwouldd ththee conjunctioconjunctionn ooff a crisicrisiss disciplindisciplinee anandd aann obligatorobligatoryy ethicalethical responsresponsee bbee problematizeproblematizedd bbyy eaceachh ofof thesethese theoriststheorists?? Certainly,Certainly, ththee ideideaa ooff a loominloomingg ecologicaecologicall crisiscrisis,, predicatepredicatedd oonn anan urgenurgentt needneed 6464 toto reevaluatreevaluatee humahumann interactiointeractionn witwithh thethe biologicabiologicall worlworldd wouldwould nonott bbee unfamiliaunfamiliarr ttoo anyany ooff thesthesee theoriststheorists.. BatesonBateson frequentlyfrequently expressedexpressed concerconcernn thathatt humahumann responsresponsee ttoo a wideninwideningg spiralspiral ooff environmentaenvironmentall degradationdegradation linkelinkedd ttoo humahumann actioactionn wawass perhapsperhaps alreadalreadyy delinquent.delinquent. InIn 1970,1970, hhee wrotwrotee thathatt ""II ddoo nonott knoknoww hohoww longlong wwee have.have .... .Nobod Nobodyy knowknowss hohoww longlong wwee have,have, undeunderr thethe presenpresentt systemsystem,, beforbeforee somesome disastedisasterr strikestrikess usus,, moremore seriousserious thathann ththee destructiodestructionn ofof anyany grougroupp ofof nationsnations"" (Step(Stepss 468)468).. FeliFelixx Guattari,Guattari, writingwriting iinn ThThee ThreThreee EcologieEcologiess iinn 1989,1989, expressedexpressed concerconcernn thathatt iiff wwee continuecontinue oonn ourour presentpresent pathpath,, "we"we cacann unfortunatelunfortunatelyy predicpredictt ththee risrisee ofof alalll kindkindss ooff dangerdanger:: racismracism,, religiousreligious fanaticism,fanaticism, nationalitarynationalitary schismsschisms thathatt suddenlsuddenlyy flipflip intintoo reactionarreactionaryy closure"closure" (35)(35).. AsAs recentlyrecently asas 1998,1998, BadioBadiouu cautionedcautioned thathatt ththee politicapoliticall visibilitvisibilityy ooff environmentalistsenvironmentalists willwill bbee vitiatevitiatedd asas capitalistcapitalist corporationcorporationss reductivelreductivelyy remoderemodell thethemm aass neneww markemarkett targetstargets
(Ethics(Ethics 106).106). HoweverHowever,, notnot ononee ofof thesthesee writerwriterss choosechoosess ttoo advocatadvocatee a crisis-machinecrisis-machine asas constitutiveconstitutive ooff somesome over-archinover-archingg ethic.ethic. MucMuchh ooff theitheirr individualindividual rhetorirhetoricc iiss concernedconcerned witwithh communicativcommunicativee pathologiepathologiess andand withwith identifyinidentifyingg ththee dangersdangers impliciimplicitt inin ththee failurefailure toto recognizrecognizee hegemonichegemonic ideologieideologiess aass thetheyy reconstrucreconstructt themselvethemselvess inin variouvariouss discourses.discourses.
EacEachh ofof thesethese contemporarycontemporary criticacriticall thinkerthinkerss mandatemandatess ththee continuecontinuedd needneed forfor problematizinproblematizingg ththee ongoinongoingg dialoguedialogue iinn ththee worldworld,, foforr challengingchallenging ththee discursivediscursive formationformationss thatthat underliunderliee interactionsinteractions inin ththee world-that-isworld-that-is.. BadioBadiouu goegoess ssoo fafarr aass toto radicallradicallyy critiqucritiquee ththee humanishumanistt ethiethicc thathatt underpinunderpinss mucmuchh ooff contemporarcontemporaryy socialsocial activismactivism.. ToTo fullyfully engagengagee Cox'Cox'ss argumenargumentt anandd ttoo potentiallpotentiallyy rearticulatrearticulatee it,it, iitt iiss necessarynecessary ttoo feedfeed iitt bacbackk througthroughh ththee criticacriticall systemssystems ooff BatesonBateson,, DeleuzDeleuzee andand GuattariGuattari,, anandd BadiouBadiou inin orderorder toto recursivelrecursivelyy testtest itsits validitvalidityy andand itsits weaknesses.weaknesses. 6565
BothBoth GregoryGregory BatesonBateson andand AlainAlain BadiouBadiou identifyidentify withinwithin thethe contemporarycontemporary situationsituation thethe potentialpotential forfor truthtruth andand forfor itsits distortiondistortion oror itsits co-optation.co-optation. InIn PartPart V ofof StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof MindMind (Epistemology(Epistemology and Ecology), BatesonBateson warnswarns repeatedlyrepeatedly againstagainst thethe unanticipatedunanticipated effectseffects ofof short-termshort-term andand purposivepurposive thinking,thinking, thethe kindskinds ofof technologically-assistedtechnologically-assisted decisionsdecisions thatthat cancan leadlead toto ecologicalecological crises.crises. HeHe arguesargues thatthat knowledgeknowledge frequentlyfrequently utilizedutilized becomesbecomes reifiedreified throughthrough thethe processprocess ofof habithabit formation,formation, efficientlyefficiently freeingfreeing upup consciousconscious mentalmental processesprocesses toto dealdeal withwith newnew ideas,ideas, whilewhile thosethose whichwhich areare repeatedlyrepeatedly usedused becomebecome sedimentedsedimented andand instinctual.instinctual. TheThe dangerdanger thatthat thisthis posesposes forfor epistemologicalepistemological healthhealth isis twofold.twofold.
First,First, suchsuch ideasideas areare nono longerlonger subjectedsubjected toto rigorousrigorous criticalcritical inspection,inspection, butbut becomebecome foundationalfoundational toto otherother knowledge.knowledge. ThoseThose un-consciousun-conscious ideas,ideas, acceptedaccepted andand subsequentlysubsequently unexamined,unexamined, continuecontinue toto affectaffect day-to-dayday-to-day actionsactions butbut areare nono longerlonger consciouslconsciouslyy perceivedperceived asas beinbeingg inin play.play. BatesonBateson observes:observes:
WhaWhatt isis uniqueunique fromfrom contextcontext ttoo contextcontext isis gonggong toto havehave toto bbee dealtdealt withwith;; whatwhat isis generalgeneral fromfrom contextcontext toto contextcontext cancan bebe handehandedd overover toto whatwhat forfor a momentmoment wwee wilwilll callcall 'habit''habit'...... W Wee thenthen getget thethe ratherrather curiouscurious phenomenophenomenonn thathatt ththee reasonablyreasonably lazylazy minmindd willwill economizeeconomize bbyy sinkingsinking ththee mormoree abstractabstract characteristicscharacteristics ofof situationssituations toto essentiallyessentially lowerlower levelslevels whicwhichh areare inin generalgeneral lessless conscious.conscious. (Sacre(Sacredd UnitUnityy 169)169)
IInn therapytherapy,, iitt iiss preciselpreciselyy thosthosee buriedburied,, un-consciousun-conscious,, habituahabituall responseresponsess thathatt a psychologispsychologistt laborlaborss ttoo restructurerestructure;; iinn criticacriticall theorytheory,, iitt iiss thosthosee unchallengeunchallengedd fundamentalfundamental
(an(andd generallgenerallyy politicallpoliticallyy anandd discursiveldiscursivelyy dominantdominant)) ideologieideologiess whicwhichh ththee theoristheoristt seeksseeks ttoo reexamine.reexamine.
SecondSecond,, BatesoBatesonn likenlikenss ththee procesprocesss ooff habihabitt formatioformationn ttoo thathatt ooff evolutionaryevolutionary adaptationadaptation.. AAss behaviorabehaviorall anandd physiologicaphysiologicall changechangess becombecomee hard-wirehard-wiredd intintoo ththee genegene 6666
code,code, flexibilityflexibility ofof adaptationadaptation isis diminished.diminished. BatesonBateson refersrefers toto thithiss procesprocesss asas oneone whichwhich
"sometimes"sometimes workworkss toto createcreate evolutionaryevolutionary culs-de-sac,"culs-de-sac," andand hihiss meaninmeaningg shouldshould bbee appliedapplied
nonott onlyonly ttoo human-environmentahuman-environmentall interaction,interaction, bubutt alsoalso ttoo contemporarycontemporary environmentalenvironmental
discoursdiscoursee aass wellwell (Steps(Steps 502-510).502-510). HeHe pointpointss out:out:
TheThe momentmoment yoyouu havhavee thesethese habit-forminghabit-forming characteristics,characteristics, whichwhich areare nonott confinedconfined toto individualindividual organisms-ecosystemsorganisms—ecosystems dodo it,it, citiescities dodo it-youit—you havehave whatwhat ththee computercomputer peoplpeoplee calledcalled 'hard'hard programming'programming':: a certaincertain characteristiccharacteristic ofof thethe behaviobehaviorr oftheof the systemsystem isis soso deeplydeeply builbuiltt intointo thethe systemsystem thatthat itit affectsaffects almostalmost everythingeverything thethe systemsystem does,does, andand nothingnothing shortshort ofof veryvery violentviolent changechange wilwilll changechange thathatt deepdeep programmingprogramming.. (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity 170)170)
IInn Bateson'sBateson's lexicon,lexicon, thethe evolutionevolution ofof anan ideideaa fromfrom a relativelyrelatively flexibleflexible somaticsomatic
changechange toto ththee fixityfixity ofof a hard-wirehard-wiredd genetigeneticc changechange conservesconserves thethe relativelyrelatively limitedlimited portioportionn ofof ththee humanhuman mindmind availableavailable forfor consciousconscious decisiondecision making,making, bubutt iitt alsoalso constrainsconstrains
mentalmental flexibilityflexibility andand occludeoccludess criticalcritical inspection.inspection. ThThee resulresultt iiss anan over-relianceover-reliance onon purposivpurposivee thinkingthinking thatthat operatesoperates onon long-heldlong-held bubutt under-examinedunder-examined foundations.foundations.
PurposivPurposivee thinking,thinking, inin Bateson'Bateson'ss view,view, isis oneone ofof thethe primaryprimary causescauses ofof
environmentalenvironmental degradationdegradation inin thethe contemporarycontemporary era:era:
TodayToday ththee purposespurposes ofof consciousnessconsciousness areare implementedimplemented byby moremore andand mormoree effectiveeffective machinerymachinery,, transportationtransportation systems,systems, airplanes,airplanes, weaponryweaponry,, medicine,medicine, pesticides,pesticides, anandd soso forthforth.. ConsciousConscious purposepurpose isis nownow empoweredempowered toto upseupsett ththee balancesbalances ofof ththee bodybody,, ofof society,society, andand ofof thethe biologicabiologicall worldworld aroundaround us.us. A pathology—pathology-aa lossloss ofof balance-isbalance—is threatenedthreatened.. (Steps(Steps 440)440)
CriticallyCritically,, hhee definesdefines purposepurpose asas a short-cut,short-cut, a self-interestedself-interested responsresponsee ttoo anyany
circumstance,circumstance, anyany communication;communication; purposivpurposivee thinkinthinkingg isis linearlinear ratherrather thathann circuitous,circuitous, andand
itit failsfails ttoo perceivperceivee thethe residuaresiduall consequencesconsequences ofof itsits interventionintervention inin a systemicsystemic context.context.
BatesoBatesonn wawass increasinglincreasinglyy awareaware thatthat ourour tendencytendency ttoo allowallow purposivepurposive consciousnessconsciousness toto
dictatedictate ouourr choicechoice ofof actionaction andand reactionreaction wawass eliminatingeliminating flexibility,flexibility, whichwhich hehe defineddefined asas 6767
"uncommitted"uncommitted potentiality for change" (Steps(Steps 505).505). DefiningDefining ourour situationsituation inin termsterms ofof aa crisiscrisis wouldwould imposeimpose a short-termshort-term temporalitytemporality onon thatthat situationsituation andand wouldwould increaseincrease thethe likelihoodlikelihood ofof thethe kindskinds ofof responsesresponses thatthat BatesonBateson consideredconsidered pathological,pathological, thethe "eating"eating upup ofof flexibilityflexibility inin responseresponse toto stressesstresses ofof oneone sortsort oror another"another" (Steps(Steps 505).505).
