Bateson and Peirce on the Pattern that Connects and the Sacred

Abstract

Classical mechanicism viewed the world as a self-sufficient machine made by God, but not a part of God or with God’s presence in it. Cybernetics and information theory offers an alternative view on science to classical mechanistic physics with its mind–body dualism or eliminative materialism. The informational cybernetics of Gregory Bateson aims to change the understanding of evolution, ecology, mind and nature and the divine. Bateson developed a conception of God as an immanent informational pattern that connects everything in a cybernetic pantheism. Nevertheless Bateson’s theory of “Steps to an ecology of mind” as cybernetic recursive processes did not include first person experiences and qualia. Peircean semiotics delivers a phenomenological, realistic as well as naturalistic framework. In his hylozoic theory, mind is feeling on the inside and on the outside it can be seen as spontaneity, chance and chaos with a tendency to take habits, which is the law of mind manifesting itself as thoughts. The pantheistic aspect of Peirce’s philosophy is that he sees the evolutionary processes and habits of the universe as evolutionary love. But Since Peirce further argues for an emptiness from where the categories spring, he is a panentheist!