Secrecy

Historian of science, Arnold Pacey has written that the history of science and technology is the story of an evolution toward visual thinking and representations that render human understanding more visible.

It is perhaps, therefore, not surprising that Harvard historian, Peter Galison, author of two books I love, Image and Logic, and Einstein's Clocks, Poincare's Maps that make the arcana of particle physics more visible and more intelligible should be making a documentary about secrecy.

As the Harvard alumni newsletter reports appropriately during Sunshine Week

"Peter Galison, Pellegrino University Professor in the Department of the History of Science and the Department of Physics, and Robb Moss, Rudolf Arnheim Lecturer on Filmmaking in the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, explore the shadowy world of concealment, classification, and cover-ups at the highest levels of American government in their new film, titled “Secrecy.” The film was accepted in the feature documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival in late January, and it will be shown at the Harvard Film Archive on Friday (Feb. 29)."

“There is no doubt that secrecy is one of the central issues of our time,” said Galison. “It raises important questions about how democratic institutions function when things aren’t known. When is government secrecy necessary? What are its problems? What does secrecy do to those who are close to it?”