ThisThis isis preciselyprecisely thethe kindkind ofof responseresponse thatthat philosopherphilosopher AndrewAndrew McLaughlinMcLaughlin identifiedidentified asas "reactive"reactive environmentalism,"environmentalism," a crisiscrisis responseresponse thatthat focusesfocuses onon thethe speedyspeedy rectificationrectification ofof identifiableidentifiable problemsproblems asas theythey manifestmanifest themselves,themselves, withoutwithout regardregard toto eithereither thethe socialsocial circumstancescircumstances thatthat contributecontribute toto themthem oror toto thethe long-termlong-term consequencesconsequences ofof thatthat interventionintervention (125-132).(125-132). DrawingDrawing onon languagelanguage thatthat isis groundedgrounded inin Bateson'sBateson's emphasisemphasis onon systemicsystemic wisdomwisdom andand pattems-which-connect,patterns-which-connect, McLaughlinMcLaughlin notesnotes thatthat reactivereactive environmentalismenvironmentalism "assumes"assumes thatthat managementmanagement ofof problemsproblems isis possible,possible, whichwhich leadleadss toto callscalls foforr technologicatechnologicall innovation,innovation, moremore research,research, andand mormoree legislationlegislation andand regulatioregulationn bbyy thethe state"state" (132).(132). WhatWhat isis implicitimplicit inin hishis critiqucritiquee isis thethe notionnotion thathatt thethe solutionsolution impliciimplicitt inin addressingaddressing anan environmentalenvironmental symptomsymptom asas anan emergentemergent crisiscrisis drawsdraws onon thethe tooltoolss thathatt areare readyready toto handhand...... th thee samesame tooltoolss useusedd toto constructconstruct thethe crisiscrisis situationsituation toto begibeginn withwith.. RobertRobert Cox'Cox'ss argument,argument, whilewhile recognizingrecognizing thathatt dominantdominant discoursesdiscourses areare constructivconstructivee ooff environmentalenvironmental perceptionsperceptions,, doedoess nonott sufficientlysufficiently addressaddress ththee limitationslimitations thathatt a crisicrisiss managemenmanagementt approacapproachh wilwilll imposimposee upouponn aann environmentaenvironmentall oorr communicativecommunicative situationsituation.. EveEvenn mormoree perplexingperplexing,, ananyy crisis-machincrisis-machinee includeincludess iinn ititss assumptionassumptionss thethe notionotionn thathatt thertheree iiss a solutiosolutionn ttoo evereveryy problemproblem,, thathatt thertheree iiss alwayalwayss anotheanotherr chancchancee toto righrightt whawhatt hahass gongonee wrongwrong,, anandd thathatt reframinreframingg a contexcontextt iiss sufficiensufficientt ttoo renewrenew potentialitypotentiality,, eveevenn whewhenn ththee conceptuaconceptuall anandd discursivdiscursivee tooltoolss thathatt generatgeneratee thathatt framingframing remairemainn ththee same.same. 6868
TheThe ideaidea ofaof a crisis-machinecrisis-machine asas thethe discursivediscursive framingframing devicedevice ofof thethe kindkind CoxCox isis deployingdeploying isis a notionnotion whosewhose originsorigins maymay bebe tracedtraced toto DeleuzeDeleuze andand Guattari' s A ThousandThousand
Plateaus.Plateaus. ItIt emergesemerges atat thethe juncturejuncture betweenbetween theirtheir conceptionconception ofof machine/machinicmachine/machinic andand thethe order-word.order-word. TheyThey notenote thatthat "there"there areare nono individualindividual statements,statements, onlyonly statementstatement- producingproducing machinicmachinic assemblages"assemblages" andand thatthat "assemblages"assemblages havehave elementselements...... o off severalseveral kinds:kinds: human,human, social,social, andand technicaltechnical machines"machines" (36).(36). TheseThese productiveproductive andand constitutiveconstitutive assemblagesassemblages ofof enunciationenunciation andand ideologyideology exemplifyexemplify Bateson'sBateson's notionnotion ofof recursivity,recursivity, ofof thethe viralviral circulationcirculation ofof ideasideas inin anyany cyberneticcybernetic mind,mind, andand reiteratereiterate McLaughlin'sMcLaughlin's pointpoint thatthat thethe toolstools wewe choosechoose toto solvesolve thethe problemsproblems wewe delineatedelineate areare embeddedembedded inin thethe veryvery contextscontexts withinwithin whichwhich thosethose problemsproblems arise.arise. TheThe crisis-machinecrisis-machine thatthat identifiesidentifies andand definesdefines anan environmentalenvironmental problemproblem asas such,such, andand whichwhich specifiesspecifies whatwhat mayormay or maymay notnot bebe anan appropriate response,response, isis thethe samesame crisis-machinecrisis-machine whicwhichh alsoalso definesdefines andand delineatesdelineates (and(and inin soso doing,doing, delimits)delimits) ththee solutionssolutions ttoo thatthat problemproblem.. TheThe crisis-machinecrisis-machine producesproduces;; itit manufacturesmanufactures bothboth thethe crisescrises itit proposeproposess andand ththee solutionssolutions itit proffersproffers.. ItIt doesdoes soso proscriptivelyproscriptively andand prescriptivelyprescriptively throughthrough thethe useuse ofof order-words,order-words, "the"the variablvariablee ofof enunciatioenunciationn thathatt effectuateseffectuates thethe conditioncondition ofof possibilitypossibility ofof languagelanguage"" (Deleuze(Deleuze andand
GuattarGuattarii 106).106). ThThee forcforcee ooff aann order-wororder-wordd lieliess iinn ititss concretenessconcreteness;; bbyy over-determininover-determiningg a situationsituation througthroughh ititss framinframingg viviaa a crisis-machinecrisis-machine,, ouourr potentiapotentiall foforr creativcreativee responseresponse isis reducereducedd ttoo a simplesimple binarbinaryy choicchoicee foforr oorr againsagainstt ththee statestatedd ethicethic.. Order-wordOrder-wordss untangleuntangle ththee alternativealternativess iinn a givegivenn situatiosituationn anandd botbothh simplifsimplifyy anandd speespeedd responseresponse;; ththee conversconversee ofof thithiss perspectiveperspective,, howeverhowever,, iiss thathatt thetheyy alsalsoo limilimitt choicechoicess anandd foreclosforeclosee creativity.creativity.
TherTheree iiss alsalsoo ththee dangedangerr herheree thathatt a crisis-machincrisis-machinee wilwilll lealeadd ttoo ththee promotiopromotionn ooff a singulasingularr anandd dominandominantt voicvoicee oorr viewpointviewpoint,, unchallengeunchallengedd bbyy a minmindd habituallhabituallyy conditionedconditioned 6969 toto choosechoose ratherrather thanthan toto critique.critique. InIn decryingdecrying thethe crisiscrisis modality,modality, BatesonBateson pointspoints outout thatthat
"the"the terribleterrible thingthing aboutabout suchsuch situationssituations isis thatthat inevitablyinevitably theythey shortenshorten thethe timetime spanspan ofof allall planning.planning. EmergencyEmergency isis presentpresent oror onlyonly justjust aroundaround thethe comer;corner; andand long-termlong-term wisdomwisdom mustmust thereforetherefore bebe sacrificedsacrificed toto expediency,expediency, eveneven thoughthough therethere isis a dimdim awarenessawareness thatthat expediencyexpediency willwill nevernever givegive a long-termlong-term solution"solution" (Steps(Steps 442).442). GuattariGuattari proposesproposes hishis ecosophicalecosophical perspectiveperspective asas anan alternativealternative toto thethe blindblind acceptanceacceptance ofof "reductionist,"reductionist, stereotypicalstereotypical order-wordsorder-words whichwhich onlyonly expropriateexpropriate otherother moremore singularsingular problematicsproblematics andand leadlead toto thethe promotionpromotion ofof charismaticcharismatic leaders"leaders" (Three(Three EcologiesEcologies 34).34). InIn a similarsimilar vein,vein,
BadiouBadiou isis alsoalso concernedconcerned withwith thethe subversionsubversion ofof thethe truth-processtruth-process whenwhen itit isis returnedreturned toto thethe situationsituation toto effecteffect a linearlinear andand consciousconscious forcingforcing ofof newnew knowledges:knowledges:
OnlyOnly todaytoday cancan wewe fullyfully assessassess whatwhat thisthis returnreturn means:means: itit isis thatthat ofof GalileanGalilean physicsphysics backback towardstowards technicaltechnical machinery,machinery, oror ooff atomiatomicc theortheoryy bacbackk towardtowardss bombbombss andand nucleanuclearr powerpower plantsplants.. TheThe returreturnn ofof disinterested-interestdisinterested-interest towardtowardss brutebrute interestinterest,, thethe forcingforcing ofof knowknowledgeledges s bbyy a fewfew truths.truths. AAtt thethe endend ooff whicwhichh ththee humahumann animalanimal hahass becombecomee thethe absoluteabsolute mastemasterr ooff hihiss environmentenvironment.. (Ethic(Ethicss 59)59)
InIn orderorder forfor truthtruth ttoo becomebecome,, ttoo bbee universalluniversallyy singularsingular yeyett nonott totalizingtotalizing,, iitt mustmust bbee ththee producproductt nonott ofof determinisdeterminismm bubutt ooff chancechance.. TruTruee potentiapotentiall (o(orr iinn Bateson'sBateson's terms,terms, flexibility)flexibility) existexistss onlonlyy whewhenn thertheree cacann bbee multiplmultiplee outcomesoutcomes,, multiplmultiplee actionsactions.. BadiouBadiou locatelocatess EviEvill iinn ththee ververyy procesprocesss ooff ththee emergencemergencee ooff Good—iGood-inn ththee truth-procestruth-processs itself.itself.
EviEvill existexistss iinn ththee samsamee momenmomentt aass GoodGood;; jusjustt aass ththee excesexcesss ooff ththee subjecsubjectt whicwhichh inducesinduces ththee ImmortalImmortal!1 arisearisess ououtt ooff aann utterlutterlyy disinterestedisinterestedd interesinterestt (th(thee Good)Good),, ssoo ththee choicchoicee toto pursupursuee self-interestself-interest,, ththee inducemeninducementt ooff purposivpurposivee thinkinthinkingg ttoo prioritizprioritizee subjectivsubjectivee goalsgoals anandd personapersonall gainsgains,, allowallowss ththee inductioinductionn ooff EvilEvil.. BadioBadiouu iiss adamant—"iadamant-"itt iiss absolutelyabsolutely essentiaessentiall thathatt EviEvill bbee a possiblpossiblee dimensiodimensionn ooff truthstruths"" (Ethic(Ethicss 60)60).. JusJustt aass truttruthh interruptsinterrupts 7070 thethe plenitudeplenitude ofof thethe situationsituation andand introducesintroduces outout ofof thethe voidvoid thatthat whichwhich isis new,new, soso EvilEvil seizesseizes onon thethe plenitudeplenitude andand deniesdenies thethe void,void, deniesdenies thethe potentialitypotentiality ofof thatthat whichwhich hashas notnot yetyet beenbeen counted-as-onecounted-as-one andand reducesreduces thethe universaluniversal toto thethe singularsingular inin a movemove thatthat isis bothboth extractiveextractive andand exploitative.exploitative.
JustJust asas BatesonBateson recognizesrecognizes thethe potentialpotential forfor harmharm thatthat denyingdenying thosethose otherother perspectives,perspectives, thosethose otherother voices,voices, thatthat OtherOther silencedsilenced inin thethe situationsituation yetyet alwaysalways presentpresent inin thethe voidvoid ("We("We areare learninglearning byby bitterbitter experienceexperience thatthat thethe organismorganism whichwhich destroysdestroys itsits environmentenvironment destroysdestroys itself'itself StepsSteps 491),491), BadiouBadiou isis equallyequally cognizantcognizant thatthat itit isis "for"for thethe humanhuman animalanimal asas such,such, absorbedabsorbed inin thethe pursuitpursuit ofof hihiss interests"interests" thatthat "a"a truthtruth [is][is] absent"absent"
(Ethics(Ethics 61).61). FidelityFidelity demandsdemands anan unstructuredunstructured andand structuringstructuring faithfulnessfaithfulness toto thethe emergingemerging truth,truth, notnot a purposivepurposive andand linearlinear pursuitpursuit ofof specificspecific interests.interests. BorrowingBorrowing fromfrom Spinoza,Spinoza,
BadioBadiouu suggestssuggests thathatt "if"if wwee defindefinee interesinterestt asas 'perseverance'perseverance iinn beingbeing'' (whic(whichh isis,, rememberremember,, simplsimplyy ttoo belonbelongg ttoo situationsituationss ooff multiplicity...multiplicity ...) ) thethenn wwee cacann seesee thathatt ethicalethical consistencconsistencyy manifestsmanifests itselitselff aass disinterested interest" (Ethics(Ethics 48-49)48-49).. PerseverancPerseverancee inin beinbeingg meansmeans perseverancperseverancee iinn difference;difference; ththee movementmovement towardtowardss universauniversall singularitsingularityy iiss a movemenmovementt ououtt ofof ourour insistenceinsistence oonn alteritalterityy anandd intintoo a samenesssameness thathatt woulwouldd beliebelie anan obligatorobligatoryy ethiethicc thathatt iiss predicatepredicatedd oonn a definitionadefinitionall (an(andd thereforthereforee differential)differential) disciplinaritydisciplinarity..
