Educational Media Reviews Online

Filmed the year before his death, Stephen Jay Gould: A Scientist Looks at Life offers a glimpse into the mind of a rare genius. Beauty and consolation are the topics of the interview, masterfully interwoven with clips of Gould himself performing with a Boston chorus. The sights, sounds, and sheer radiance of Gould’s ability to articulate the mystery of what it means to be human make the film a joy to watch.

Known as one of modern science’s most prolific authors and essayists, Gould’s energy sparkles as he sits in his Harvard office surrounded by books and the artifacts of his life. He speaks about his study of snails, his love of music, his happy childhood, the Yankees, and his last book, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory (2002). Gould discusses beauty with examples ranging from the complexity of calendars to DiMaggio’s batting style. He grapples with consolation and the human propensity to do things we don’t understand and attempt to make order out of chaos. He tells of the human affinity for the afterlife and immortality as the “solace of reversing the loss of death, and expiating the fear of death.”

Describing human history as “an eye blink on this geological immensity,” Gould’s body of work will provoke thought and discussion for years to come. This excellent film provides a brief, personal look at a fascinating scientist and thinker.