The Ascent of Man
7.63
Ratings: 7.63/10 from 60 users.
The Ascent of Man is a thirteen-part documentary television series produced by the BBC and Time-Life Films first transmitted in 1973, written and presented by Jacob Bronowski.
Intended as a series of personal view documentaries in the manner of Kenneth Clark's 1969 series Civilisation, the series received acclaim for Bronowski's highly informed but eloquently simple analysis, his long unscripted monologues and its extensive location shoots.
The title alludes to The Descent of Man, the second book on evolution by Charles Darwin. Over the series' thirteen episodes, Bronowski traveled around the world in order to trace the development of human society through its understanding of science.
Series outline:
- Lower than the Angels - Evolution of man from proto-ape to 400,000 years ago.
- The Harvest of the Seasons - Early human migration, agriculture and the first settlements, war.
- The Grain in the Stone - Tools, development of architecture and sculpture.
- The Hidden Structure - Fire, metals and alchemy.
- Music of the Spheres - The language of numbers.
- The Starry Messenger - Galileo's universe.
- The Majestic Clockwork - Explores Newton and Einstein's laws.
- The Drive for Power - The Industrial Revolution.
- The Ladder of Creation - Darwin and Wallace's ideas on the origin of species.
- World within World - The story of the periodic table.
- Knowledge or Certainty - Physics and the clash of absolute knowledge, the oppressive state, and its misgivings realizing the result of its terrible outcome.
- Generation upon Generation - Life, genetics, and the cloning of identical forms.
- The Long Childhood - Bronowski's treatise on the commitment of man.
Not all is bad in TV-land, however; even in the midst of an ocean of meaningless and inane fluff, television has at times managed to fulfill its early promise of bringing knowledge and learning to a mass audience. Sometimes through government-mandated regulation, sometimes through the simple desire of a few wise individuals to raise the standard a little.
Because knowledge, science, history,factual information,reality has been hijacked by extremist right wing corporatism class warfare ideologues who have perfected and fine tuned the fascism of 1920s, 30s Italian and German governments to implement fascism in America, fascism 101 for the neo-conservative ideology of western neo-liberalism disaster capitalists to dismantle democracy in America and around the world, using the same techniques and propaganda that the Italian and German fascist used to brainwash the masses, racism, xenophobia, religion, bigotry, hate of government, and the dumbing down the population to breed the extremism and ignorance that is needed to divide, and pit the common poor and working classes against each other, neutering the power of the people while the mega-wealthy and corporations take over the government, lie cheat, steal, rob the American people with biggest transfer of wealth and treasure in the history of America while then also perpetrating the largest scam/hoax on them and the world with 9-11 to justify the end of the rule of law, human rights, with the never ending war on terror, a blank check for a war against the freedoms and civil liberties of civilian individuals and populations of democratic governments and the militarization of governments worldwide with the goal of the mega-wealthy and corporations elite oligarchs to have a NWO police state clamping down on any dissent.
With the fraudulent war on terror, nation governments and their military are obsolete threats, the corporate takeover of the worlds nations and their sovereign governments by the mega-wealthy, single individuals, and groups of people are the new threat to the NWO.
Any, factual information, truth or, reality that that educates the common working class to discuss, protest, question, criticize or fight back against the neo-liberalism economic policies of the mega-wealthy's class-warfare attack, is quickly labeled liberal bias, conspiracy, communism, socialism, and now terrorism.
Fascism breeds and perpetuates greed selfishness hate and corruption. The US is now the worlds #1 fraudulent democracy and fascist state in the history of the world, wrapped in the American flag, yesterdays democratic glories and accomplishments, and carrying a cross.
One of the all-time greatest productions ever to grace television, this extraordinary series is as relevant today as it was when originally released in 1973.
One of the last true renaissance men, Dr. Bronowski speaks to the viewer through the lens of the camera as if face to face, extemporaneously from his vast and wide-ranging knowledge. The anecdotes he shares of people he knew and worked with (especially from the Manhattan Project) are both moving and powerful.
A veritable cornucopia of the history and philosophy of science, together with cultural anthropology, world history, and ethics and morality, this series is a must-see (the book of the same name, recently reissued, is a virtual transcript, and a worthwhile addition).
Each episode (fifty minutes) is a treasure. Episode 11, "Knowledge or Certainty," however, is in a class by itself -- and should be required viewing.
The latest DVD incarnation greatly improves on the sound, which was problematic even in the original broadcast (as all of the filming was on-location).
Highest recommendation.
Why can't a network like Natgeo, Discovery, History Channel, etc show this instead of the endless teabilly crap they show now?
So good! This whole series is a gem.
Totally top telly.
With NASA's Space stacion, it would reflect humanity in the Vatican's policy to appologiese to humanity for what they did to Galilieo Galilei
Does the Vatican has the courage to exress themselfes admiting their big error one of these days?
LOVE IT'''''''''........
i just torrented this series the other day. love it
Episode #11 is the greatest hour of telivision ever created. Required viewing for anyone with a brain or a heart. He was a pioneer in finding ways to teach science - he made wonderful films for kids. This work influenced my life profoundly.
cool stuff
I'm not sure about the stereotype of boring mathematicians. All of the mathematicians I've been exposed to have been interesting.
That's because you are into math. solving a math problem just for the sake of solving a math problem would only be interesting to someone who has an aptitude or interest in math for maths sake. I am a visual Artist and i am all about Art for Art sake and can relate in that way to math freaks. (it took many years to understand that), this conversation is not going anywhere special, just an observation.
Science and art are both interpretations of reality which should be regarded as complementary and not opposite
Thank yew! I'm a mathematician, and I don't think I'm boring even if I do say so myself. In fact, I like climbing trees, too. ( oops, see Lower than the Angels )
I'm so happy I kept an open mind and didn't "86" this just because it was made when I was 5! AGAIN, Thank you Vlatko. Good lookin out!
It almost sounds like you are patronizing the rest of us morons?
Incredible scope, I really enjoyed this, even if it is dated. The music is great!
Liberal BBC garbage
Nasty comment. No love in your heart?
lol no, he obviously thinks that because of BBC's political tendency you can't trust anything Jacob Bronowski, a mathematician and scientist, says, which is unfortunate because BBC's political leanings is irrelevant to the facts presented by Bronowski.
This was made before the liberal virus took hold. Bronowski is an egalitarian with a progressive outlook, but not a contemporary laissez faire urban liberal. I think he would be horrified if he were alive today.
How so, David?
Bin there. Rubbished that. Created what?
Man.. I always wanna see the comments on the new videos but it always takes a couple of days lol.
Are you jokin'?, sometimes you cant get a word in edgeways!
Yeah.. But i've pretty well seen all the good docs on here so I usually only look at the newer ones.