Overview

This volume is grounded in a deep appreciation of the rich and cohesive constellation of ideas developed by Humberto Maturana which, taken as a whole, can be understood as a biocultural matrix of human understanding. As a way of thinking, these ideas comprise an epistemological shift that changes the way we regard 'reality' as we are compelled by his work to consider not only how we do what we do, but also how we know what we know. The backgrounds of the contributing authors reveal how Maturana’s work resonates with a variety of domains that range from art to family therapy, from education to organizational life, and from biology to dialogue. At the same time, these authors offer transdisciplinary perspectives rooted in cybernetic understanding. The papers in this volume invite us to reflect on Maturana’s contributions to our ways of being in the world, and of constituting and living in the worlds we create.

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9781788361088

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Frederick Steier is Professor in the School of Leadership Studies at Fielding Graduate University, and Emeritus at the University of South Florida, where he had also served as Director of Interdisciplinary Studies Programs. His work focuses on systemic approaches to social/ecological systems, with attention to learning and whole systems design. He has led participatory action research programmes in a wide variety of settings, ranging from government institutions to science centres, such as the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), in Tampa, Florida, where he was also a Scientist-in-Residence. He is the editor of the volumes, Gregory Bateson: Essays for an ecology of ideas (2005), and Research and Reflexivity (1991), and is a Past-President of the American Society for Cybernetics. He has also had the honour of being King Olav V Fellow with the American-Scandinavian Foundation, leading to collaboration with colleagues at the University of Oslo. He received (2019) the Norbert Wiener award for lifetime achievement from the American Society for Cybernetics. Pille has a background in ecology and ethology. After finishing her doctorate studies in Berkeley half century ago, she began her professional life as a research associate at the University of British Columbia, followed by nearly two decades as an international environmental consultant. After an early retirement to accommodate care of a family elder, Pille became engaged with complex systems through the American Society for Cybernetics, where she has served as President and is currently on the board. She spent a further couple of decades teaching systems methods and systems thinking, mostly at Royal Roads University, before formally retiring. Pille is particularly interested in the implications of how we think and act, especially how the assumptions we make and the beliefs we hold about 'reality' change what is possible. As part of this she is exploring how our reflections alter our perceptions and our relationships; with ourselves, with each other and with the world around us.

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