Horizon has been the BBC's flagship science program for 40 years. 21 years ago, the series focused on the recently published "The Blind Watchmaker" by Richard Dawkins. The documentary of the same name, addresses the issue of intelligent design. An argument by the 18th century theologian Willam Paley, likened animal life to a watch. The complexity of such a device, shows the result of the guiding hands of a skilled craftsman. Therefore the intricacies of nature demonstrate the direct involvement of God.
Evolutionary zoologist Dawkins counters this position with the argument of random variation, filtered by non-random natural selection, making incremental changes to the form of a replicating system. Hence the analogy of a blind watchmaker. Through a computer model showing gene variation, Dawkins demonstrates his theory, mutating viable organisms with no plan, no view for the future and no mechanisms more sophisticated than random variation and differential survival.
This sort of documentary is increasingly rare these days. The emphasis is on evidence of substantiated data and fact. The BBC has been accused recently of playing down the scientific content of certain programs and emphasising the sensational and trying to make material "sexy" at the expense of credibility. However, this is not the case of "The Blind Watchmaker". Mr. Dawkins point of view is framed in a very measured and reasonable manner. I would therefore recommend this vintage documentary to people on both sides of the perennial debate. Perhaps the BBC will one day return to this traditional approach of scientific journalism and film making.
XoD.
Horizon, for example, changed so much over the years and most of them I miss now because covering subjects I don't find interesting...There's a dearth of good scientific programmes now...real shame...GBHs
http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
2008-07-20 @ 23:32