In 1980 a highly-praised science series debuted on Public Broadcasting Service television channels: "Cosmos," hosted by Cornell University astronomer Carl Sagan. One of the beauties of the original series was Sagan's grasp of scientific history, which he painted in a balanced and captivating way. The series began with a wonderful description of the great Library of Alexandria, the ancient repository of human knowledge that was finally destroyed in the year 642.
The new "Cosmos" series, which debuted on March 9, 2014, on the Fox Network, is hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Although the promotions for the series tout Tyson as the "successor to Carl Sagan," the debut episode proved that he surely is not. But maybe it is not his fault. The actual writing was done by Ann Druyan, the wife of Carl Sagan, who died in 1996.
Tyson/Druyan select as the focus for the first episode the case of Giordano Bruno, who supposedly first saw the extent of the universe. This is Tyson/Druyan's first historical mistake. The Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos (third century B.C.) saw the extent of the universe and was the original author of Copernicus's heliocentric theory, published in 1543 in "De Revolutione Orbium Coelestium." Copernicus is identified as a "priest." This is Tyson/Druyan's second historical mistake. Copernicus remained a canon and was never ordained as a priest.
Tyson/Druyan then proceed to feature the case of Giordano Bruno, a Dominican friar of the 16th century. Although Tyson/Druyan try to make Bruno out as some kind of scientific "martyr," the fact is that Bruno was eventually executed not for his astronomical ideas, but because he strayed into many errors of theology. Galileo also got into trouble not because of his astronomical ideas, but because he strayed into theology, of which he had no knowledge. Historically, heliocentrism was not the issue that got Bruno and Galileo into trouble. Copernicus was the great modern purveyor of that theory, and he was never touched.
Tyson/Druyan present lurid graphics, in cartoon form, of prison cells and instruments of torture. They even stoop to characterize Robert Bellarmine as some kind of ogre set on executing Bruno. In fact, Bellarmine was an avid scientist and patron of science, who even counseled Galileo that his theory of tides was wrong. And the historic fact is that Bellarmine was right, and Galileo was wrong.
The new "Cosmos" relies on cheesy computer graphics to titillate the unscientific crowd rather than to present well-researched scientific history. It is a caricature of the history of science. It is a great disappointment after all the advertising hoopla. Carl Sagan would have been a balanced enough historian of science not to have presented historical fabrications under the guise of history. He would have let the truth speak for itself.
The new "Cosmos" series, which debuted on March 9, 2014, on the Fox Network, is hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Although the promotions for the series tout Tyson as the "successor to Carl Sagan," the debut episode proved that he surely is not. But maybe it is not his fault. The actual writing was done by Ann Druyan, the wife of Carl Sagan, who died in 1996.
Tyson/Druyan select as the focus for the first episode the case of Giordano Bruno, who supposedly first saw the extent of the universe. This is Tyson/Druyan's first historical mistake. The Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos (third century B.C.) saw the extent of the universe and was the original author of Copernicus's heliocentric theory, published in 1543 in "De Revolutione Orbium Coelestium." Copernicus is identified as a "priest." This is Tyson/Druyan's second historical mistake. Copernicus remained a canon and was never ordained as a priest.
Tyson/Druyan then proceed to feature the case of Giordano Bruno, a Dominican friar of the 16th century. Although Tyson/Druyan try to make Bruno out as some kind of scientific "martyr," the fact is that Bruno was eventually executed not for his astronomical ideas, but because he strayed into many errors of theology. Galileo also got into trouble not because of his astronomical ideas, but because he strayed into theology, of which he had no knowledge. Historically, heliocentrism was not the issue that got Bruno and Galileo into trouble. Copernicus was the great modern purveyor of that theory, and he was never touched.
Tyson/Druyan present lurid graphics, in cartoon form, of prison cells and instruments of torture. They even stoop to characterize Robert Bellarmine as some kind of ogre set on executing Bruno. In fact, Bellarmine was an avid scientist and patron of science, who even counseled Galileo that his theory of tides was wrong. And the historic fact is that Bellarmine was right, and Galileo was wrong.
The new "Cosmos" relies on cheesy computer graphics to titillate the unscientific crowd rather than to present well-researched scientific history. It is a caricature of the history of science. It is a great disappointment after all the advertising hoopla. Carl Sagan would have been a balanced enough historian of science not to have presented historical fabrications under the guise of history. He would have let the truth speak for itself.