Information is a difference that makes a difference. Gregory Bateson More Quotes by Gregory Bateson More Quotes From Gregory Bateson But the myth of power is, of course, a very powerful myth, and probably most people in this world more or less believe in it. It is a myth, which, if everybody believes in it, becomes to that extent self-validating. But it is still epistemological lunacy and leads inevitably to various sorts of disaster. Gregory Bateson powerfulselfbelieve Most of us have lost that sense of unity of biosphere and humanity which would bind and reassure us all with an affirmation of beauty. Most of us do not today believe that whatever the ups and down of detail within our limited experience, the larger whole is primarily beautiful. Gregory Bateson beautifulbeautybelieve Desired substance, things, patterns, or sequences of experience that are in some sense "good" for the organism - items of diet, conditions of life, temperature, entertainment, sex, and so forth - are never such that more of the something is always better than less of the something. Rather, for all objects and experiences, there is a quantity that has optimum value. Above that quantity, the variable becomes toxic. To fall below that value is to be deprived. Gregory Bateson simplicitysexfall Whatever the ups and downs of detail within our limited experience, the larger whole is primarily beautiful. Gregory Bateson detailsattitudebeautiful Whenever we pride ourselves upon finding a newer, stricter way of thought or exposition we lose something of the ability to think new thoughts. And equally, of course, whenever we rebel against the sterile rigidity of formal thought and exposition and let our ideas run wild, we likewise lose. As I see it, the advances in scientific thought come from a combination of lose and strict thinking, and this combination is the most precious tool of science. Gregory Bateson priderunningthinking People are going to have to make themselves predictable, or the machines will get angry and kill them. Gregory Bateson angrymachinespeople The rules of the universe that we think we know are buried deep in our processes of perception. Gregory Bateson perceptionprocessthinking Play is the establishment and exploration of relationship. Gregory Bateson explorationestablishmentplay Creative thought must always contain a random component. Gregory Bateson creative-thoughtcomponentscreative Language commonly stresses only one side of any interaction. Gregory Bateson stresslanguagesides Every move we make in fear of the next war in fact hastens it. Gregory Bateson warpeacemoving Let's not pretend that mental phenomena can be mapped on to the characteristics of billiard balls. Gregory Bateson characteristicsballs Our initial sensory data are always "first derivatives," statements about differences which exist among external objects or statements about changes which occur either in them or in our relationship to them. Objects and circumstances which remain absolutely constant relative to the observer, unchanged either by his own movement or by external events, are in general difficult and perhaps always impossible to perceive. What we perceive easily is difference and change and difference is a relationship. Gregory Bateson datadifferencesevents Perhaps the attempt to achieve grace by identification with the animals was the most sensitive thing which was tried in the whole bloody history of religion . Gregory Bateson sensitivegraceanimal Official education was telling people almost nothing of the nature of all those things on the seashores, and in the redwood forests, in the deserts and in the plains. Gregory Bateson desertseapeople Science sometimes improves hypotheses and sometimes disproves them. But proof would be another matter and perhaps never occurs except in the realms of totally abstract tautology. We can sometimes say that if such and such abstract suppositions or postulates are given, then such and such abstract suppositions or postulates are given, then such and such must follow absolutely. But the truth about what can be perceived or arrived at by induction from perception is something else again. Gregory Bateson perceptionwould-bematter Money is always transitively valued. More money is supposedly always better than less money. Gregory Bateson more-money Interesting phenomena occur when two or more rhythmic patterns are combined, and these phenomena illustrate very aptly the enrichment of information that occurs when one description is combined with another. Gregory Bateson patternstwointeresting Science, like art, religion, commerce, warfare, and even sleep, is based on presuppositions. Gregory Bateson warfaresleepart Some tools of thought are so blunt that they are almost useless; others are so sharp that they are dangerous. But the wise man will have the use of both kinds. Gregory Bateson toolswisemen
