“Desired substance, things, patterns, or sequences of experience that are in some sense "good" for the organism - items of diet, conditions of life, temperature, entertainment, sex, and so forth - are never such that more of the something is always better than less of the something. Rather, for all objects and experiences, there is a quantity that has optimum value. Above that quantity, the variable becomes toxic. To fall below that value is to be deprived.” ValuesFallSexConditionsObjectsSimplicityPatternsEntertainmentSubstanceDietsToxicQuantityOrganismsItemsSequenceDeprivedTemperatureVariablesOptimum Author:Gregory Bateson
“It is impossible, in principle, to explain any pattern by invoking a single quantity.” PrinciplesImpossiblePatternsQuantityInsomnia Author:Gregory Bateson
“What is the pattern that connects the crab to the lobster and the primrose to the orchid, and all of them to me, and me to you?” PatternsCrabsLobsterOrchids Author:Gregory Bateson
“Interesting phenomena occur when two or more rhythmic patterns are combined, and these phenomena illustrate very aptly the enrichment of information that occurs when one description is combined with another.” TwoInterestingInformationPatternsDescriptionEnrichment Author:Gregory Bateson
“There is a strong tendency in explanatory prose to invoke quantities of tension, energy, and whatnot to explain the genesis of pattern. I believe that all such explanations are inappropriate or wrong.” BelieveEnergyStrongI BelievePatternsTendenciesExplanationTensionProseQuantityGenesisInappropriateInvoke Author:Gregory Bateson
