New Books in Systems and Cybernetics Peter Harries-Jones, “Upside-Down Gods: Gregory Bateson’s World of Difference” (Fordham UP, 2016)
11 snips
Oct 4, 2018 AI Snips
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Transcript
Episode notes
How A CBC Series Sparked The Journey
- Peter Harries‑Jones recounts how he got involved with Bateson via a 1972 CBC cybernetics series and rare four-day taped interviews.
- He still keeps those rich tapes and they sparked his deeper study of Bateson.
Mind First, Algorithms Second
- Harries‑Jones explains Bateson's reversal: place mind and meaning before algorithmic information.
- He warns algorithmic information theory omits context and produces harmful misrepresentations.
Double Coding Creates Context
- Bateson moved from logical typing toward double coding (digital + analog) to capture context and meaning.
- Expectancy from recurring analog patterns creates context and semiotic interaction across species.