RoberRobertt CoCoxx iiss nonott onlonlyy concerneconcernedd witwithh identifyinidentifyingg ththee functionafunctionall anandd ethicalethical tenettenetss thathatt defindefinee environmentaenvironmentall communicationcommunication;; hihiss statestatedd aiaimm iiss alsalsoo ttoo discovediscoverr a disciplinardisciplinaryy purposepurpose,, ttoo solidifsolidifyy a disciplinardisciplinaryy identitidentityy thathatt iiss stilstilll iinn fluxflux.. Badiou,Badiou, particularlyparticularly,, iiss concerneconcernedd witwithh ththee dangerdangerss ooff identitidentityy politicpoliticss anandd ththee consequenceconsequencess ooff clinginclingingg totooo firmlfirmlyy ttoo thathatt perseverancperseverancee iinn beinbeingg thathatt cacann bbee aann obduratobduratee adherencadherencee ttoo 7171 difference.difference. InIn anan interviewinterview witwithh hishis translatortranslator,, PetePeterr Hallward,Hallward, BadiouBadiou pointpointss ououtt thathatt toto valorizvalorizee a culturalcultural differencedifference isis simplsimplyy ttoo self-limit;self-limit; ttoo defindefinee oneseloneselff aass 'black'black'' oorr aass 'an'an environmentalist'environmentalist' oorr aass 'an'an environmentalenvironmental communicatorcommunicator'' iiss ttoo construcconstructt anan identityidentity basebasedd onon somesome externallexternallyy identifieidentifiedd factofactorr oror qualityquality andand thethenn ttoo reinscribreinscribee thathatt differencedifference iinn a moremore reifiereifiedd mannemannerr (Hallwar(Hallwardd 107-109).107-109). BothBoth GregorGregoryy BatesoBatesonn anandd thethe collaborativecollaborative teamteam ooff Deleuze/GuattarDeleuze/Guattarii describedescribe a similarsimilar phenomenophenomenonn bbyy referencingreferencing
JakobJakob VonVon Uexkiill' s 19341934 studstudyy ooff animaanimall affectsaffects andand hihiss notionotionn ofof ththee Umwelt,Umwelt,
2 exemplifiedexemplified iinn ththee lifeworllifeworldd ofof a tick.2 DeleuzDeleuzee referreferss toto thithiss iinn hihiss collaborativecollaborative efforteffort witwithh ClairClairee ParneParnett andand agaiagainn iinn mormoree elaborateelaborate detaildetail inin A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus.. VonVon
Uexkiill'sUexkiill's workwork focusesfocuses onon thethe affectivaffectivee qualitiequalitiess ofof animalsanimals aass a meanmeanss ooff moremore adequateladequatelyy describindescribingg a species,species, ratheratherr thathann relyingrelying oonn mormoree obviousobvious physicaphysicall oror species/genusspecies/genus characteristicscharacteristics.. A tick'tick'ss ethoethoss oror nichnichee iiss whollwhollyy containedcontained inin termtermss ofof threethree affectsaffects:: iitt isis attractedattracted ttoo lightlight,, itit iiss sensitivesensitive ttoo smell,smell, anandd iitt sustainssustains itselitselff bbyy meanmeanss ofof itsits abilitabilityy ttoo penetratepenetrate ththee skiskinn ooff a hosthost.. ForFor DeleuzeDeleuze,, thithiss ethologicalethological enumerationenumeration ofof affectiveaffective qualitiesqualities supplantsupplantss physical/identariaphysical/identariann descriptiodescriptionn aass productivproductivee ooff anan Ethics:Ethics: thathatt "we"we knoknoww nothinnothingg aboutabout a bodbodyy untiuntill wwee knowknow whawhatt itit cancan do,do, inin otheotherr wordswords,, whatwhat ititss affectaffectss are,are, hohoww thetheyy cacann oror cannotcannot enterenter intintoo compositioncomposition witwithh otherother affects,affects, witwithh thethe affectaffectss ofof anotheranother bodybody"" ((AA ThousandThousand PlateauPlateauss 257).257).33 RephrasinRephrasingg theitheirr argumentargumentss inin thethe languaglanguagee ofof Cox'sCox's essayessay,, BatesonBateson,, DeleuzeDeleuze,, andand BadiouBadiou woulwouldd placplacee ththee emphasiemphasiss onon whawhatt environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication does ratheratherr thathann onon whawhatt itit is, movinmovingg awaawayy fromfrom focusingfocusing onon termtermss ooff distinction anandd towardtowardss termtermss ooff process. IInn thithiss sensesense,, eaceachh movesmoves awaawayy fromfrom ththee consciouconsciouss anandd purposivpurposivee dangerdangerss inhereninherentt iinn identitidentityy politicpoliticss anandd inin nominanominall definitiondefinitionss anandd towardtowardss a mormoree radicaradicall understandinunderstandingg ofof a truttruthh thathatt isis organicorganic 7272 ratherrather thanthan nonnative.normative. AsAs BatesonBateson soso eloquentlyeloquently observed,observed, "What"What ifif 'Truth''Truth' inin somesome veryvery large,large, andand forfor us,us, overridingoverriding sensesense isis infonnationinformation notnot aboutabout what wewe perceiveperceive...... bu butt aboutabout thethe process ofof perception?"perception?" (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity 227).227).
InIn furtherfurther definingdefining thethe environmentalenvironmental nicheniche thatthat anan Umwelt represents,represents, cognitivecognitive
philosopherphilosopher AndyAndy ClarkClark notesnotes thatthat VonVon UexktillUexkiill isis describingdescribing "effective"effective environments.environments.
TheThe effectiveeffective environmentenvironment isis defineddefined byby thethe parametersparameters thatthat mattermatter toto anan animalanimal withwith a
specificspecific lifestylelifestyle....I ... .Itt isis a naturalnatural andand challengingchallenging extensionextension toto wonderwonder whetherwhether thethe humanlyhumanly perceivedperceived worldworld isis similarlysimilarly biasedbiased andand constrained"constrained" (25).(25). ThisThis isis thethe questionquestion whichwhich Bateson,Bateson, DeleuzeDeleuze andand Guattari,Guattari, andand BadiouBadiou areare consideringconsidering whenwhen theythey problematizeproblematize thethe kindskinds ofof definitionaldefinitional certaintiescertainties thatthat a crisis-machinecrisis-machine tendstends toto generate.generate.
TheThe recognitionrecognition thatthat environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication operatesoperates withinwithin parametersparameters whichwhich areare sociallsociallyy dictateddictated (and(and thuthuss potentiallpotentiallyy botbothh biasebiasedd anandd constrainingconstraining)) iiss reflectereflectedd iinn Cox'sCox's basibasicc functionalfunctional tenetstenets,, anandd hihiss ethicalethical restatementrestatement furthefurtherr notenotess ththee neeneedd forfor transparencytransparency iinn ththee expressioexpressionn ooff thosthosee parametersparameters,, coupledcoupled witwithh ththee conceptuallconceptuallyy vaguevague assumptionassumption thathatt thertheree iiss anan inherentinherent googoodd inin thosthosee conditionconditionss whicwhichh promotpromotee suchsuch expressionexpression.. LikeLike
Cox,Cox, botbothh BatesonBateson andand BadioBadiouu recognizrecognizee a neeneedd foforr constantconstant criticacriticall reevaluatioreevaluationn ofof thethe rhetorirhetoricc thathatt movemovess alonalongg anandd througthroughh ththee trajectortrajectoryy ooff a truth-processtruth-process.. OOnn mormoree thathann oneone occasionoccasion,, BatesoBatesonn recallrecallss ththee wordwordss ooff a JapanesJapanesee ZeZenn MasteMasterr thathatt "to becomebecome accustomed to anything is a terrible thing" (Step(Stepss 511)511).. IInn Bateson'Bateson'ss termstenns,, recursivityrecursivity forceforcess uuss ttoo reevaluatreevaluatee ththee validitvalidityy ooff ouourr habituahabituall assumptionsassumptions,, whilwhilee abductiveabductive reasoninreasoningg movemovess uuss ttoo thinthinkk beyonbeyondd ththee constraintconstraintss ooff a singlsinglee situatiosituationn bbyy emphasizingemphasizing recurrinrecurringg patternpatternss througthroughh metaphorimetaphoricc investigationinvestigation.. BadioBadiouu stressestressess thathatt "i"iff a truttruthh iiss neveneverr communicablcommunicablee aass suchsuch,, iitt neverthelesneverthelesss impliesimplies,, aatt a distancdistancee frofromm itselfitself,, powerfulpowerful 7733
reshapingreshapingss ofof ththee formformss anandd referentreferentss ooff communicationcommunication"" (Ethics(Ethics 70).70). TruthTruth cannocannott bebe
restricterestrictedd bbyy specialspecial interestinterestss oror bbyy identarianidentarian boundariesboundaries;; iinn ordeorderr toto maintainmaintain
epistemologicalepistemological andand biologicabiologicall flexibilityflexibility,, wwee musmustt engagengagee iinn criticalcritical inspectioinspectionn asas a
methodologmethodologyy foforr preventinpreventingg ththee reificatioreificationn ofof truth-procestruth-processs intintoo TruthTruth asas a boundbound andand
finitefinite setset,, whoswhosee constituentsconstituents araree fixedfixed andand unchangingunchanging.. EthicsEthics,, liklikee meaning,meaning, cancan
functionfunction onlonlyy iiff iitt iiss perceiveperceivedd asas processprocess,, asas emerginemergingg iinn relationshirelationshipp ratheratherr thathann eitheeitherr asas
ththee beginninbeginningg oorr aass ththee enendd ooff somesome serieseriess ofof actionsactions oorr commitmentscommitments,, asas immanentimmanent
withiwithinn a situatiosituationn ratheratherr thathann asas anan externalexternal brackebrackett thathatt definedefiness iitt andand operatesoperates upouponn it.it.
FundamentallyFundamentally,, ouourr mosmostt basicbasic notionnotionss abouaboutt alterityalterity anandd sameness,sameness, abouaboutt ththee OneOne andand
ththee 1,1, anandd aboutabout ththee finitfinitee anandd infiniteinfinite boundarieboundariess ofof ththee ecologecologyy ofof minmindd musmustt bebe
challengechallengedd iiff wwee areare ttoo pursupursuee ththee faithfulnessfaithfulness ttoo a truth-procedurtruth-proceduree thathatt BadioBadiouu advocatesadvocates
anandd thathatt CoxCox intends.intends.
InIn AAdd Infinitum:Infinitum: ThThee GhosGhostt iinn Turing'Turing'ss MachineMachine,, mathematiciamathematiciann andand culturalcultural theoristheoristt BriaBriann RotmaRotmann proposeproposess ttoo examineexamine EuclideaEuclideann assumptionassumptionss abouaboutt numbenumberr andand
mathematicamathematicall operationoperationss inin ordeorderr ttoo problematizproblematizee ththee fundamentalfundamental underpinningunderpinningss ofof thosethose
assumptions.assumptions. HiHiss questionquestionss revolvrevolvee aroundaround ouourr traditionaltraditional notionnotionss ofof infinity,infinity, andand hhee asksasks
whethewhetherr a perpetuaperpetuall andand limitlesslimitless repetitiorepetitionn ooff a seriesseries ooff operationoperationss (the(the unendingunending seriesseries
ofof additionsadditions indicateindicatedd bbyy ththee symbolisymbolicc ellipse"ellipse "..." ... ")) iiss eitheeitherr possiblpossiblee oorr practicable.practicable.
RotmaRotmann identifieidentifiess inin mathematicmathematicss botbothh a CodeCode (the(the formalformal languaglanguagee ofof mathematicsmathematics,, thethe
rulesrules,, ideograms,ideograms, operationsoperations anandd otherother rigorouslrigorouslyy applieappliedd dictumdictum whicwhichh a disembodieddisembodied
anandd non-indexicanon-indexicall SubjectSubject employemployss iinn ththee conducconductt ooff mathematicsmathematics)) anandd a metaCodmetaCodee (the(the
informainformall andand imaginativimaginativee linguistilinguisticc intuitiointuitionn andand explicationexplication ofof thethe CodeCode utilizeutilizedd byby thethe
flesfleshh andand bloobloodd PersoPersonn whwhoo communicatecommunicatess ththee storiestoriess thathatt underpiunderpinn ththee formalformal 7474 computations)computations) (Ad(Ad InfinitumInfinitum 69-70).69-70). ArguingArguing thatthat thethe conceptconcept ofof infinityinfinity reliesrelies onon thethe presumptivepresumptive actionaction ofof a disembodieddisembodied thirdthird actor,actor, a ghostlyghostly AgentAgent whowho cancan performperform anan endlessendless setset ofof repeatedrepeated iterationsiterations notnot realizablerealizable eithereither byby thethe idealizedidealized SubjectSubject oror thethe finitefinite
Person,Person, RotmanRotman raisesraises questionsquestions aboutabout transcendenttranscendent assumptionsassumptions thatthat havehave materialmaterial consequencesconsequences forfor traditionaltraditional mathematics-andmathematics—and thatthat cancan bebe extendedextended toto thethe foundationalfoundational principlesprinciples thatthat underlieunderlie thethe operationoperation ofof thethe crisis-machine.crisis-machine. AsAs RotmanRotman pointspoints out,out, embodiedembodied inin "the"the ad infinitum principleprinciple [is][is] thethe principleprinciple ofof always-one-more-time,"always-one-more-time," anan axiomaticaxiomatic guaranteeguarantee thatthat oneone cancan alwaysalways "ask"ask oneone moremore question,question, carrycarry outout oneone moremore stagestage ofof a procedureprocedure...... tak takee anotheranother singlesingle stepstep forward,forward, countcount yetyet againagain anan item"item" (Ad(Ad
InfinitumInfinitum 51).51). TheThe infiniteinfinite intimatesintimates anan ever-recedingever-receding futurefuture always-already-waitingalways-already-waiting alongalong anan unwaveringunwavering vectorvector ofof progress-thereprogress—there isis nono closureclosure implicitimplicit inin infinity.infinity. AgainstAgainst thisthis bountifubountifull iterativiterativee infinitinfinityy (mathematically(mathematically representerepresentedd asas 0,0, 1,1, 2,2, 33...) ... ),, RotmanRotman proposeproposess a non-Euclideanon-Euclideann arithmetiarithmeticc whicwhichh beginbeginss bbyy assuminassumingg a finitfinitee AgentAgent,, one-whoone-who- countcountss whowho iiss constrainedconstrained bbyy ththee physicaphysicall limitationlimitationss ooff ththee materiamateriall universuniversee withinwithin whicwhichh s/hslhee countscounts,, a finitfinitee AgenAgentt thathatt isis,, whwhoo iiss activelactivelyy constraineconstrainedd bbyy ththee answeanswerr toto thethe
SpinozanSpinozan question,question, "What"What cacann a bodbodyy do?"do?" FroFromm ththee assumptionassumption ooff thathatt corporeacorporeall andand finitfinitee agentagent,, iitt iiss thethenn necessarnecessaryy ttoo "disallo"disalloww a countincountingg procesprocesss thathatt wawass nonott performableperformable within a given level of resourceresource-for —for exampleexample,, withiwithinn ththee time-spatime-spann ooff aann individuaindividuall lifelife oorr bbyy usinusingg onlonlyy ssoo mucmuchh papepaperr oorr timtimee oorr storagstoragee facilityfacility"" (A(Add InfinituInfinitumm 5353,, emphasisemphasis added)added).. SemioticallySemiotically,, RotmaRotmann imposeimposess ththee recognitiorecognitionn ooff thathatt limitationlimitation,, ooff thathatt finitude,fmitude, witwithh ththee notationotationn 00,, 11,2,3, 2, 3...... $ $,, wherwheree ththee $ representrepresentss thathatt limilimitt oorr poinpointt beyonbeyondd whichwhich iteratioiterationn iiss nonott physicallphysicallyy realizablrealizablee (an(andd bbyy extensionextension,, beyonbeyondd whicwhichh nnoo mormoree pollutionpollution cacann bbee releasereleasedd intintoo ththee atmosphereatmosphere,, nnoo mormoree oil-coal-gaoil-coal-gass cacann bbee extracted)extracted).. CriticallyCritically,, hhee 7575 notenotess thathatt untiuntill ththee limitlimit iiss reachedreached,, ouourr perceptioperceptionn ooff ththee integerintegerss iiss unchanged-withinunchanged—within thithiss rangerange,, ththee numbernumberss themselvethemselvess behavbehavee jusjustt aass thetheyy dididd inin ththee traditionatraditionall EuclideanEuclidean perceptionperception.. InIn otheotherr wordswords,, traditionatraditionall EuclideaEuclideann axiomaxiomss holholdd trutruee locally, withiwithinn a rangerange oror situationsituation thathatt hahass somsomee finitefinite limilimitt (a(a mathematicamathematicall Umwelt, anan effectiveeffective environmentenvironment affectivelyaffectively defineddefined anandd practicablpracticablyy true)true);; whawhatt RotmaRotmann isis interrogatininterrogatingg isis ththee all-tooall-too- frequenfrequentt assumptionassumption thathatt whawhatt iiss localllocallyy trutruee iiss alsalsoo universalluniversallyy valid.valid .... .tha thatt whawhatt holdsholds immanentlimmanentlyy withiwithinn aann identifiablidentifiablee situationsituation cancan bbee transcendentltranscendentlyy assumeassumedd forfor allall (Ad(Ad
InfinituInfinitumm 117-121).117-121).
