I would like to suggest a 17 page Gregory Bateson essay (actually a talk that was given in 1970 and later published the journal, General Semantics) for reading and discussion. There is plenty of critical thinking as Bateson tries to explain the foundation of a then relatively new approach to studying mind. He shows why earlier approaches from religion and philosophy are wrong, while explaining a new and promising way. That way of viewing the mind has since been taken up by the top people in the field of artificial intelligence.
Some of the ideas in the talk are similar to ideas in Douglas Hofstadter's I Am a Strange Loop only in my opinion Bateson explanations are clearer and have more depth because he is able to draw from many fields to make his points. This short essay touches on evolution, ecology, psychology, semantics, epistemolgy and more. Everything is tied together with cybernetic theory an approach to understanding interdisciplinary studies. Bateson was one of the founders of cybernetic theory, along with Marget Mead and Norbert Weiner. The talk, called Form Substance and Difference, also foreshadows the current work in artificial intelligence being done by Marvin Minsky at MIT. Minsky and others have come to realize that in order for A. I. to advance, machines must have simulated emotions. His latest book which explains his work to people outside of the field is called The Emotion Machine. Bateson, a second generation atheist, even manages to touch upon a practical, empirical idea of God (not in any conventional or religious sense!) I will make copies of the essay for everyone who wants to participate in the one session discussion. It could be in two weeks or after we do the new book that Jason suggested or sometime after that. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
