thu 28/03/2024

The Code, BBC Two | reviews, news & interviews

The Code, BBC Two

The Code, BBC Two

The universe and everything explained through numbers

Marcus du Sautoy explains the hidden secrets of The Code, Dan Brown style

Can Marcus du Sautoy do for maths what Brian Cox did for physics? Can he convince us of the beauty of numbers and help us fall in love with pi? It’s a tall order, but not only does Professor du Sautoy have an unstoppable passion for ratios, he’s also a natural communicator, which clearly helps if you’re the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding for Science, which he is. And so du Sautoy guided us through some basic mathematical principles which underpin the workings of the universe. He introduced us to The Code.

Can Marcus du Sautoy do for maths what Brian Cox did for physics? Can he convince us of the beauty of numbers and help us fall in love with pi? It’s a tall order, but not only does Professor du Sautoy have an unstoppable passion for ratios, he’s also a natural communicator, which clearly helps if you’re the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding for Science, which he is. And so du Sautoy guided us through some basic mathematical principles which underpin the workings of the universe. He introduced us to The Code.

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Comments

One has to suspect du Sautoy's thesis, if only because it is ultimately reductionist. The human mind and imagination is as much part of the universe as du Sautoy's physical processes governed by numbers. Some believe that there are deeper archetypal principles which govern physical reality. If there is a code, then where did it come from? There are still foundational questions of philosophy which remain unanswered.

I think I missed something - what is the code, then?

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