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# Form, Substance, and Difference

## Details

**Authors** Gregory Bateson

**Year** 1970

**Publisher** Essay

**Discipline** Philosophy

[Read it](https://www.organism.earth/library/document/form-substance-and-difference)

## In authors' words

### What they set out to do (purpose)

To explore fundamental patterns.

### What they found (results)

The idea of the Mind was roped into early evolutionary theory, making pattern and mind two—seemingly simple, but incredibly powerful ideas. He also explores the concept of “difference”, or in our case, Distinctions in which he wrote, “I suggest to you now, that the word ‘idea’, in its most elementary sense, is synonymous with ‘difference’.”

## Commentary

### In short

This correlates well with the idea that every thought is within itself a Distinction. Bateson’s combination of pattern and difference has contributed greatly to Systems science.

### In more detail

In Form, Substance, and Difference by Gregorgy Bateson (1970) he discusses Pythagorean’s philosophy of looking at patterns rather than content. He then offers that the idea of the Mind was roped into early evolutionary theory, making pattern and mind two—seemingly simple, but incredibly powerful ideas. He also explores the concept of “difference”, or in our case, Distinctions in which he wrote, “I suggest to you now, that the word ‘idea’, in its most elementary sense, is synonymous with ‘difference’.” This correlates well with the idea that every thought is within itself a Distinction. Bateson’s combination of pattern and difference has contributed greatly to Systems science.

**Patterns it shows** D

**How to cite this** Gregory Bateson (1970). Form, Substance, and Difference. Essay.