Scolaí said:
As a movie, it failed.
As a documentary, there were some pretty interesting discussions on quantum physics and psychology. Though I am reluctant to agree wholeheartedly with some of the points made in the movie, I also realize that I have neither a PhD in quantum physics nor an MD in any field thus rendering my opinions rather pale in the face of all the qualified individuals who were interviewed for the film.
It is up to the individual see the movie and decide if it was a waste of time. To make statements like, "Don't waste your time with this movie" make it appear that you feel so highly about your opinion that you feel the need to protect others from their own. It's OK for people to come to their own conclusion without censorship or imbued bias.
I've had four years of physics education (in fact I'd have a B.S. if I didn't have to spend an extra semester on my generals and classes for my math degree). That still doesn't make me an expert in the world of people with "Dr." before their name. But may I at least make a reasonably educated opinion?
I do not blame Mark for "censoring" the movie. I too would prefer that peole not see it. The reason I'm against the mere viewing of this film is because it gives the public misinformation.
What the Bleep Do We Know? is a work of fiction that passes itself off as real science, and this misleads non-scientists into believing things that aren't true. Consider the water crystals, for instance. The movie claims that by saying nice or rude words to vials of water, one can cause the water to crystalize into asthetically appealing and unappealing patterns, respectively. If you actually dig deeper, you'll find that the "study" behind this was not scientific, no did it claim to be. The researchers did not do double-blind studies, so the person who scanned the frozen water's crystal structure knew which vials had been "treated nicely," and which ones had not. As such, the results were clearly tainted.
There were also many statements about physics in the film that were blatently false (it's been awhile since I saw it, but I believe they made claims about alternate universes, and other things of this nature). Attempts were made to connect quantum physics with spirituality. The problem is that science is not spiritual. To make science spiritual defeats the very purpose of science. Science does not answer the important questions, such as why we are here or what our purpose is in the universe. When people view this film, they misunderstand the place that science holds in the world. The result is statements like this:
Vedickings said:
I think that the "What The Bleep Do We Know" has more to offer then the Bible IMO. In other words at less your mind is working!
I mean no offense to the author. But this statement suggests that science and the Bible are addressing similar issues (unfortunately, it also suggests that the movie has something to do with genuine science). The film deludes people into thinking that they are learning real science by making statements that sound profound. Perhaps this is why people think that their "mind is working" when they watch it. Sorry, but that's not the case. As far as science goes, your mind is working when you're doing a least squares analysis of data that you've legitimately gathered in the lab. If you can sit in an easy chair and eat popcorn at the same time, what you're doing probably doesn't involve much mental work (not that there's anything wrong with popcorn). To view this film as genuine science is a mockery of science. As the addage goes, "10% inspiration, 90% perspiration." Real science requires sweat.
Please, people: understand that this is not real science. Real science is not as glamorous as this movie makes it look. Science does not consist of philosophizing about the meaning of life. It is about doing meticulous, disinterested, and dispassionate analysis of observable data, and making conclusions that can be reproduced. Science can do many great things for us, but it will not answer the more profound questions in life.
