Slog - Comments on David Albert: 'What the BLEEP' Is Wildly and Irresponsibly Wrong http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1 Last Friday, I mentioned an email I received from What the BLEEP director/producer William Artnz. He took issue with my complaint about his inclusion of a Columbia University professor of the philosophy of physics, David Albert, in the new version of the film. (Albert had previously denounced the filmmakers' misrepresentation of his views about the intersection between quantum physics and spirituality.) I emailed David Albert to ask what was up, and he wrote back with an explanation of why he agreed to appear in the new version, the actual events that transpired at the conference Artnz referenced, and what he... Copyright 2007 Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:08:38 -0800 Mon, 13 Feb 2006 11:27:54 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Tina Amit Goswami was a physics professor for a long time at the University of Oregon, which is a research university - he's now retired. I guess that might not count. But he's a very smart guy.

I'm not standing up for the film, either - haven't seen it, and the first one bugged the shit out of me. But Mr. Goswami's a friend of the family, so I'm piping up for him.

]]> Tina http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c015783 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c015783 Arts Wed, 08 Feb 2006 19:34:13 -0800 Comment by BLEEP curious I'm curious about both movies now. The blurbs for the first movie gave me something of a cross between curiosity and the ebby-gebbies. The ebby-gebbies won, so I didn't see it. Now I'm wondering what new warped New Age thought is making it's march - especially sense I think science actually DOES support the notion of spirituality.

]]> BLEEP curious http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c015835 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c015835 Arts Wed, 08 Feb 2006 22:14:06 -0800 Comment by pliny Thanks for posting this, Annie. I haven't seen What the Bleep, because I suspect it would only make me angry, but I could read/talk about this controversy all day. My biggest concern is that there may be some very useful and interesting ideas currently considered New Age or supernatural, but because of popular anti-intellectual New Age fare like WTB, these ideas will find it harder to get a serious look from rigorous scientists.

Incidentally, if anyone else is interested in the intersection between science and spooky, and willing to actually think critically about it, I recommend the work of David Hufford; his book The Terror That Comes in the Night is a good place to start.

]]> pliny http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c016009 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c016009 Arts Thu, 09 Feb 2006 08:05:58 -0800 Comment by seattle98104 I say see it, just so you can shit talk it with reference to the actual film. trust me, it's baaaad. wait for the dvd and get it on netflix .. or from the library.

]]> seattle98104 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c016018 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c016018 Arts Thu, 09 Feb 2006 08:17:10 -0800 Comment by Bobak Thank you for being a level-headed reviewer. My girlfriend and I wasted our first NetFlix rental on the original version of this flick and were shocked at how awful it was within the first half-hour. While we're both open minded, one atheist and one religious, we're also scientifically friendly, rational thinkers (and, gasp, lawyers). The moment this movie starts trying to extrapolate the interesting parts of quantum theory into wild claims about water molecules that react to emotions, Native Americans being unable to see boats, and other such on-its-face laughable bunk, we knew that something was up with this movie. Your links slam dunked our own theories on its origin. While I believe the human mind is limited by our just-past-ape evolution, I can say this: What the Bleep do I know? I know enough to say this movie is a pseudo-scientific cult film that genuinely feels insulting to intelligent, rational viewers.

]]> Bobak http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c017551 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/02/david_albert_wh_1#c017551 Arts Mon, 13 Feb 2006 11:27:54 -0800