An ecology of mind

A true polymath, Gregory Bateson is well-known for his work in cybernetics, with Steps to an ecology of mind perhaps his most famous work: a collection of essays on anthropology, epistemology, and evolution.

A film all about Bateson, called An ecology of mind and made by his daughter Nora, is shortly to be screened at the University of Westminster as part of a UK-wide tour.

Here's a preview clip.

Each screening is followed by a panel discussion. The London panel comprises of Brighton Uni's Jody Boehnert; Ranulph Glanville, President of the American Society of Cybernetics; Jon Goodburn of Westminster, UCL, and the Royal College of Art; Wendy Wheeler of London Met; Peter Reason of Action Research; and Nora Bateson herself.

With a few film festival awards and nominations under its belt, it looks to be a good film. The press release introduces Gregory Bateson in a nicely concise fashion:

Gregory Bateson, British-American anthropologist, biologist, systems thinker (1904 – 1980), invited people to look at a thing – an earthworm, a number sequence, a tree, a definition of addiction, anything at all – by seeing the interdependencies that connect them and the processes beneath the structures. He believed, "The major problems in the world are the result of the difference between the way nature works and the way people think."

Booking for the London event is through Eventbrite and is part of a screening tour:

• 15/02/12 and 16/02/12 Manchester (location unknown - will update when we find out)
• 17/02/12 Glasgow: The Old Hairdressers
• 20/02/12 Bradford: National Media Museum
• 22/02/12 Dartington: Schumacher College
• 23/02/12 and 24/02/12 Edinburgh: ECA

All the info is here. Do let us know if you are attending a screening.