Unfortunately, the episode itself spends far too little time on this world view. It was, we are told, Wilson who first put forth the idea of "biological determinism" in human beings. That is, the notion that our genetic code helps make us who we are in ways outside of our physical appearance. The notion is terribly scary to some as it has, at times, been used to fuel the eugenics movement, but has since gained more traction. It is, essentially, at least in part, the "nature vs. nurture" debate.
It's a fascinating question, and one that certainly is applicable to everyone in the world. However, the episode doesn't mention it until nearly the midpoint and even then spends too little time on it, instead choosing to talk about termites and a natural equilibrium in number and size of animal groupings. It is possible that Wilson has spent more time studying these latter things which is why the episode spends more time on them, but it just isn't as gripping.
One of the best elements of this episode is the voiceover narrative, which is provided by none other than Harrison Ford. The words may be nothing terribly special, but the way he does have a wonderful way of speaking them that helps draw the viewer in to an otherwise bland episode. Additionally, the timing of the premiere of this episode makes one wonder if it was purposely schedule to coincide with Mr. Ford's huge theatrical film release later this week.
Nova - "Lord of the Ants" airs Tuesday, May 20 at 8pm ET/PT, but check your listings anyway because, heck, you can.
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Article comments
1 - Josh Lasser
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to the Advance family of websites and to Boston.com, which will allow even more readers to enjoy it.
2 - Bennett
Josh Lasser congratulating Josh Lasser...
What a world.
3 - bliffle
I suppose Josh Lassers opinion of Josh Lassers opinion of a Nova program is important to Josh Lasser. But it would be nice if the review told us something more about the actual program. Oh well.
4 - Toni Sutter
After reading Lassers review of "Lord of the Ants" I knew more about what the episode wasn't, than what it was. Shouldn't a review, review the subject instead of recommend subject of a different matter?
Lasser wrights:
["Lord of the Ants" is quick to point out that Wilson has spent a large portion of his life trying to draw larger conclusions from his study of ants.]
Duh. That is what the episode was about. Nova is a show about SCIENCE.
Lasser suggests the episode should have gone off on a tangent of SOCIAL STUDY regarding the eugenics movement and how scary this notion is to some.
That is NOT what the episode was about.
Lasser even suggests Harrison Ford was trying to earn money by working.
Perhaps Lasser should have been quick to deduce, he has tuned into the wrong program.
After reading Lassers review of "Lord of the Ants" I knew more about what it wasn't, than what it was. Shouldn't a review, review the subject instead of recommend subject of a different matter?
Lasser wrights:
["Lord of the Ants" is quick to point out that Wilson has spent a large portion of his life trying to draw larger conclusions from his study of ants.]
Duh. That is what the episode was about. Nova is a show about SCIENCE.
Lasser suggests the episode should have gone off on a tangent of SOCIAL STUDY regarding the eugenics movement and how scary this notion is to some.
That is NOT what the Nova episode was about.
Lasser then suggests Harrison Ford was trying to earn money by working.
Perhaps Lasser should have been quick to deduce, he has tuned into the wrong program.
5 - bliffle
Lasser seems to persistently miss the point of his function. NOVA is a modest non-commercial program of potential interest to a rather small group of people. It is NOT popular entertainment, such as, say, "CSI". In the past, reviewers of popular culture developed a personal antidote for the drek they had to review to make their living by parodying and belittling the subject in their reviews. It works well for those reviewers because entertainment customers don't read reviews, and the reviewers could thus attract another type of reader: a sort of reviewing elite.
People read those belittling reviews because they were amusing. Alas, Lasser is not amusing.
6 - Josh
Toni,
You quite clearly miss the point, Nova points out that Wilson has spent a large portion of his life trying to draw larger conclusions from his study of ants, but fails to talk about that in depth.
Additionally, there is no suggestion that Ford was trying to earn money by working. The question was whether Nova timed the episode to air the same week as the new Indiana Jones movie (and I think they unquestionably did).
7 - Juju
I found the Nova episode "Lord of the Ants" to be both informative and entertaining. I was offended by Lasser's ageists comments.
8 - bliffle
I saw part of it and it actually looked pretty good. I'll catch the whole thing when it comes around again on the Great PBS Wheel Of TV.
9 - Michael D. Barton
Harrison Ford is a board member for the EO Wilson Biodiversity Foundation.
10 - shaun
"...instead choosing to talk about termites and a natural equilibrium in number and size of animal groupings."
That's what biological determinism is :/
11 - n
Till, when they come to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said" O, ants enter your dwellings, lest Suleiman and his hosts crush you, while they perceive not.( suret al-naml 18 â€" ants)
"In this verse, there is a clear evidence that ants have a language to understand one another and Allah gifted Suleiman with the ability to hear and understand these sounds. The scientists attempt to grasp these acoustic signals that ants utter. Yet, they distinguished four different kinds of these sounds after very long years of watching."
This is from 14 centuries. From the glorious Qura'an. It should be time for those who have doubts about Mohammad to question themselves...
Ants talk here:
http://home.olemiss.edu/~hickling/
For more readings:
http://www.55a.net/firas/english/?page=mix&select_page=who
Enjoy your reading and listenning :-)
__________
who is Dr. Maurice Bucaille..?where is her from; and what did he say about.........