RotmaRotmann goegoess onon ttoo developdevelop ththee notionotionn ooff a seriesseries ofof limitationlimitationss oror exiexitt pointpointss thatthat emergeemerge asas oneone attemptattemptss ttoo identifidentifyy ththee finitefinite rangerangess ofof a progressioprogressionn ofof mathematicalmathematical operationsoperations iinn a globagloball contextcontext.. MovinMovingg fromfrom additioadditionn ttoo multiplicatiomultiplicationn ttoo exponentiationexponentiation ttoo hyperexponentiationhyperexponentiation,, hhee demonstratedemonstratess thathatt "an"an essentialessential featurefeature ofof thethe realizablerealizable iteratesiterates...... i iss ththee wawayy theitheirr globagloball structurestructure emergesemerges aass thethe resulresultt ofof a reflectivereflective oror zigzagzigzag movementmovement"" (Ad(Ad InfinituInfinitumm 129).129). ThThee picturpicturee thathatt emergeemergess isis suggestivesuggestive ofof Bateson'sBateson's discussiondiscussion inin MindMind anandd NaturNaturee aboutabout ththee interplayinterplay betweebetweenn formform andand process,process, betweenbetween calibratiocalibrationn andand feedbacfeedbackk (Mind(Mind andand NaturNaturee 177-189).177-189). BatesonBateson intendintendss hihiss ladder-likeladder-like diagradiagramm ttoo illustratillustratee ththee necessarnecessaryy interactiointeractionn ooff rigorrigor anandd imaginationimagination,, ooff strictstrict andand looseloose thinkingthinking,, nonott ttoo advocatadvocatee whawhatt iiss soso ofteoftenn dismissedismissedd aass relativisrelativismm bubutt ratheratherr ttoo suggestsuggest thethe neeneedd foforr recursivenesrecursivenesss aass aann epistemologicaepistemologicall operationoperation thathatt raiseraisess ththee samesame questionsquestions aboutabout assuminassumingg globagloball warrantiewarrantiess frofromm localocall veritiesverities.. EacEachh movemenmovementt uupp oorr downdown thethe laddeladderr representrepresentss a stestepp oorr a rangrangee oorr a situationsituation oorr a setset...... a setset thathatt hahass asas ititss limitlimit somesome exitexit poinpointt beyonbeyondd whicwhichh meaninmeaningg beginbeginss ttoo dissipatedissipate,, a poinpointt wherwheree whawhatt isis localllocallyy truetrue cannocannott bbee presumepresumedd ttoo bbee globallgloballyy universal.universa1. 44 IInn StepsSteps ttoo anan EcologyEcology ooff Mind,Mind, BatesonBateson 7676
suggestedsuggested thatthat thertheree isis anan ecologyecology ofof badbad ideasideas inin thethe cyberneticcybernetic mindmind asas welwelll asas oneone ofof
righrightt thinking,thinking, badbad ideasideas whosewhose pervasivepervasive andand viralviral charactercharacter willwill proliferateproliferate likelike weedsweeds ifif
undetecteundetectedd andand uncheckeuncheckedd (Steps(Steps 492).492). RecursivenessRecursiveness recognizesrecognizes nonott onlyonly thatthat choiceschoices
madmadee atat somesome levelevell informinform andand infuseinfuse thosethose decisionsdecisions whichwhich areare madmadee atat successivesuccessive
levels—recursiveneslevels-recursivenesss alsoalso demandsdemands thatthat foundationalfoundational ideasideas mustmust bbee periodicallyperiodically rere
examined,examined, re-engagedre-engaged toto testtest theitheirr viabilitviabilityy andand vitality-tovitality—to evaluateevaluate theirtheir fitnessfitness forfor
survival.survival. IInn WesterWesternn thoughtthought,, assumptionsassumptions aboutabout EuclideanEuclidean infinityinfinity feedfeed a crisis-machinecrisis-machine whichwhich manifestlmanifestlyy assumesassumes ititss infinitinfinitee abilityability ttoo progressivelprogressivelyy remediateremediate thethe successivesuccessive
5 consequencesconsequences ofof itsits ownown decisions. 5 ThoseThose samesame assumptionsassumptions alsoalso allowallow forfor thethe presencepresence ofof a transcendenttranscendent andand ghostlyghostly AgentAgent whowho cancan objectivelyobjectively determinedetermine suchsuch value-ladenvalue-laden notionnotionss asas "appropriate"appropriate responseresponse"" andand onon whowhomm ththee "obligation"obligation toto enhanceenhance thethe abilityability ofof societysociety ttoo respondrespond appropriatelyappropriately ttoo environmentalenvironmental signals"signals" restrestss (Cox(Cox 5).5). WhatWhat specificallyspecifically mighmightt thosethose environmentalenvironmental signalssignals representrepresent...... an andd whawhatt dangersdangers existexist forfor thosthosee whwhoo respondrespond ttoo ththee crisis-machine'scrisis-machine's injunctioninjunctionss toto actact oror ttoo re-actre-act responsivelyresponsively?? ToTo restaterestate RobertRobert Cox'sCox's concludingconcluding question,question, "What"What woulwouldd 'crisis''crisis' scholarshipscholarship andand educatioeducationn loolookk likelike forfor scholars,scholars, teachersteachers,, andand practitionerpractitionerss inin environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication"" oror iinn anyany otherother disciplindisciplinee whichwhich considersconsiders itselfitself a crisiscrisis discipline?discipline?
WeWe needneed onlyonly looklook ttoo GregoryGregory BatesoBatesonn forfor a questioquestionn whicwhichh counterscounters Cox'Cox'ss queryquery aass followsfollows,, ""II askask thethenn whawhatt isis it-whatit—what sortsort ofof habihabitt ofof mindmind isis it-thatit—that leadleadss ttoo payingpaying totooo muchmuch attentionattention toto symptomssymptoms andand totooo littlelittle ttoo system?"system?" (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity 296)296).. InIn anan articlarticlee writtewrittenn inin 1978,1978, neanearr ththee endend ofof hihiss life,life, BatesoBatesonn raiseraisedd ththee issueissue ofof whatwhat hehe calledcalled
"symptomophobia,""symptomophobia" a socialsocial trentrendd thatthat respondedresponded ttoo symptomssymptoms notnot asas indicatorsindicators ofof underlyinunderlyingg systemicsystemic problemsproblems thathatt warrantedwarranted carefulcareful examination,examination, butbut asas problems,problems, asas 7777 pathologiespathologies themselvesthemselves whichwhich mustmust bebe "fixed.""fixed." OccidentalOccidental cultureculture hashas becomebecome afraidafraid ofof symptoms,symptoms, soso muchmuch soso thatthat ourour responseresponse isis indeedindeed thatthat dictateddictated byby thethe crisis-machine.crisis-machine.
Critically,Critically, BatesonBateson notesnotes thatthat ourour reactionreaction isis oftenoften toto respondrespond toto thethe symptomsymptom inin suchsuch a wayway thatthat wewe inadvertentlyinadvertently enableenable thethe underlyingunderlying pathology:pathology:
WeWe treattreat thethe symptoms-wesymptoms—we makemake moremore roadsroads for. ... .mor moree cars,cars, andand wewe makemake moremore andand fasterfaster carscars forfor thethe restlessrestless peoplepeople...... WeWe eveneven looklook intointo thethe futurefuture andand trytry toto seesee thethe symptomssymptoms andand discomfortsdiscomforts coming.coming. WeWe predictpredict thethe jammingjamming ofof traffictraffic onon thethe highwayshighways andand inviteinvite bidsbids forfor governmentgovernment contractscontracts toto enlargeenlarge thethe roadsroads forfor carscars thatthat dodo notnot yetyet exist.exist. InIn thisthis way,way, millionsmillions ofof dollarsdollars getget committedcommitted toto thethe hypotheseshypotheses ofof futurefuture increaseincrease inin pathology.pathology. (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity 296)296)
HeHe notesnotes thathatt "in"in biologybiology therethere areare nono valuesvalues whichwhich havehave thethe characteristiccharacteristic thatthat ifif somethingsomething isis good,good, thenthen moremore ofof thathatt somethingsomething willwill bebe better,"better," a pointpoint thatthat seemsseems toto reflectreflect Rotman'sRotman's positionposition thatthat beyondbeyond certaincertain limits,limits, anan infiniteinfinite expansionexpansion ofof anythinganything isis nonott materiallmateriallyy defensibledefensible.. BatesoBatesonn drawsdraws oonn hihiss earlierearlier worworkk aass a psychologispsychologistt ttoo drawdraw parallelparallelss betweebetweenn hihiss studiesstudies ofof alcoholisalcoholismm anandd addictivaddictivee behaviobehaviorr ttoo present-daypresent-day interactioninteractionss witwithh ththee environment.environment. TheThe focufocuss ooff hihiss 19711971 essay,essay, "Th"Thee CyberneticCyberneticss ofof
'Self:'Self: A TheorTheoryy ooff Alcoholism,Alcoholism,"" iiss onon ththee OccidentaOccidentall tendenctendencyy ttoo conflateconflate ththee notionotionn ofof ththee selselff witwithh somsomee transcendentranscendentt anandd autonomouautonomouss powerpower,, ththee CartesiaCartesiann MinMindd whicwhichh iiss locatelocatedd iinn anandd yeyett iinn controcontroll ooff ththee physicaphysicall BodyBody.. IInn thithiss essayessay,, BatesoBatesonn carefullycarefully deconstructde constructss ththee philosophiephilosophiess ooff AlcoholicAlcoholicss AnonymouAnonymouss usinusingg ththee tenettenetss ooff cyberneticcyberneticss toto relocatrelocatee MinMindd aass aann immanenimmanentt anandd cyberneticyberneticc systesystemm anandd ttoo diffusdiffusee ththee notionotionn ooff somesome externaexternall PowerPower;; insteadinstead,, hhee conflateconflatess ththee aesthetiaestheticc recognitiorecognitionn ooff systemisystemicc holisholismm withwith ththee revolutionarrevolutionaryy re-orientatiore-orientationn experienceexperiencedd bbyy ththee alcoholialcoholicc "hittin"hittingg bottombottom"" (Step(Stepss 331331--
332)332).. IItt iiss onlonlyy whewhenn ththee individuaindividuall organisorganismm perceiveperceivess ititss owownn integritintegrityy withiwithinn ththee contexcontextt ooff ththee largelargerr systesystemm thathatt trutruee healthealthh cacann bbee restoredrestored;; ththee piecemeapiecemeall treatmentreatmentt ofof 7878 symptomssymptoms willwill onlyonly extendextend pathology.pathology. WhatWhat isis vitalvital isis thethe recognitionrecognition thatthat "the"the unitunit ofof survival--eithersurvival—either inin ethicsethics oror inin evolution-isevolution—is notnot thethe organismorganism oror thethe speciesspecies butbut thethe largestlargest systemsystem oror 'power''power' withinwithin whichwhich thethe creaturecreature lives.lives. IftheIf the creaturecreature destroysdestroys itsits environment,environment, itit destroysdestroys itself"itself (Steps(Steps 332).332).
MichelMichel FoucaultFoucault writeswrites thatthat whilewhile powerpower circulates,circulates, "there"there isis nono suchsuch entityentity asas power,power, withwith oror withoutwithout a capitalcapital letter;letter; global,global, massive,massive, oror diffused;diffused; concentratedconcentrated oror distributed.distributed. PowerPower existsexists onlyonly asas exercisedexercised byby somesome onon others,others, onlyonly whenwhen itit isis putput intointo action"action" (340).(340). GregoryGregory BatesonBateson waswas equallyequally distrustfuldistrustful ofof whatwhat hehe deemeddeemed thethe "myth"myth ofof power,"power," thethe beliefbelief thatthat therethere isis anan equivalentequivalent toto thethe forceforce oror energyenergy thatthat existsexists inin thethe worldworld ofof physicsphysics thatthat cancan bebe translatedtranslated asas anan equallyequally autonomousautonomous andand causativecausative power inin thethe cyberneticcybernetic systemssystems ofof individuals,individuals, socialsocial constructions,constructions, andand environmentalenvironmental systems.systems.
UnfortunatelyUnfortunately,, asas hehe observes,observes, iitt iiss anan enduringenduring andand powerfupowerfull mythmyth,, oneone thatthat "probably"probably mosmostt peoplpeoplee inin thisthis worlworldd mormoree oror leslesss believbelievee in.in ...... I .Itt iiss a mythmyth whichwhich,, ifif everybodyeverybody believebelievess inin it,it, becomebecomess toto thathatt extentextent self-validating.self-validating. ButBut itit isis stillstill epistemologicalepistemological lunacylunacy anandd leadleadss inevitablyinevitably ttoo variousvarious sortssorts ofof disaster"disaster" (Steps(Steps 494-495).494-495).
