Bateson's cybernetics: the basis of MRI brief therapy: prologue.

Purpose - To provide direct access to original documents relevant to the emergence of applied constructivist and cybernetic epistemology in the behavioral sciences. Design/methodology/approach - This paper employs hermeneutic analysis Findings - Direct evidence of the cybernetic, interactional theory articulated by Gregory Bateson provides the theoretical foundation for the problem formation, problem resolution model set forth by research associates at the Brief Therapy Center of the Mental Research Institute. Originality/value - This is a rare, never previously published address by a principal founder of communication/interactional theory [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]