atenolol wrote:
Andrew Kidd wrote:
atenolol wrote:
His critique--He believed in evolution and thought 2001 simply brought anti-evolution in the back door under the sci-fi gloss of an alien intervention.
Speaking as a committed defender of evolution-as were Kubrick and Clarke-I couldn't disagree more. The monolith is just one point in human development, and natural selection is what has driven the rest of its evolution.

MISSION TO MARS on the other hand...as Evilskippy would say, AAAAACCCCCKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well, just to defend my old professor--How many alien interventions are necessary?  I don't think it is in dispute that the movie implies that human development was subject to alien manipulation.

"committed defender of evolution as were Kubrick and Clarke"

But the movie they made does drag in aliens to supplement human evolution regardless of their private beliefs.  If, for example, Cecil B DeMille was proved to have been an agnostic, it would hardly make THE TEN COMMANDMENTS a picture made from an agnostic point of view.

By the way, as I said, I found the movie to be great, myself.  In retrospect, though, my professor had a valid point.  

Kubrick was silent on the subject, but Clarke was actually pretty clear, as Mind advances in its evolution it'll reach a point where it will want to nurture other Minds and guide them along their evolution. See Clarke's sequel. Whether a God or Alien Mind it does not make a difference (Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.) What to some is magic, to others is merely technology. (And please, don't anyone be insulted, lets just agree that people do not agree with each other on their personal definition of of the term "god.")

This idea does not negate evolution, especially when that is what the whole movie is about!
Just as humans have helped other species evolve  without negating evolution, the monoliths (alien species or tools of God, your choice,) are likely to do the same.

At one point in history (when the Star Child grows up, apparently) we will be the alien species (see David Brin's Uplift,) tough in a way we already are on our way (domestication, selective breeding, genetic engineering, the development of A.I., etc.)

"There is a lot of money tied up in this film and people expect to hear a boom when something blows up, so I'll give them a boom."

George Lucas as quoted by Harlan Ellison's WATCHING
Last Edited By: hermanthegerm Jan 22 11 2:16 PM. Edited 3 times.