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STPrism

Gregory Bateson

6 min read

The relationship between hierarchy, non-ergodicity, speciation, causality, and constraint in this collection of sources centers on how life (Creatura) organizes itself differently from the non-living physical world (Pleroma). This distinction relies on information, context, and history rather than simple mechanical forces.

Here is the “untangled” relationship between these concepts based on the provided sources:

1. Constraint as the Foundation of Information

In the cybernetic view, information is not a “thing” but a result of constraint.

• Negative Definition: Information is defined negatively. It is the exclusion of alternatives. An event provides information because it is “one out of many” possibilities that could have happened but didn’t due to restraints[1].

• The Role of Constraint: Without restraints, all events would be equally probable (randomness/noise). Restraints create inequality of probability, which allows for pattern, redundancy, and meaning[2].

• Causality: In this framework, causality is not a linear “push” (like billiard balls) but a “cybernetic explanation” where effects are determined by what is prevented from happening by the constraints of the system[1].

2. Hierarchy (Logical Types and Organization)

Constraints do not exist on a single flat plane; they are organized into a hierarchy of logical types.

• Logical Types: There is a necessary hierarchy between a class and its members, or a message and the context (meta-message) that classifies it. For example, the context of “play” tells an animal how to interpret a “bite” (constraint on meaning)[8].

• Systemic Hierarchy: Biological systems are organized hierarchically (cell, organ, organism, society). The constraints and feedback loops at one level (e.g., genetic) are distinct from but coupled to those at another level (e.g., somatic/body adaptation)[11].

• Decoupling: To maintain stability, these levels must remain somewhat distinct. For instance, somatic changes (fast adaptation) should not immediately rewrite the genetic code (slow adaptation), or the system would become brittle and lose flexibility[14][15].

3. Non-Ergodicity (The Historical Nature of Life)

Non-ergodicity (a concept attributed here largely to Stuart Kauffman) connects this static hierarchy to the flow of time and evolution.

• The Adjacent Possible: The universe is non-ergodic, meaning it has not existed long enough to explore all possible configurations of matter and life. It does not simply cycle through a fixed menu of states[16][17].

• History Matters: Because the system cannot visit all states, where it goes depends on where it has been. Life moves into the “adjacent possible”—new configurations that only become possible once previous steps are taken[16][18].

• Constraint Construction: Living systems (autonomous agents) actively construct new constraints. By building a cell wall or evolving a new behavior, an organism alters the probabilities of future events, effectively “steering” its own evolution into new, unexplored territory[19][20].

4. Speciation as the Engine of Divergence

Speciation is the mechanism by which non-ergodicity and constraint creation drive the expansion of biological order.

• Bifurcation of Context: Speciation occurs when a lineage splits, creating two different sets of constraints (contexts). This is often driven by behavioral or somatic changes (adaptations) that eventually lead to genetic distinctness[21][22].

• Exploration of Possibility: Speciation allows life to explore the “adjacent possible” more rapidly. It increases the diversity of contexts and relationships, thereby increasing “semiotic freedom” (the capacity to interpret and create meaning)[23][24].

• Causal Autonomy: As species diverge, they create new niches for one another. The “cause” of a species’ survival is not just the physical environment, but the relationship and informational fit with other species (e.g., the crab and the lobster, or the cleaner fish and its host)[25][26].

Summary of the Relationship

To put it all together in a narrative flow:

1. Constraint creates information by limiting randomness (making some things more probable than others).

2. These constraints are organized into a Hierarchy of logical levels (context vs. content, genetics vs. learning), which stabilizes the system.

3. Because the universe is Non-Ergodic, life doesn’t just repeat these patterns; it constantly moves into new, historically contingent configurations (the “adjacent possible”).

4. Speciation is the process that physically instantiates this movement, creating new distinct lineages (new hierarchies of constraint).

5. This results in a form of Causality that is circular and semiotic (interpretive) rather than linear and mechanical. The “cause” of an organism’s form is the history of the constraints and relationships it has evolved to navigate[25].

In short: Constraints enable information; Hierarchies organize it; Non-Ergodicity ensures it has a history; Speciation diversifies it; and Causality in living systems is the result of these information flows rather than brute force.

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