The role of information in the systemic process of the mind

the anthropocene in the light of a philosophical approach between Peirce and Bateson

Abstract

In this text, we investigate the conceptions of information proposed by Peirce (1839-1914) and Bateson (1904-1980) and their implications in the systemic and evolutionary process of the mind, contextualizing them in the anthropocene. We highlight the similarities between the two authors’ approaches based on the role played by information in the constitutive dynamics of mental processes, as well as such approaches can serve as a compass to redirect our fragmented worldview and minimize the impacts of human action on nature, easing the difficulties of the anthropocene era. Unlike mechanistic deterministic and reductionist approach in studies of the causality that rules relationships, we show that Peirce and Bateson insert information as the main element that affords the emergence of communication, chance, organization and continuity of living systems. Our hypothesis is that for both authors, the mind is immanent and coextensive with nature, whose complexity goes beyond the investigative limits of traditional science, shedding light on debates on the anthropocene, which aim to investigate, understand and propose actions to mitigate the impacts of human conduct on nature.