Abstract

Purpose – To show how Bateson’s difference which makes a difference can be interpreted from a cybernetic view, i.e. in terms of control theory.
Design/methodology/approach – Depending on the observer’s choice of the system boundaries, communication or structural coupling may be recognized. With the help of Bateson’s example he uses to explain his term of information the paper demonstrates how the two perspectives can be related to each other and in which way his metalogical “hypothesis non fingo” reflects this refraction of perspectives.
Findings – Hypotheses describing structural coupling in the perspective of communication become explanations which then in circularity are verified by structural coupling. In his example Bateson describes a structural coupling between a dog owner and his dog in order to explain how he informs dogs.
Originality/value – Provides information on Bateson’s theory of explaining
Keywords Communication, Cybernetics, Structural analysis
Paper type Conceptual paper