ItIt iiss thisthis hinhintt ofof anan exerciseexercise ofof anan autonomousautonomous powerpower,, oneone thatthat cancan isolateisolate andand addresaddresss ththee errorserrors ooff a systesystemm iinn runawarunawayy modemode,, ononee thathatt assumeassumess thathatt ththee externalexternal inputinput ooff aann outsidoutsidee perspectivperspectivee cacann successfullysuccessfully targetargett anandd repairepairr ththee symptomsymptomss ooff a pathologicapathologicall disturbancdisturbancee thathatt Cox'Cox'ss notionotionn ooff "appropriat"appropriatee responseresponse"" seemsseems toto recommendrecommend.. BatesoBatesonn woulwouldd responrespondd assertivelassertivelyy thathatt ttoo adaddd inpuinputt frofromm outsidoutsidee anyany ecologicaecologicall oorr sociasociall oorr individuaindividuall systesystemm woulwouldd mormoree likellikelyy servservee ttoo furthefurtherr thethe assumptionassumptionss ooff ouourr technocratitechnocraticc anandd democratidemocraticc ageage,, whicwhichh privilegprivilegee solutiosolutionn andand technicatechnicall know-hoknow-howw witwithh totooo littllittlee regarregardd foforr ththee systemisystemicc consequenceconsequencess ooff sucsuchh ad hochoc 7979 anandd mono-perspectivamono-perspectivall actions.actions. AlwayAlwayss cognizancognizantt ofof ththee recursivrecursivee naturnaturee ooff man'sman's interactioninteraction witwithh (and(and manymany instances,instances, interferenceinterference withwith)) ththee circuitoucircuitouss contextcontextss oofthef the environmenenvironmentt whicwhichh definedefiness hihiss existencexistencee anandd hihiss survivalsurvival inin concerconcertt witwithh ititss own,own, BatesonBateson stressestressedd thatthat "the"the probleproblemm ooff hohoww ttoo transmittransmit ouourr ecologicaecologicall reasoninreasoningg ttoo thosthosee whowhomm wewe wiswishh ttoo influenceinfluence inin whawhatt seemsseems ttoo uuss ttoo bbee aann ecologicallecologically'y 'good good'' directiodirectionn isis itselitselff anan ecologicalecological problemproblem.. WWee araree nonott outsideoutside ththee ecologecologyy forfor whicwhichh wwee plan—wplan-wee araree alwaysalways andand inevitablinevitablyy a parpartt ofof it"it" (Steps(Steps 512).512). TheThe naturnaturee ooff cyberneticyberneticc systemsystemss isis sucsuchh thatthat feedbackfeedback nonott onlyonly stimulatesstimulates responsresponsee iinn aann environmenenvironmentt bubutt thethenn itselitselff becomebecomess a vitalvital elementelement inin thathatt environmenenvironmentt anandd a recipienrecipientt ooff ththee responsresponsee ttoo itsits responseresponse.. InIn hishis
Bateson-inspireBateson-inspiredd studystudy ofof cyberneticcyberneticss asas a kekeyy methodologmethodologyy iinn definindefiningg anandd modelingmodeling neneww approacheapproachess ttoo thethe treatmentreatmentt ooff pathologiepathologiess emergentemergent inin familfamilyy dynamicsdynamics,, BradfordBradford
KeeneyKeeney alsalsoo referencereferencess ththee caveatcaveatss ofof actinactingg totooo purposivelpurposivelyy oror externallexternallyy oonn a self-self- correctincorrectingg system.system. DistinguishingDistinguishing betweebetweenn firsfirstt anandd secondsecond orderorder cyberneticscybernetics,, KeeneyKeeney followfollowss BatesoBatesonn inin suggestingsuggesting thathatt ttoo focufocuss treatmentreatmentt oonn ththee alleviatioalleviationn ofof a symptomsymptom isis ttoo identifidentifyy a parpartt ooff a systesystemm anandd toto assumeassume thathatt iitt iiss fullyfully exemplarexemplaryy ooff ththee wholwholee system,system, a first-orderfirst-order approachapproach toto bothboth cyberneticscybernetics andand toto treatment.treatment. HigherHigher ordersorders ofof cyberneticscybernetics demandemandd thatthat partiapartiall solutionssolutions bbee acknowledgedacknowledged asas such,such, potentiallpotentiallyy usefuusefull iinn somsomee short-short- tertermm situation,situation, bubutt oftenoften counter-productivecounter-productive andand eveevenn dangeroudangerouss whewhenn introducedintroduced intointo whawhatt isis onlonlyy a portioportionn ofof a mucmuchh mormoree complecomplexx wholewhole.. HHee goegoess onon ttoo caution:caution:
Therapists,Therapists, thereforetherefore,, neeneedd ttoo asaskk whethewhetherr ththee therapeutitherapeuticc socialsocial systemssystems thathatt dispensedispense solutionssolutions anandd curescures perpetuatperpetuatee problemsproblems.. TherapistTherapistss areare usuallusuallyy nonott accustomeaccustomedd ttoo thinkinthinkingg beyonbeyondd immediatimmediatee pragmaticpragmatic outcomes.outcomes. Likewise,Likewise, researcherresearcherss typicalltypicallyy focufocuss oonn whethewhetherr ththee presentingpresenting probleproblemm wawass solvesolvedd oror,, aatt best,best, whawhatt ththee successsuccess ooff ththee solutiosolutionn was.was .... .Al Alll ofof thesthesee inquirieinquiriess examineexamine ththee effecteffectss ooff ththee therapist'therapist'ss interventiointerventionn withinwithin simplesimple cyberneticcybernetic processprocess.. ThThee effectseffects withiwithinn highehigherr ordersorders ofof cyberneticcybernetic 8080
processprocess areare usuallyusually notnot approached.approached. ItIt isis nono triviatriviall mattermatter ttoo ignoreignore higherhigher orderorder cybernetics.cybernetics. (121)(121)
Bateson'sBateson's characterizationcharacterization ofof thethe samesame processprocess ofof well-intendewell-intendedd yetyet ad hoc interventionintervention isis moremore abrupt:abrupt: "It"It isis ofof nnoo useuse toto pleadplead thatthat a particulaparticularr sinsin ofof pollutionpollution oror exploitationexploitation waswas onlyonly a littlelittle oneone oror thathatt itit wawass unintentionalunintentional oror thathatt iitt wawass committedcommitted witwithh thethe bestbest intentions.intentions. OrOr thatthat 'If'If I didn't,didn't, somebodysomebody elseelse woulwouldd have.have.'' TheThe processeprocessess ofof ecologyecology areare notnot mocked"mocked" (Steps(Steps 512).512).
IInn theirtheir provocativprovocativee essay,essay, "The"The DeathDeath ofof Environmentalism,Environmentalism,"" originallyoriginally presentepresentedd iinn ththee OctoberOctober 20042004 meetinmeetingg ofof ththee EnvironmentalEnvironmental GrantmakersGrantmakers Association,Association, authorsauthors MichaeMichaell ShellenbergerShellenberger andand TedTed NordhauNordhauss offer a passionatepassionate argumentargument againstagainst thethe traditionatraditionall methodsmethods employedemployed bbyy thethe environmentalenvironmental movementmovement toto advocateadvocate legislativelegislative remedieremediess foforr environmentalenvironmental problemsproblems.. DespiteDespite ititss provocativprovocativee titletitle,, ththee essayessay isis nonott a callcall forfor ththee endend ofof ththee environmentalenvironmental movementmovement;; rather,rather, thethe authorsauthors contendcontend thatthat environmentalistsenvironmentalists neeneedd toto redefineredefine theirtheir issuesissues andand ttoo refocurefocuss theirtheir collectivecollective visionvision inin orderorder toto escapescapee ththee "literal"literal sclerosis"sclerosis" (9)(9) currentlycurrently undermininunderminingg theirtheir efforts.efforts.
ShellenbergerShellenberger andand NordhausNordhaus interviewedinterviewed overover 2525 membersmembers ofof thethe environmentalenvironmental communitycommunity involvedinvolved inin decision-making,decision-making, funding,funding, andand policpolicyy developmentdevelopment toto arrivearrive atat theirtheir conclusionconclusionss aboutabout thethe movementmovement asas a wholwholee andand ttoo determinedetermine whwhyy thethe communitycommunity hashas failedfailed ttoo producproducee meaningfulmeaningful legislationlegislation inin ththee faceface ofof ththee globalglobal warminwarmingg crisiscrisis facingfacing ththee worlworldd todaytoday.. PointinPointingg toto a failurefailure onon ththee parpartt ofof thethe environmentalenvironmental communitycommunity toto lealeadd withwith vision,vision, thetheyy introduceintroduce a themetheme thathatt theythey repeatrepeat throughoutthroughout thethe essay:essay: thatthat environmentalism'senvironmentalism's "narrow"narrow defmitiondefinition ofof itsits self-interestself-interest leadsleads toto a kindkind ofof policypolicy literalisliteralismm thatthat underminesundermines itsits powerpower"" (4).(4). ShellenbergerShellenberger andand NordhausNordhaus believbelievee thatthat thethe environmentalenvironmental movemenmovementt hashas largellargelyy defineddefined thethe "environment""environment" asas a nonhumannonhuman,, separateseparate 8181
entity,entity, deservingdeserving ofof preservatiopreservationn andand protectionprotection,, bubutt whichwhich hashas a ververyy specificspecific setset ofof
"environmental"environmental problemsproblems"" whicwhichh oughtought toto bebe thethe properproper concernconcern ofof environmentalists.environmentalists.
NotingNoting thathatt "the"the three-parthree-partt strategicstrategic frameworkframework forfor environmentalenvironmental policy-makingpolicy-making hasn'thasn't
changedchanged inin 4400 years,years,"" thetheyy ususee examplesexamples fromfrom thethe historyhistory ofof environmentalenvironmental legislativelegislative proposalproposalss ttoo illustrateillustrate a familiarfamiliar patterpatternn thatthat beginbeginss byby identifyingidentifying andand definingdefining anan
environmentaenvironmentall problem,problem, proposinproposingg a technicaltechnical solution,solution, andand communicatingcommunicating botbothh problemproblem
anandd solutionsolution toto legislatorslegislators inin somesome traditionaltraditional andand acceptedaccepted mannermanner (lobbying,(lobbying, publicpublic relations,relations, etc.)etc.) (6).(6). Repeatedly,Repeatedly, thethe essayessay pointspoints toto thethe failurefailure ofof environmentalistsenvironmentalists toto voicvoicee a solutionsolution thatthat connectsconnects ththee corecore concernsconcerns ofof a mucmuchh widerwider audienceaudience witwithh a visionvision forfor ththee futurefuture thathatt offersoffers benefitsbenefits insteadinstead ofof technicaltechnical remediesremedies.. PhrasesPhrases likelike "disaster"disaster preparednespreparednesss isis nonott anan environmentalenvironmental problem"(lO),problem"(10), "safety"safety 'is'is nonott anan environmentalenvironmental issue'"issue'" (29),(29), andand "health"health carecare isis nonott anan environmentalenvironmental issue"issue" (15)(15) underscoreunderscore thethe authors'authors' contentioncontention thatthat itit isis witwithh suchsuch narronarroww definitionsdefinitions thatthat environmentalistsenvironmentalists havhavee distanceddistanced themselvethemselvess fromfrom ththee concernsconcerns andand prioritieprioritiess ofof anan increasinglyincreasingly conservativeconservative AmericanAmerican electorate,electorate, andand thatthat thetheyy areare failingfailing ttoo looklook foforr largerlarger solutionssolutions andand forfor opportunitiesopportunities toto builbuildd alliancesalliances withwith otheotherr groupsgroups (like(like laborlabor andand civilcivil rightrightss organizations).organizations).
ItIt isis thathatt samesame typtypee ofof literalliteral sclerosissclerosis thatthat plagueplaguess RobertRobert Cox'sCox's attemptsattempts toto definedefine environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication asas a disciplinediscipline andand toto elaborateelaborate forfor itit anan overarchingoverarching andand comprehensivecomprehensive ethicethic thathatt woulwouldd bothboth guideguide andand structurestructure itsits utilizationutilization.. InIn a provocativeprovocative essayessay entitledentitled "Philosophy"Philosophy andand thethe 'death'death ofof communism,'"communism,'" AlaiAlainn BadioBadiouu asks,asks, "Will"Will thethe evocationevocation ooff deathdeath allowallow uuss ttoo finfindd anan appropriateappropriate wawayy ofof naminnamingg whawhatt wewe havehave witnessed?witnessed?"" (Infinite(Infinite ThoughtThought 95).95). DoesDoes callincallingg forfor ththee deathdeath ofof environmentalismenvironmentalism providprovidee a meanmeanss forfor itsits definition,definition, predicatedpredicated upouponn itsits relegationrelegation fromfrom presenpresentt tensetense toto 8282 paspastt activity?activity? OrOr isis itit mormoree likellikelyy thathatt somewheresomewhere inin ththee progressioprogressionn fromfrom a politicalpolitical moving intointo thethe linguisticlinguistic concretismconcretism ofof a movement, fromfrom thethe fluidfluid activismactivism ofof a verbverb formform intointo ththee stasisstasis ofof a nominativnominativee category,category, somewheresomewhere inin thisthis transitiotransitionn deathdeath hashas alreadyalready occurred?occurred? WhatWhat happenshappens toto thethe practicepractice (and(and thereforthereforee ttoo ththee praxispraxis)) ofof environmentalists'environmentalists' communicatingcommunicating theitheirr perseverance-in-doinperseverance-in-doingg whewhenn itit iiss translatetranslatedd intointo a disciplinarydisciplinary perseverance-in-being?perseverance-in-being?
