Jacob Bronowski's - The Ascent of Man (1973)

[armoredinnerjacket]

I live in Washington State. A brass plate in the park describes the age of the fossilized trees. Someone has used a knife to scratch "Wicked lies" on the plate. I think human evolution may have stopped here... or is running backward

[Jorgecristoballester]

una transcripcion al español

[truvelocity]

I was 8, when this episode was on the air. I live in the U.S. and was so unaware of this series. I was aware, however, of science because I was interested.

[gearlockT]

The book is awesome!

[terrymorse]

Inspirational. We really do stand on the shoulders of these giants of Science. Boltzmann is a personal hero, what a tragedy he didn't get the recognition while he lived.

[xlovenuggetx]

I've recently discovered Bronowski's work. the series has so far been crammed with good information. I'm learning a lot. i was sad to hear he died a year after the completion of The Ascent of Man.

[aardvark0123]

Saw the series years ago. Loved it! Mr. Bronowski is that rare person who can balance the technicalities involved in understanding world-structure with the glimpses of meaning found in the world-view hinted at by poets and mystics.

Another way of getting at that idea is: While each tree in the forest contains a truth of its own; the truth expressed by the whole forest is of another order altogether.

Those who can synthesize both perspectives are the ones who can chart new paths.

[hdtwoodsman]

'Quarrelson and delightful and everything that a human being should be.' ...Bruno was the best

[FrankinHolland]

Check out Civilisation by Kenneth Clark if you like this. Like 10 hours of video that watches like great poetry. Possibly the best documentary series ever made.

[BrutusCass]

Very nice video, it let me with one main question. Who of this time will be remembered as these men? Has progress stopped, do we know all we can, what social preconcieved thought barriers remain really, ok there is that little proble of convincing the rest of man kind to m any of the basics, but that's anothers story.

[CrankyOldster]

This changed my intellectual life, too. Bravo, Dr. Bronowski.

And to those who think that the age of towering generalists is over, dream on. Do you think Bronowski's Atomic Age was any different? There will always be men who confound our cynical faith in specialists. They are rare, but when they surface they are too great to be confined and too eloquent to be ignored. That, too, is part of The Ascent of Man.

[jonessg3]

Jacob Bronowski's series informed more of my view of life than any other public figure. Watching the DVDs today, it is amazing how little they've dated. Perhaps the optimism over progress of science is the one thing that has changed. Maybe even Bronowski didn't appreciate the ultimate limits of knowledge, the implications of chaos theory, of the implication that we can never truly know or control our lives.

Nobody now comes remotely close to his philosophical breadth.

[pecierpoldo]

I believe Carl Sagan's Cosmos (which took its inspiration from 'The Ascent of Man') comes a close second, don't you?

Lot's of scientists I believe, are still optimistic of uncovering the answer to the ultimate physical questions - the string theorists are a case in point.

But now, as you've pointed out, chaos theory places a high wall between the realm of simple particle collider systems and the chaocomplex everyday world.

[petestrat07]

@pecierpoldo

I recently bought "Carl Sagan's Cosmos" and have just finished watching it so I went to the DVD store and spotted "The Ascent of man" I'd never heard of it but thought it seemed interesting.I'm glad I read you comment and hope that it is of similar quality.

[NuckinFuts666]

Arguably the best documentary series ever broadcast. That quote from Blake at the end always brings a tear to my eyes. Such a shame that a great communicator like Bronowski died so shortly after making this series

[TheBowerbird]

Second Part:

Of course it is tempting to close one's eyes to history, and instead speculate about the roots of war in some possible animal instinct: as if, like the tiger, we still had to kill to live, or, like the robin redbreast, to defend a nesting territory. But war, organized war, is not a human instinct. It is a highly planned and cooperative act of theft."

[TheBowerbird]

whirlpoolzend, the full quote on war is this (in two parts):

"Genghis Khan was a nomad and the inventor of a powerful war machine--and that conjunction says something important about the origins of war in human history.

[niansenx]

I bought the whole series on DVD and am watching it episode by episode very slowly. The history it documents is so jaw-droppingly amazing, I need time to recover between each one! Probably the finest documentary series ever made.

[whirlpoolzend]

I echo every word you've just said niansenx!

[lewisr47]

Thanks niansenx. now i know i want to see the series on DVD too. When I saw a few of these program as a boy in the 70's I remember being amazed too.

[Maakari]

Could someone add the "Ascent of Man" title sequence/opening credits with the music...Haven´t heard it for 20 years.

[Diamonddavej]

I just uploaded the opening credits of The Ascent of Man.

[whirlpoolzend]

*Breaking news*...I have my dvd box set and highly recommend it! One thing that struck me is Bronowski's comment on war. That 'war' per se, is not a part of human nature but 'theft' is. i.e. 'War is theft'. The simplicity of it just blew me over...

[whirlpoolzend]

p.s. my dvd box set is in the post!

[whirlpoolzend]

I know for certain that none of us knows anything...

[Diamonddavej]

I'm debating with a Quack Scientist at the moment, I find his mind (not theory) fascinating. These quotes are apt...

It is not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, that is the death of knowledge. - Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947)

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. - Confucius (551-479 BC)

The greatest of faults, I should say, is to be conscious of none. — Thomas Carlyle (1795 -- 1881)

[whirlpoolzend]

I hope you didn't mind Dave...I stole your hard found quotes to use in defence of a stance taken by Michael Moore (when he won the oscar for Bowling 4 Columbine) Ignorance is indeed one of mankind's biggest foes & ...those fascists are still lurking (Don't sue!)

[Diamonddavej]

That's fine, I'm a fan of Micheal Moore. Just saw Sicko - best of his documentaries yet.

[whirlpoolzend]

'Sicko' not in Tasmania yet...it's a bit like 'The land that time forgot' sometimes. Still, what's the rush?

[lavampire]

tremendous video series; a must-see series. Unfortunately, we have become to commercialized and to narcissistic to appreciate such greatness, such intellect. This is formidable information.

[whirlpoolzend]

Ditto to all the above...I must hunt down the dvd...

[chwee]

i bought the DVD set and could watch it over and over again... i just cannot hear enough of the wisdom in each word Bronowski utters, each pause, each punctuations in between phrases, composure... He is a GREAT man. This show changed my in the way I view of life.

[TheBowerbird]

This is one of my favorite scenes in the entire series, thanks so much for posting!

[Diamonddavej]

Immortality and Mortality; the discoveries scientists make can give them a degree of Immortality, their discoveries never age especially if they reveal an immutable truth.

[thingsihaveseen]

He's talking about immorality and proving the point all in one -- his work is still engaging and moving over 30 years after his death, and will continue to be for generations to come.

[Diamonddavej]

Pity TV is not like this any more, day-time cookery shows have taken over. Also, I posit that Arts students have become the journalists and TV presenters, modern society paying the price for the separation between arts and science at university.