Oxford Playhouse, 12 Mar 2010 |
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I cannot understate how much I approve of this show. In The Ethics of Progress Jon Spooner delivers an introduction to some concepts in quantum mechanics, and a few of their ethical and philosophical ramifications, with style and gusto. He does this in the form of an informal talk backed up with clear and appropriate video clips, and adds a good dash of humour to make sure that the potentially dry topic goes down smoothly. It all works very, very well. The topic that Spooner concentrates on is that of teleportation. He explains, in a really simple and easy to follow way, how in the realm of the very small a thing can really be in two places at once (superposition), and how doing something to one thing might affect another thing even though they may be many miles apart (quantum entanglement). Once we accept these two concepts it is only a small leap of imagination to accepting that teleportation is real and possible. The Ethics of Progress is so expertly written and delivered that it can be understood and enjoyed by a young layman audience while still amusing and engaging adults who have given some thought to these issues already. As someone with a keen interest in both philosophy and physics I was tempted to have children just so that I could take them to a show like this and share with them the wonder and thrill of these rewarding concepts. Basically, if you have either (a) children or siblings aged 14-17, or (b) don’t know much about quantum mechanics, then you really should give this a try. The only group who might consider giving it a miss are those who have already pursued an interest in the topics well above the level of a Wikipedia search. Slick, smart and non-patronising The Ethics of Progress is proof positive that the art of the intellectual talk can be brought to the mainstream to enthuse and entertain, and can even sneak some education in through the back door. Matty Czaczkes, 15/03/10 Oxford Playhouse, Fri March 16th 2007 Jon Spooner and Unlimited Theatre staged the rather slick Ethics Of Progress at the Oxford Playhouse. Jon and his one man show used an interesting array of images and short video clips projected on two screens to illustrate his points. He leaped energetically about the stage, and talked the audience though the rather intimidating concepts of quantum physics including quantum computers, superposition, entanglement, and teleportation. At just under sixty minutes, this was an action packed show that artfully combined science with entertainment. The science was described clearly and simply, though quantum physics itself defies our current logic of the way the world works, which makes it a bit hard to swallow. Jon acknowledges this, and tells us that Einstein himself described the results of entanglement as ‘spooky action at a distance’. How’s that for a technical description! Ethically, there are the usual arguments for any new technology – potential military uses balanced with providing solutions to existing problems (e.g. eliminating the need to use vehicles to travel). Teleportation, Jon suggests, may even prove whether we really have souls, and thus could also impact the debate of whether there is a God. There was an opportunity for questions at the end, at which point an academic in the field was brought on to stage, as well as pre-recorded answers from Dr. Vlatko Vedral, the collaborator and inspiration for the show. Ethics Of Progress is an interesting snapshot into the world of quantum physics, and requires no prior knowledge from the audience. Academics and students of higher level education (particularly in science) may find it a bit too basic for their liking, but entertaining nonetheless. One show only in Oxford but it will also be touring local schools and other cities, see http://www.unlimited.org.uk/shows/ethics.php for details. Kate Bottriell, 19/03/07 |
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