InIn oneone ofof hihiss earliestearliest reflectionsreflections onon hishis anthropologicalanthropological methodology,methodology, GregoryGregory
BatesonBateson sharesshares a charmingcharming taletale.. DescribinDescribingg anan oraloral examinationexamination iinn whicwhichh hhee foundfound himselhimselff compelledcompelled ttoo answeranswer a questionquestion forfor whicwhichh hhee waswas ill-prepared,ill-prepared, hhee constructedconstructed anan abstractionabstraction toto refereferr toto a comparisoncomparison betweebetweenn twtwoo entitiesentities thatthat wawass neitheneitherr inductiveinductive nornor deductive;deductive; inin factfact,, ththee maneuvermaneuver hehe describesdescribes isis perhapsperhaps hishis firstfirst forayforay intointo thethe abductiveabductive procesprocesss ooff reasoningreasoning hehe woulwouldd laterlater espouse.espouse. HeHe describesdescribes collaterallycollaterally howhow thisthis abstractivabstractivee thinkinthinkingg requiresrequires thethe coinagecoinage ofof terminologterminologyy toto namnamee oror describedescribe thethe abstractioabstractionn hhee isis proposing.proposing. HeHe writeswrites that:that:
WhenWhen I amam facedfaced withwith a vaguevague conceptconcept andand feelfeel thatthat thethe timetime isis notnot yeyett riperipe ttoo bringbring thatthat conceptconcept intointo strictstrict expression,expression, I coincoin somesome loosloosee expressionexpression forfor referrinreferringg toto thithiss conceptconcept...... thes thesee briefbrief AngloAnglo- SaxonSaxon termsterms havehave forfor mmee a definitedefinite feeling-tonefeeling-tone whicwhichh remindsreminds meme allall thethe timetime thathatt ththee conceptsconcepts behindbehind themthem areare vaguevague andand awaitawait analysis.analysis. ItIt isis a tricktrick likelike tyingtying a knotknot inin a handkerchief-buthandkerchief—but hashas thethe advantageadvantage thatthat itit stillstill permitpermitss me,me, ifif I maymay soso expressexpress it,it, toto gogo oonn usinusingg ththee handkerchiehandkerchieff forfor otherother purposespurposes.. I cancan ggoo onon usinusingg thethe vaguvaguee conceptconcept inin thethe valuablvaluablee processprocess ofof looseloose thinking-stillthinking—still continuallycontinually reminderemindedd thatthat mmyy thoughtthoughtss areare loose.loose. (Steps(Steps 83-84)83-84)
BatesonBateson goegoess onon toto proposproposee thatthat looseloose thinking,thinking, whilewhile conduciveconducive toto creativity,creativity, cancan onlyonly bebe partpart ofof anyany epistemology;epistemology; whawhatt musmustt alsoalso bebe presentpresent isis a strictstrict thinkingthinking thathatt nevernever losesloses sightsight ofof thethe facfactt thatthat thethe loosloosee expressionexpression isis merelymerely a representatiorepresentationn ofof anan abstraction.abstraction. TheThe abstractioabstractionn isis nonott a powepowerr oror a fact,fact, bubutt ratherrather anan idea,idea, a "bit""bit" ofof informationinformation,, a differencedifference 8383 thatthat makesmakes a difference.difference. ItsIts meaningmeaning cancan onlyonly bebe discerneddiscerned asas itit emergesemerges inin thatthat liminalliminal spacespace withinwithin contextscontexts andand betweenbetween otherother ideas;ideas; itit isis a mapmap ratherrather thanthan a territory,territory, andand itit oughtought notnot toto bebe misreadmisread asas inclusiveinclusive ofof allall thatthat itit conveys.conveys. TheThe dangerdanger inherentinherent inin definingdefining
(rather(rather thanthan inin attemptingattempting toto describe)describe) environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication oror environmentalismenvironmentalism oror capitalismcapitalism oror communismcommunism isis thatthat wewe tendtend toto acceptaccept thethe termterm asas aa finite andand permanentpermanent containercontainer forfor a meaningmeaning thatthat isis deemeddeemed toto bebe completecomplete andand static.static. InIn thethe actact ofof definitiondefinition wewe foreclose;foreclose; inin Bateson'sBateson's ownown words,words, "When"When youyou narrownarrow downdown youryour epistemologyepistemology andand actact onon thethe premise'premise 'Wha Whatt interestsinterests meme isis me,me, oror mymy organization,organization, oror mymy species,'species,' youyou chopchop offoff considerationconsideration ofof otherother loopsloops ofof thethe looploop structure"structure" (Steps(Steps
492).492).
ShellenbergerShellenberger andand NordhausNordhaus areare notnot callingcalling forfor anan endend toto thethe environmentalenvironmental movement;movement; theythey hopehope toto motivatemotivate itit toto redirectredirect itselfitself soso asas toto endend thethe policypolicy literalismliteralism thatthat hashas soso reducereducedd itsits effectiveness.effectiveness. TheyThey offer ththee pointedpointed observationobservation thatthat "the"the problem,problem, ofof course,course, isn'isn'tt jusjustt thatthat environmentalismenvironmentalism hashas becombecomee a specialspecial interest.interest. TheThe probleproblemm isis thatthat allall liberaliberall politicpoliticss havehave becomebecome specialspecial interests"interests" (22-23).(22-23). BadiouBadiou wouldwould concur,concur, andand inin factfact hihiss emphasiemphasiss onon disinterested-interestdisinterested-interest andand thethe lacklack ofof purposivpurposivee specialspecial interestinterest inin ananyy valivalidd truth-procestruth-processs iiss impliciimplicitt iinn ShellenbergeShellenbergerr anandd NordhausNordhaus'' calcalll foforr a reinvigoratioreinvigorationn ooff ththee environmentaenvironmentall movemenmovementt thathatt abandonabandonss ititss formulaiformulaicc responsresponsee toto symptomsymptomss iinn favofavorr ooff a mormoree open-endeopen-endedd anandd rhizomatirhizomaticc fluidityfluidity.. BadioBadiouu writewritess thathatt "all"all resistancresistancee iiss a rupturrupturee witwithh whawhatt isis.. AnAndd evereveryy rupturrupturee beginsbegins,, foforr thosthosee engageengagedd iinn it,it, througthroughh a rupturrupturee witwithh oneseloneself'f (Metapolitic(Metapoliticss 7)7).. IInn ordeorderr foforr environmentalenvironmental communicatiocommunicationn ttoo opeopenn itselitselff ttoo ththee productioproductionn ooff truttruthh througthroughh ththee convocatioconvocationn ofof faithfufaithfull subjectsubjectss bbyy aann eventevent,, iitt cannocannott seeseekk ttoo limilimitt oorr ttoo defindefinee eitheeitherr ititss purpospurposee oorr itsits 8484 ethic.ethic. NNoo discipline,discipline, nnoo politicapoliticall movementmovement,, nnoo epistemologyepistemology cacann afforaffordd eithereither ttoo viewview itselitselff onlonlyy iinn part,part, iinn isolationisolation,, oorr ttoo assumeassume thathatt symptomaticsymptomatic responseresponse aatt ththee localocall levellevel wilwilll providprovidee aann equallequallyy sanguinesanguine globalglobal solutiosolutionn ttoo a systemisystemicc problemproblem.. GlobalGlobal ethicsethics areare imposeimposedd inin a doomedoomedd efforeffortt ttoo providprovidee transcendentranscendentt anandd linealinearr solutionsolutionss ttoo immanentimmanent localocall problemsproblems.. EnvironmentaEnvironmentall communicationcommunication iiss nonott obligateobligatedd bbyy aann ethiethicc nonorr iiss itit empoweredempowered ttoo prescribprescribee oneone;; environmentalenvironmental communicationcommunication iiss anan abstractionabstraction,, a knoknott inin a handkerchiefhandkerchief,, a description-machinedescription-machine embeddeembeddedd inin a situation,situation, faithfufaithfull ttoo ititss rupturarupturall eventevent anandd structuredstructured bbyy andand structuringstructuring ofof ththee continuatiocontinuationn ooff a truth-processtruth-process.. RoberRobertt CoxCox woulwouldd ddoo welwelll ttoo resisresistt hihiss owownn impulsimpulsee ttoo categorize,categorize, ttoo namnamee anandd framframee ththee disciplindisciplinee ofof environmentaenvironmentall communicationcommunication iinn termtermss ofof ththee crisis-machine,crisis-machine, andand ttoo overdeterminoverdeterminee thethe naturnaturee andand purpospurposee ofof ititss contencontentt anandd ititss ethicethic.. HHee shoulshouldd ratheratherr heeheedd ththee adviceadvice ofof
GregorGregoryy BatesonBateson ttoo scientistscientistss iinn searcsearchh ofof specificspecific answeranswerss ttoo purposivpurposivee questions:questions:
[T]rain[TJrain thethemm ttoo titiee knotknotss iinn theitheirr handkerchiefhandkerchiefss whenevewheneverr theythey leavleavee somesome mattematterr unformulated—tunformulated-too bbee willinwillingg ttoo leavleavee ththee mattermatter soso forfor yearsyears,, bubutt stillstill leavleavee a warninwarningg signsign iinn ththee ververyy terminologyterminology thetheyy useuse,, suchsuch thathatt thesthesee termtermss wilwilll foreverforever standstand,, nonott aass fencesfences hidinhidingg ththee unknowunknownn frofromm futurfuturee investigators,investigators, bubutt ratheratherr asas signpostssignposts whicwhichh readread:: "UNEXPLAINE"UNEXPLAINEDD BEYONBEYONDD THISTHIS POINT.POINT."" (Step(Stepss 87).87). 8585
NotesNotes
I1 RecallRecall thatthat Badiou'sBadiou's subjectsubject isis convenedconvened oror inducedinduced byby anan on-goingon-going fidelityfidelity toto aa truth,truth, aa truthtruth whichwhich emergesemerges outout ofof anan event.event. AnAn eventevent isis a rupturerupture inin a situation,situation, bothboth immanentimmanent withinwithin itit andand yetyet notnot constrainedconstrained byby thethe circumstancescircumstances ofof thatthat situation;situation; itit isis more-thanmore-than andand yetyet always-already-there.always-already-there. InIn manymany respects,respects, thisthis rupture,rupture, whichwhich causescauses thethe counting-as-onecounting-as-one somethingsomething previouslypreviously uncounteduncounted oror unacknowledged,unacknowledged, isis thethe creativecreative interruptioninterruption oftheof the void/noisevoid/noise thatthat persistspersists inin differencedifference andand thatthat yieldsyields thethe same,same, thethe pattern,pattern, thethe one.one. ToTo activelyactively challengechallenge habitualhabitual knowledge,knowledge, toto causecause toto bebe re-examinedre-examined anan ideaidea thatthat hashas beenbeen longlong buriedburied couldcould causecause suchsuch a rupture.rupture. ForFor Badiou,Badiou, thethe gatheringgathering ofof a subjectsubject ultimatelyultimately producesproduces thethe Immortal,Immortal, thatthat whichwhich exceedsexceeds thethe humanhuman subjectssubjects whowho findfind themselvesthemselves convokedconvoked byby fidelityfidelity andand SubjectsSubjects toto a truth.truth.
2 1I amam particularlyparticularly indebtedindebted toto AndyAndy Clark'sClark's investigationinvestigation ofof cognitivecognitive science,science, BeingBeing There,There, forfor identifyingidentifying andand clarifyingclarifying VonVon Uexkilll'sUexkiill's work.work. WhileWhile BatesonBateson doesdoes notnot identifyidentify itsits source,source, DeleuzeDeleuze doesdoes...bu ... butt inin farfar lessless detaildetail thanthan Clark'sClark's lucentlucent description.description.
3 BatesonBateson utilizesutilizes thethe VonVon UexkilllUexktlll exampleexample inin MindMind andand Nature,Nature, butbut hehe usesuses thethe notionnotion ofof Umwelt toto supportsupport hishis ownown argumentargumentss aboutabout contextcontext andand itsits importance,importance, andand indeedindeed itsits necessity,necessity, forfor communicativecommunicative effectiveness.effectiveness. HeHe isis particularlparticularlyy interestedinterested inin howhow zero communicationcommunication cancan inin factfact bebe pivotal,pivotal, andand hishis commentscomments herehere andand elsewhereelsewhere inin StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof MindMind resonateresonate nicelynicely withwith BrianBrian Rotman'sRotman's treatisetreatise onon zero,zero, SignifyingSignifying Nothing.Nothing. ForFor thethe texttext ofof Bateson'sBateson's discussiondiscussion ofof thethe contextualcontextual Umwelt ofof thethe tick,tick, seesee pp.. 43.43. Deleuze,Deleuze, asas notednoted inin thethe textextt ofthisof this paper,paper, makesmakes a farfar moremore usefuluseful (for(for mymy purposes)purposes) argumentargument regardingregarding thethe intersectionintersection ofof Umwelt andand ethics.ethics. HisHis first mentionmention ofof thisthis occursoccurs inin dialoguedialogue withwith ClaireClaire ParnetParnet inin theirtheir 19771977 conversationsconversations publishedpublished asas DialoguesDialogues II.II. SeeSee pp.pp. 60-6260-62 forfor hishis elaborationelaboration ofof UmweltUmwelt andand itsits connectionconnection toto Spinoza'sSpinoza's question,question, "What"-What can a body do?"-adoT—a questionquestion whichwhich nicelynicely tiesties hishis thoughtthought herehere toto Badiou'sBadiou's useuse ofof Spinoza'sSpinoza's notionnotion ofof perseveranceperseverance inin being.being.
