MIT Lecture Series Committee

November 3, 2015

unrated
58 minutes

format: bluray

The Genius of George Boole (2015)

FREE admission! This screening is the US premiere! RLE Professor Muriel Medard will introduce the film.

The huge impact of George Boole’s work on technology today is explored in this stunning new film commissioned by University College Cork.

Narrated by Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons and produced by multi award-winning Oxford Film and Television, The Genius of George Boole assembles industry leaders and academics from across the globe to explore the life and importance of one of the world's greatest unsung heroes.

The 58-minute film shines new light on the legacy of George Boole, recognised as the forefather of the information age. World-renowned film producer and Ireland's digital champion, Lord Puttnam, sets the scene for the film by posing the question: "Is George Boole important?" Puttnam continues: "I guess, no George Boole, no Google, no Amazon, no Intel...that makes him pretty important," emphasising to viewers this unknown mathematician is indeed a key figure in our global age.

Dealing with the themes of genius and what motivates genius, the film looks at Boole's legacy with special references to how Boole's research has been applied in today's world. The film also touches on the historic contexts of Ireland, Cork and UCC as well as England in the early nineteenth century.

Filmed on location in Ireland, USA and the UK, the film elegantly evokes snippets of Boole's life and the wider social contexts of his world. The overall purpose of the film is to shine light on the global legacy of one man's work. The film does not set out to be the definitive story of George Boole’s legacy; it is simply the beginning of a world-wide dialogue. [georgeboole.com]