The scientific and social representations in the content of a рopular science film, for example “E=mc² / Einstein’s Big Idea”, BBC, 2005

Abstract

Popular science film is considered as one of the varieties of mass and media culture products and, accordingly, as a source of information for a large audience, as a translator of certain natural science knowledge, ideological and methodological attitudes of its producers. The author explores the representation of scientific energetic ideas by a concrete example. He presents Gary Johnstone’s film “The great idea of Einstein” (“E = mc2 / Einstein’s Big Idea”, BBC, 2005). The limits of possibilities in popularization of complex physical concepts, satisfaction of requirement of scientific character for the works calculated on mass audience are considered. Aside from content related to physical knowledge, the author analyzes the key concepts and methods of presenting methodological knowledge and biographical material. Particular attention is paid to the composition of the representation of socially significant ideas and relevant daily practices in the content of the film.