4 DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari describedescribe thithiss poinpointt ooff departuredeparture aass a linlinee ofof flightflight,, a pointpoint ofof departuredeparture awayaway from planeplaness ooff organizationorganization,, ooff stratificatiostratificationn anandd classificationclassification,, ttoo a planplanee ooff consistencyconsistency,, a planplanee defineddefined bbyy notnot individualityindividuality bubutt bbyy haecceityhaecceity,, ththee Same,Same, ththee smootsmoothh spacspacee ooff ththee plateauplateau,, thethe BodBodyy withouwithoutt Organs.Organs. SeeSee especiallespeciallyy pppp.. 265-27265-2722 inin A ThousanThousandd PlateausPlateaus.. FoForr DeleuzDeleuzee anandd GuattariGuattari,, thithiss iiss ththee poinpointt ooff immanenceimmanence anandd ofof ththee emergencemergencee ooff truttruthh processprocess.. ItIt iiss a planplanee whoswhosee "basi"basicc chaichainn ooff expression"expression" iiss thathatt ofof indefiniteindefinite article + proper name + irifinitiveinfinitive verb, a semioticsemiotic freedfreed ofof nonnativenormative andand relativerelative constraints.constraints. TheThe indefiniteindefinite articlarticlee suggestsuggestss thathatt whawhatt existsexists iiss botbothh immanentimmanent ttoo ththee situatiosituationn anandd constructedconstructed bbyy itit:: ttoo speakspeak ooff an ethiethicc ratheratherr thathann ttoo proposproposee the ethiethicc recognizerecognizess thathatt a universauniversall normativnonnativee signifiersignifier iiss nonott possible;possible; SamenessSameness arisearisess from withiwithinn ititss effectiveffectivee environmenenvironmentt anandd iiss neitheneitherr obligatoryobligatory nonorr extensiveextensive beyonbeyondd oror outsidoutsidee itit.. PropeProperr namnamee doesdoes nonott namnamee anan individuaindividuall subject:subject: itit "fundamentally"fundamentally designatesdesignates somethingsomething thathatt isis oofthef the ordeorderr ooff ththee eventevent,, ooff becomingbecoming,, oorr ooff ththee haecceity.haecceity."" IItt relaterelatess ttoo ththee rupturrupturee thathatt BadioBadiouu identifieidentifiess aass gatheringatheringg oorr convokinconvokingg a subjectsubject,, yeyett stilstilll immanenimmanentt withiwithinn whilwhilee nonott constraineconstrainedd bbyy ththee situationsituation.. FinallyFinally,, ththee infinitivinfinitivee verb)—alwayverb--alwayss semioticallsemioticallyy suggestivsuggestivee ooff procesprocesss ratheratherr thathann ooff formfonn,, ooff whawhatt a bodbodyy iiss "t"too dodo"" ratheratherr thathann ooff whawhatt iitt hahass donedone.. BeyonBeyondd ththee poinpointt ooff departuredeparture,, outsidoutsidee ththee localocall Umwelt, wwee cacann knowknow no-thingno-thing;; wwee cacann onlonlyy posipositt aann ongoinongoingg procesprocesss whoswhosee dimensiondimensionss anandd limitationlimitationss araree nonott materiallmateriallyy withinwithin ththee provincprovincee ooff ouourr physicaphysicall bodiesbodies..
5 ThaThatt machinimachinicc processeprocessess araree nonott mechanistimechanisticc musmustt bbee inserteinsertedd aatt thithiss pointpoint.. GuattarGuattarii adapteadaptedd MaturanMaturanaa anandd Varela'Varela'ss notionotionn ooff ththee autopoietiautopoieticc machinmachinee aass descriptivdescriptivee ooff a livinlivingg systemsystem;; hhee extendeextendedd theitheirr emphasiemphasiss oonn ththee "auto-reproductiv"auto-reproductivee capacitcapacityy ooff a structurstructuree oorr ecosystemecosystem"" beyonbeyondd biologicabiologicall systemsystemss ttoo socialsocial,, cognitive,cognitive, anandd behaviorabehaviorall systemsystemss aass wellwell.. AnAnyy systesystemm cacann bbee characterizecharacterizedd aass machinicmachinic,, whicwhichh implieimpliess nonott a metronomimetronomicc anandd robotiroboticc alternatioalternationn betweebetweenn variablvariablee thresholdsthresholds,, bubutt a productivproductivee anandd generativgenerativee dynamicdynamic oscillatiooscillationn betweebetweenn forfonnm anandd processprocess.. IInn ChaosmosisChaosmosis,. GuattarGuattarii fullfullyy elaborateelaboratess hihiss concepconceptt ooff ththee machinemachine,, unconsciouslunconsciouslyy (perhaps(perhaps)) reiteratinreiteratingg Bateson'Bateson'ss zigzazigzagg illustratioillustrationn whewhenn hhee assertassertss thathatt "th"thee machinemachine,, evereveryy speciespeciess ooff machinemachine,, iiss alwayalwayss aatt ththee junctiojunctionn ooff th thee finitfinitee anandd infiniteinfinite,, aatt thithiss poinpointt ooff negotiationegotiationn betweenbetween complexitcomplexityy anandd chaoschaos"" (111)(Ill).. A machinemachine,, unlikunlikee a mechanismmechanism,, iiss nonott sesett iinn motiomotionn bbyy somsomee externaexternall anandd transcendentranscendentt MakeMakerr ttoo infinitelinfinitelyy reproducreproducee aann identicaidenticall iterationiteration.. MachinisMachinismm iiss characterizecharacterizedd nonott bbyy 8686
repetitionrepetition butbut byby process, andand itit isis bothboth productiveproductive andand reproductive. MuchMuch ofof DeDeleuz leuzee andand GuattariGuattari''s emphasisemphasis inin A ThousandThousand PlateausPlateaus isis onon thethe warwar machinemachine andand itsits affects;; itit isis fromfrom thatthat conceptconcept thatthat thethe notionnotion ofof a crisis-machinecrisis-machine gainsgains itsits resonance. EveryEvery politicalpolitical andand intellectualintellectual movementmovement cancan thusthus bebe envisionedenvisioned asas a machine, justjust asas cancan anyany multiplymultiply enunciatedenunciated assemblageassemblage oror ecosystemecosystem. CONCLUSION:CONCLUSION: SOSO WHAT?WHAT?
InIn 2004,2004, authorauthor TerryTerry TempestTempest WilliamsWilliams expressedexpressed herher visionvision forfor a newnew programprogram offeringoffering a master'smaster's degreedegree inin environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities atat thethe UniversityUniversity ofof Utah.Utah.
UniversityUniversity officialsofficials describeddescribed thethe intentintent ofof thethe programprogram asas designeddesigned "to"to bringbring thethe perspectivesperspectives ofof suchsuch disciplinesdisciplines asas communications,communications, English,English, history,history, linguistics,linguistics, andand philosophyphilosophy toto bearbear onon thethe kindskinds ofof environmentalenvironmental issuesissues thatthat havehave divideddivided communitiescommunities acrossacross thethe country"country" (Scully(Scully BB15) 15).. WilliamsWilliams suggestedsuggested thatthat suchsuch anan inter-inter- andand intraintra- disciplinarydisciplinary programprogram mightmight "create"create anan ethicethic ofplaceof place...... whic whichh cancan leadlead toto a culturalcultural healing"healing" specificallyspecifically inin itsits homehome statestate ofof Utah,Utah, longlong thethe scenescene ofof cultural,cultural, ideological,ideological, andand environmentalenvironmental clashesclashes betweebetweenn personspersons ofof differentdifferent ethnicity,ethnicity, differentdifferent faiths,faiths, andand differentdifferent lanlandd ethicsethics (Scully(Scully B15)B 15).. InIn 1979,1979, seriouslyseriously illill withwith thethe cancercancer thatthat wouldwould ultimatelyultimately brinbringg aboutabout hishis deathdeath inin 1980,1980, GregoryGregory BatesonBateson respondedresponded ttoo a requestrequest toto deliverdeliver whawhatt hehe wouldwould deemdeem toto bbee hihiss "last"last lecture"lecture" witwithh anan essayessay whichwhich hhee beganbegan byby quotinquotingg ththee followinfollowingg lineslines frofromm T.ST.S.. EliotEliot:: "Th"Thee enendd ofof alalll ouourr explorinexploringg wilwilll bbee ttoo arrivearrive wherwheree wwee startestartedd anandd knoknoww ththee placplacee foforr ththee firsfirstt timetime"" (Sacre(Sacredd UnitUnityy 307).307). IInn manymany respectsrespects,, GregorGregoryy BatesoBatesonn cacann bbee thoughthoughtt ooff aass ththee firsfirstt environmentaenvironmentall humanitieshumanities graduate.graduate ..., . a multidisciplinarmultidisciplinaryy scholascholarr whoswhosee interestinterestss rangerangedd frofromm ththee naturanaturall sciencessciences toto ththee sociasociall sciencessciences,, frofromm mathematicmathematicss ttoo communicationcommunication,, frofromm psychologicapsychologicall systemsystemss toto cyberneticscybernetics.. HHee wawass interesteinterestedd iinn hohoww humahumann beingbeingss communicatecommunicatedd anandd hohoww thatthat linguisticlinguistic,, digitadigitall structurstructuree contrastecontrastedd witwithh ththee physicallphysicallyy embodieembodiedd anandd analogousanalogous 8888
communicationcommunication betweenbetween a varietyvariety ofof mammalianmammalian species.species. HeHe examinedexamined pathologiespathologies ofof
communication,communication, ofof schizophrenia,schizophrenia, andand ofof consumption,consumption, ofof alcoholism,alcoholism, andand hehe mademade leapsleaps
ofof abstractiveabstractive andand abductiveabductive connectionconnection toto seekseek outout thethe illusiveillusive patternspatterns thatthat connectconnect oneone
seeminglyseemingly disparatedisparate objectobject ofof studystudy toto another.another. HeHe waswas byby turnsturns anan educatoreducator andand aa
provocateur,provocateur, alwaysalways challengingchallenging himselfhimself andand hishis audienceaudience toto thinkthink again,again, toto bebe moremore
specific,specific, andand toto problematizeproblematize andand toto question,question, alwaysalways returningreturning toto thethe placeplace wherewhere hehe
beganbegan toto initiateinitiate anotheranother roundround ofof investigation.investigation.
InIn hishis IntroductionIntroduction toto MindMind andand Nature,Nature, seriesseries editoreditor AlfonsoAlfonso MontuoriMontuori writeswrites thatthat
"Bateson"Bateson waswas engagedengaged inin whatwhat...... wewe mightmight nownow callcall transdisciplinarytransdisciplinary work,work, whosewhose naturenature itit isis notnot merelymerely toto crosscross disciplinarydisciplinary boundaries,boundaries, butbut toto rearrangerearrange ourour mentalmental landscape-tolandscape—to makemake usus seesee thethe ecologyecology ofof ideasideas andand thethe ecologyecology ofof mind-tomind—to makemake usus seesee anew"anew" (xviii).(xviii). GregoryGregory BatesonBateson workedworked toto makemake usus "see,""see," notnot inin thethe traditionaltraditional sensesense withwith whicwhichh wewe eacheach surveysurvey andand passivelpassivelyy acceptaccept thethe imagesimages whichwhich ourour brainsbrains transmittransmit toto ourour
consciouconsciouss mindmind,, butbut inin a moremore radicalradical andand trultrulyy awareaware sense.sense. AlwaysAlways fascinatedfascinated withwith thethe visualvisual experimentsexperiments ofof AdelberAdelbertt Ames,Ames, Jr.,Jr., BatesoBatesonn oftenoften askedasked hishis listenerslisteners ttoo respondrespond withwith a showshow ofof handshands iiff theythey agreedagreed thatthat theythey couldcould see him.him. ToTo thethe resultingresulting seasea ofof upraiseupraisedd handshands,, hhee woulwouldd explaiexplainn thathatt visiovisionn iiss actuallactuallyy a process;process; ththee imageimagess whicwhichh wewe thinthinkk wwee "see"see"" araree actuallactuallyy ththee productproductss ooff aann elaboratelaboratee anandd unconsciouunconsciouss procesprocesss wherebywhereby variouvariouss bitbitss ooff informationinformation,, informationinformation abouaboutt differencesdifferences,, araree collatecollatedd bbyy ththee braibrainn andand relayerelayedd bbyy iitt asas sensorsensoryy informatioinformationn (Min(Mindd anandd NaturNaturee 2929,, StepsSteps 486-488)486-488).. CriticallyCritically forfor
BatesonBateson,, ouourr willingneswillingnesss ttoo accepacceptt ththee productproductss ooff procesprocesss whilwhilee remaininremainingg generallygenerally unawarunawaree ooff ththee procesprocesss whicwhichh produceproducess thethemm characterizecharacterizess mucmuchh ooff ouourr interactiointeractionn withwith ouourr environmentenvironment.. ElaboratinElaboratingg oonn thithiss phenomenophenomenonn iinn MinMindd anandd NatureNature,, hhee proposeproposess thatthat 8989
"image"image formationformation isis perhapsperhaps a convenientconvenient oror economicaleconomical methodmethod ofof passingpassing informationinformation acrossacross somesome sortsort ofof interface," a suggestionsuggestion thatthat relatesrelates bothboth toto hishis theoriestheories ofof cyberneticcybernetic mindmind andand toto anyany attemptattempt toto locatelocate oror toto seesee whatwhat anan environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities disciplinediscipline mightmight looklook likelike (Mind(Mind andand NatureNature 34).34). BearingBearing inin mindmind thethe caveatscaveats revealedrevealed inin PartPart IIIIII ofof thisthis thesisthesis withwith regardregard toto thethe attemptattempt toto overdetermineoverdetermine a disciplinarydisciplinary definitiondefinition thatthat mightmight forecloseforeclose creativecreative potential,potential, howhow mightmight environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities serveserve asas anan interfaceinterface betweenbetween placeplace andand ethic,ethic, betweenbetween naturenature andand culture,culture, betweenbetween humanhuman andand humankind?humankind?
