The Genius of Western Civilization, Part 4: Invention & Science

This 32-minute video is Part 4 of the New Culture Forum’s landmark six-part documentary series exploring the history, achievements and genius of Western civilisation. Inspired by legendary TV programs such as Civilisation, Kenneth Clark’s 1969 masterpiece, The West is a bold reminder of who we are — and why our culture is worth defending.

From the beginning, the West was technically innovative, embracing water mills to compensate for its lack of slave labor. This episode explores the story of how the ingenious West took that to new heights. We travel from the rational vision of creation offered by Christianity to the mechanical clocks and glass lenses of the Middle Ages, to the revolutionary discoveries of Isaac Newton and his successors. But the West’s dangerous inventions also upset established truths and leave us with the hardest question of all: How should we use the terrifying powers we have unlocked?