The Ascent of Man

"The Ascent of Man" is a wonderful and fascinating account of Man's rise from ape to computer-maker through many intermediate steps. Jacob Bronowski does a fantastic job narrating Man's history through the ages. Bronowski was a Jew who found refuge in England after the Nazis invaded his native Poland. Indeed, the most poignant movement in "The Ascent of Man" is when Bronowski visits a former concentration camp where many of relatives were done to death. I had tears in my eyes when I watched that episode. Bronowski's friendship with great nuclear physicists like Leo Szilard enabled him to present a unique perspective on the nuclear age. For example, Bronowski reveals that Szilard conceived the atom bomb when he stopped his car at a stop light and says that is the only part he could not believe - Szilard always ran red lights! Bronowski's account of Darwin and evolution and of Mendel and genetics are the best I have ever seen.

"The Ascent of Man" paints on a huge canvas. What else is suitable for depicting the history of Man? The only criticism I have is that "The Ascent of Man" is rather Eurocentric. It neglects the role of China and India in Man's progress, though it acknowledges the Islamic influence on Europe.

The program was made in 1973, yet it is not outdated. In the last episode, Bronowski prophetically hinted at the coming of the computer age - an age he would not live to see. It is a pity that "The Ascent of Man" is not available on video. Luckily, the book version is still obtainable. Having read it, I strongly recommend it.

Reviewed by Sundar Narayan

It is too simplistic to say that he constructed the series in a linear manner. Bronowski knew what he was doing, and he said that simple questions needed difficullt answers. But not in the space of 12 and a bit hours of televison. This was a (perfect) way in, to encourage complex thoughts, problem analysis and definition. Nothing else like it has appeared on broadcast media, certainly not the populism od Sagan or Burke.

If only he could speak today.

Every few years, some prominent public intellectual is privileged to travel the world making a series about the history of humanity. In 1973, it was mathematician Jacob Boronowski's turn, and 'The Ascent of Man' tells of the rise of civilisation as viewed through the lens of science. The formula has hardly changed in the ensuing 50 years - rather surprisingly, even computer graphics (such as we might see in a more modern programme) had already arrived and are on display here. What's most noticeable is that firstly, Boronowski doesn't dumb down; but also, his series was subtitled 'A Personal View' and that it is, full of individual insights of a sort that now feels quite rare. Sometimes his thoughts are deep, sometimes less so; but they're all his, whereas it's sadly more common for this sort of programme to feel like an official guidebook, offering the consensus view of mankind's greatest hits. Instead, Boronowski was allowed to talk at length, and was thus able to make subtle points that rely on many words. In this respect alone, the series does feel dated; but only in reminding us of something we have lost.

Nowadays many different books have been written to explain the unfolding of humans and civilization. This program covers many great products and inventors instead of all the great wars. In the 1970s this was unique to the public. And this program is the template for those to follow.

The contents include: Lower than the Angles (evolution of the head) The Harvest of the Seasons (the pace of cultural evolution) The Grain in the Stone (blood group evidence of migration) The Hidden Structure (fire) The Music of the Spheres (the language of numbers) The Starry Messenger (the cycle of seasons) The majestic Clockwork (Kepler's laws) The Drive for Power (Everyday technology) The ladder of Creation (are other formulas of life possible?) World Within World (the periodic table) Knowledge of Certainty (There is no absolute knowledge) Generation upon generation (cloning of identical forms) The Long Childhood (The commitment of man)

I have the original hardback book, reference book, and study guide. I bought my DVD set from Great Brittan as they were less expensive at the time. The U. S. version has since come down in price.

This is a humanities course at the local college. Another advantage was getting to go through the Watts Towers as a kid. This work does rings around "Connections" by James Burke because it is the story of the people behind the connections.

I am not saying that this presentation replaces others, but that it has more to say without resorting to today's sound bite system of presenting. You will have to stop and look up references then rewatch.

Before Sagan's "Cosmos" and before James Burke's "Connections", Jacob Bronowski brought us a thoughtful examination of the history of mankind and his achievements. The angle here was to look at how those achievements effected events and shaped society as a whole.

I saw the series when it first aired, and was fascinated by it, but the series seemed non-linear, and I supposed to a young mind would seem disjointed. I still get some of that feeling when I rewatch episodes of this very good TV documentary.

I'll also add that a lot of factual history is correct, but I think Bronowski, as a social scientist, perhaps social psychologist, draws some of the wrong conclusions. Then again social science, like all sciences, is a field of research branching from the major hard sciences, so in this regard everyone is entitled to an opinion. The only way to nod or shake your head at Bronowski is to double check your own facts to see if he's right or not.

Bronowski takes us from man's humble beginnings in Africa, and shows us our primate ancestor's migratory pattern and how we populated the world today. But the real genius of the program is him showing us how our advances in understanding formed our civilization.

I applaud the program, but disagree with some of Bronowski's conclusions, though for the supermajority of the series, he does have things aright.

If you've seen Sagan or Burke do their thing with their TV series, then have a look at Bronowski's version from the early 70s. Definitely one to see for the scientist history buff in all of us.

Enjoy.