InIn anotheranother ofof hishis favoritefavorite metaphors,metaphors, BatesonBateson wouldwould urgeurge hishis studentsstudents toto observeobserve theirtheir handshands andand toto re-envisionre-envision eacheach oneone notnot asas a palpalmm witwithh fivefive distinctlydistinctly differentdifferent andand functionalfunctional digitsdigits bubutt ratherrather asas a collectioncollection ofof relationships,relationships, asas "a"a patternpattern ofof thethe interlockinginterlocking ooff relationshipsrelationships whichwhich werewere thethe determinantsdeterminants ofof itsits growth"growth" (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity
310).310). HoHoww mightmight suchsuch a re-imaginingre-imagining recastrecast thethe notionnotion ofof environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities notnot asas a collectioncollection ofof independentindependent andand separatelseparatelyy functioninfunctioningg disciplinediscipliness bubutt ratheratherr asas a collectioncollection ooff relationshipsrelationships,, asas ththee producproductt ooff relationshirelationshipp ratheratherr thathann asas a setset ofof discretediscrete differencedifferencess onlonlyy causallcausallyy oror occasionalloccasionallyy connected?connected? HoHoww thethenn doedoess ththee cyberneticyberneticc MindMind thathatt iiss GregorGregoryy BatesoBatesonn ANANDD GillesGilles DeleuzDeleuzee ANANDD FeliFelixx GuattarGuattarii ANANDD AlaiAlainn BadiouBadiou emergemergee nonott aass a bouquebouquett ooff unusuaunusuall anandd exotiexoticc blossomsblossoms,, helheldd iinn placplacee momentarilmomentarilyy forfor somsomee purposivpurposivee effecteffect,, bubutt ratheratherr aass ononee interactivinteractivee anandd reproductivreproductivee system,system, rhizomaticallrhizomaticallyy linkelinkedd nonott iinn somsomee ordereorderedd anandd artificiaartificiall hierarchhierarchyy bubutt iinn a fafarr moremore organiorganicc felicityfelicity?? BatesoBatesonn elaborates:elaborates:
PerhapPerhapss a curriculucurriculumm iiss liklikee a hanhandd iinn thathatt evereveryy piecpiecee andand componencomponentt ooff whawhatt thetheyy woulwouldd calcalll a curriculucurriculumm iiss reallreallyy relatedrelated ideallideallyy ttoo ththee otheotherr componentcomponentss aass fingerfingerss araree relaterelatedd ttoo eaceachh otherother anandd ttoo ththee wholwholee hand.hand ... ..I1 aamm nonott againsagainstt ththee learninlearningg ooff listslists.. I amam againsagainstt ththee failurfailuree ttoo assimilatassimilatee ththee componentcomponentss ooff listlistss togethertogether 9090
intointo a totaltotal vision,vision, a totaltotal hearing,hearing, a totaltotal kinesics,kinesics, perhaps,perhaps, ofof thethe wholeswholes withwith whichwhich wewe deal.deal. (Sacred(Sacred UnityUnity 311)311)
ItIt isis thethe totalitytotality ofof visionvision thatthat isis strikingstriking herehere andand thatthat isis instructiveinstructive forfor environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities (and(and forfor environmentalenvironmental communication,communication, whichwhich isis surelysurely oneone ofof thethe "fingers""fingers" ofof thisthis particularparticular hand).hand). GregoryGregory BatesonBateson sawsaw inin thethe patternspatterns ofof hishis ownown lifelife thethe greatergreater patternspatterns ofof systemicsystemic wisdomwisdom andand ofof epistemologicalepistemological pathologypathology thatthat plagueplague thethe contemporarycontemporary biosphere.biosphere. AsAs hishis daughterdaughter MaryMary CatherineCatherine BatesonBateson wrotewrote inin herher 19991999
IntroductionIntroduction toto StepsSteps toto anan EcologyEcology ofof Mind,Mind, "by"by givinggiving a portionportion ofof hishis ownown intellectualintellectual autobiography,autobiography, twotwo oror threethree keykey momentsmoments ofof patterningpatterning recognized,recognized, hehe endeavoredendeavored toto leadlead readersreaders alongalong thethe pathspaths toto hishis ownown conclusions"conclusions" (x).(x). HisHis fearfear ofof "the"the monstrousmonstrous atomisticatomistic pathology"pathology" thatthat spreadsspreads virallyvirally fromfrom individualindividual mindmind toto cyberneticcybernetic Mind,Mind, fromfrom obsessiveobsessive self-interestself-interest toto stridentstrident identityidentity politics,politics, fromfrom parochiaparochiall paranoiaparanoia toto nationalisticnationalistic isolationismisolationism,, iiss reiteratereiteratedd againagain anandd againagain throughouthroughoutt ththee courscoursee ofof hihiss bodbodyy ooff work.work.
RodneyRodney DonaldsoDonaldsonn writewritess thathatt "if,"if, aass BatesoBatesonn asserts,asserts, alalll wwee cacann knoknoww iiss differencedifference,, thenthen iitt becomebecomess atat leasleastt plausiblplausiblee thathatt ththee bulbulkk ooff ouourr personalpersonal,, interpersonalinterpersonal,, internationalinternational,, andand ecologicaecologicall problemproblemss arisearise ultimatelultimatelyy fromfrom ththee simplesimple turninturningg ofof a distinctiodistinctionn intintoo a separation,separation, anandd thethe separationseparation intointo anan opposition"opposition" (xvi)(xvi).. AAss wwee havhavee alreadalreadyy readread,, BadiouBadiou stressestressess thathatt alteritalterityy iiss whawhatt is—thais-thatt ttoo exisexistt iiss ttoo exisexistt iinn differencedifference,, anandd thathatt self-self- reflectioreflectionn iiss "b"byy nnoo meanmeanss ththee intuitiointuitionn ooff a unitunityy bubutt a labyrintlabyrinthh ooff differentiations"differentiations"
(Ethic(Ethicss 25-26)25-26).. ThThee multiplicitmultiplicityy thathatt iiss environmentaenvironmentall humanitiehumanitiess hahass ththee potentiapotentiall toto providprovidee a liminaliminall spacspacee foforr ththee coming-to-bcoming-to-bee ooff ththee SameSame.. IInn ththee dynamidynamicc interfaceinterface betweebetweenn thosthosee polepoless ooff differencedifference,, betweebetweenn thosthosee perseverances-in-beinperseverances-in-beingg thathatt clinclingg ttoo ththee rigiditrigidityy ooff a selselff thathatt iiss botbothh individuaindividuall anandd individuatingindividuating,, lieliess ththee domaidomainn ooff a situation.situation.
IInn ththee rupturrupturee ooff aann eventevent,, iinn ththee cleavincleavingg ooff thathatt atomistiatomisticc selselff frofromm ititss self-absorption,self-absorption, 9191 lieslies thethe possibilitpossibilityy ofof thethe emergenceemergence ofof a truth,truth, oneone thathatt is,is, asas BadiouBadiou insists,insists, "the samesame for airall" (Ethics(Ethics 27).27).
ThatThat thethe conjunctiveconjunctive synthesissynthesis thatthat obtainsobtains betweebetweenn thethe worworkk ofof GregoryGregory BatesonBateson andand DeleuzDeleuzee andand GuattariGuattari isis mormoree evidentevident thanthan ththee abductiveabductive leapleap thatthat locateslocates hishis thoughtthought inin thathatt ofof AlainAlain BadiouBadiou isis undeniableundeniable,, yeyett ththee patternspatterns areare stillstill presentpresent toto thosthosee whowho wishwish ttoo seesee them.them. InIn Badiou'sBadiou's emphasisemphasis onon thethe radicalradical naturenature ofof ththee impactimpact oftheof the truth-eventtruth-event oonn itsits evolvingevolving subjects,subjects, andand inin hishis conceptconcept ofof fidelityfidelity asas a processprocess,, asas "a"a sustainedsustained investigatioinvestigationn ofof thethe situation,situation, underunder thethe imperativeimperative ofof thethe eventevent itself,"itself," I amam attractedattracted toto thethe parallelparallelss betweebetweenn hihiss thoughtthought andand thatthat ofof GregoryGregory BatesonBateson (Ethics(Ethics 67).67). InIn manymany respects,respects, I believbelievee thatthat Bateson'sBateson's lifelife andand worworkk waswas anan ongoingongoing exerciseexercise ofof fidelityfidelity ttoo a truth-processtruth-process thatthat onlyonly begabegann toto bebe evidentevident ttoo himhim inin hishis laterlater years.years. LikLikee BadiouBadiou,, hehe identifiedidentified ththee areasareas ofof science,science, love,love, politics,politics, andand artart asas potentpotent setssets withiwithinn whichwhich subjectssubjects calledcalled bbyy a truth-processtruth-process mighmightt emerge,emerge, andand hhee alsoalso longedlonged toto seesee a dissipatiodissipationn ofof thethe discursivediscursive andand cognitivecognitive outlinesoutlines thatthat delineatedelineate thethe selfself intointo thethe comingcoming toto bbee ofof a unityunity notnot unlikunlikee Badiou'sBadiou's universauniversall singularity.singularity. HisHis recognitionrecognition ofof thatthat plateaplateauu ofof continuingcontinuing yeyett non-escalatingnon-escalating intensityintensity thatthat characterizedcharacterized BalineseBalinese personalpersonal interaction,interaction, andand thatthat waswas soso fruitfulfruitful forfor DeleuzeDeleuze andand Guattari'sGuattari's BodyBody withouwithoutt Organs,Organs, resonatesresonates inin Badiou'sBadiou's descriptiondescription ofof thethe ethicethic ofof truthstruths asas "the"the principlprinciplee ofof consistencyconsistency ofof a fidelityfidelity ttoo a fidelity,"fidelity," a processuaprocessuall consistencconsistencyy BadioBadiouu epitomizedepitomized witwithh ththee maximaximm "Keep"Keep going!"going!"
(Ethics(Ethics 67).67). PerhapsPerhaps eveneven mormoree provocativelyprovocatively,, BatesonBateson writeswrites convincinglyconvincingly onon art'sart's metaphoricmetaphoric potentiapotentiall asas anan interfaceinterface betweebetweenn ththee consciousconscious andand ththee unconscious,unconscious, andand asas a productivproductivee spacespace withiwithinn whicwhichh a moremore holistiholisticc praxipraxiss mighmightt bbee generatedgenerated asas a humanhuman audienceaudience isis ledled toto reconnecreconnectt withwith thethe aestheticaesthetic patterninpatterningg thatthat characterizescharacterizes ourour systemicsystemic 9292
integrationintegration inin thethe largerlarger cyberneticcybernetic mind.mind. BatesonBateson arguesargues thatthat "art"art isis a partpart ofof man'sman's questquest
forfor grace,"grace," a spacespace whichwhich cancan onlyonly bebe attainedattained ifif "the"the reasonsreasons oftheof the heart"heart" areare "integrated"integrated
withwith thethe reasonsreasons ofof reason"reason" (Steps(Steps 129).129). BadiouBadiou takestakes upup thisthis samesame themetheme inin bothboth SaintSaint
PaulPaul andand inin interviewinterview withwith PeterPeter HallwardHallward inin thethe AppendixAppendix toto Ethics,Ethics, discussingdiscussing whatwhat hehe
callscalls "laicized"laicized grace."grace." InIn thethe Appendix,Appendix, hehe clarifiesclarifies thatthat "what"what I callcall laicizedlaicized gracegrace
describesdescribes thethe factfact that,that, inin soso farfar asas wewe areare givengiven a chancechance ofof truth,truth, a chancechance ofof beingbeing a
littlelittle bitbit moremore thanthan livingliving individuals,individuals, pursuingpursuing ourour ordinaryordinary interests,interests, thisthis chancechance isis
alwaysalways givengiven toto usus througthroughh anan event"event" (Ethics(Ethics 123).123). ItIt isis inin thethe event,event, inin thethe workwork ofof art,art, inin
thethe interfaceinterface thatthat environmentalenvironmental humanitieshumanities cancan provideprovide,, thatthat wewe havehave thethe adventadvent ofof a
truth,truth, thethe becoming-subject,becoming-subject, thethe abductiveabductive leapleap thatthat carriescarries usus outout ofof ourour singularsingular selvesselves
andand intointo thethe plenitudeplenitude ofof thethe Real,Real, intointo thethe fullnessfullness ofof thethe multiplicity,multiplicity, intointo thethe powerpower ofof thethe cyberneticcybernetic MindMind thatthat seemsseems toto bebe meme andand yetyet isis soso muchmuch moremore thanthan I cancan be.be.
BadioBadiouu suggestssuggests thathatt ""aa philosophphilosophyy iiss alsoalso a personalpersonal experience,"experience," andand goesgoes onon toto
suggestsuggest thathatt iinn ththee eventeventss ofof MaMayy 1968,1968, soso seminalseminal inin ththee liveslives ofof a generationgeneration ofof FrenchFrench thinkersthinkers,, thathatt "I"I wawass personallpersonallyy markemarkedd bbyy thithiss irruptionirruption"" (Hallward(Hallward,, AppendiAppendixx 124).124). ThisThis
sensesense thathatt somethinsomethingg happenehappenedd iiss fundamentalfundamental ttoo Badiou'sBadiou's discussiondiscussionss ofof ththee kinkindd ofof rupturrupturee thathatt denotedenotess aann eventevent,, ththee kinkindd ooff rupturrupturee thathatt propelpropelss a truttruthh procedurproceduree anandd thatthat fuelfuelss ththee convokinconvokingg ooff a subjecsubjectt ooff thathatt truttruthh processprocess.. IInn ththee falfalll oof2006,f 2006, mmyy ownown particulaparticularr eveneventt occurredoccurred.. ReadinReadingg StepStepss ttoo aann EcologEcologyy ooff MinMindd foforr ththee firsfirstt time,time,
somethinsomethingg happened—happened-II wawass personallpersonallyy markemarkedd bbyy ththee experienceexperience.. RecalRecalll thathatt iinn
Badiou'Badiou'ss philosophyphilosophy,, aann eveneventt revealrevealss ththee existencexistencee ooff thathatt whicwhichh wawass nonott previouslypreviously countedcounted;; iinn ththee rupturrupturee thathatt shattershatterss ththee statustatuss ququoo ooff ththee situationsituation,, thathatt whicwhichh wawass nonott previouslpreviouslyy hearheardd iiss nonoww presentpresent,, anandd iitt iiss ththee fidelitfidelityy ttoo thathatt experiencexperiencee thathatt induceinducess ththee 9393 emergenceemergence ofof a newnew vision,vision, a newnew perspectiveperspective whichwhich allowsallows thethe subjectsubject toto seesee inin a newnew way.way. ItIt isis a fidelityfidelity whichwhich demandsdemands bothboth recursivenessrecursiveness andand abduction-fidelity,abduction—fidelity, likelike vision,vision, isis a process.process. LikeLike meaning, itit continuallycontinually emergesemerges inin thethe middle,middle, betweenbetween whatwhat isis andand whatwhat comescomes toto be.be. GregoryGregory Bateson'sBateson's injunctioninjunction toto hishis readersreaders isis thatthat "the"the ideasideas whichwhich seemedseemed toto bebe meme cancan alsoalso becomebecome immanentimmanent inin you.you. MayMay theythey survive-ifsurvive—if true"true"
(Steps(Steps 471).471). MyMy goalgoal isis toto remainremain faithfulfaithful toto hishis immanence.immanence. SELECTEDSELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY
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