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

“For at least 200 years, say from the time of Newton to the late nineteenth century, the dominant preoccupation of science was with those chains of cause and effect which could be referred to forces and impacts. ‘The mathematics available to Newton was preponderantly quantitative, and this fact, combined with the central focus upon forces and impacts, led men to measure with remarkable accuracy quantities of distance, time, matter, and energy.”

Bateson highlights the historical emphasis in science on understanding the world through measurable, linear chains of cause and effect, as exemplified by Newtonian physics. By focusing on forces and impacts within a quantitative framework, scientists refined their ability to precisely measure fundamental aspects of reality, such as distance and energy, shaping the evolution of scientific inquiry for centuries.

“We all have lots of ready-made phrases and ideas, and the printer has ready-made sticks of letters, all sorted out into phrases. But if the printer wants to print something new—say, something in a new language, he will have to break up all that old sorting of the letters. In the same way, in order to think new thoughts or to say new things, we have to break up all our ready-made ideas and shuffle the pieces.”

Using analogy, this quote underscores Bateson’s view that truly creative thinking requires dismantling established patterns and preconceived ideas, much like a printer must disassemble prearranged letters to craft something novel. By disrupting habitual ways of organizing knowledge, humans open the door for fresh insights and innovative perspectives, central to Bateson’s exploration of mental and ecological systems.

“Well—it’s as if sometimes two facts get added together and all you have is just two facts. But sometimes instead of just adding they multiply—and you get four facts.”

This quote reflects Bateson’s idea the dynamic interplay of ideas, where connections between facts can create emergent understanding greater than the sum of their parts. It aligns with his exploration of systemic thinking, illustrating how relationships and context transform isolated facts into richer, more meaningful patterns.