The seemingly impossible Zen task of writing a book about nothing has a loophole: people have been chatting, learning and even fighting about nothing for millennia. This account starts with the story of a modern battleship stopped dead in the water by a loose zero, then rewinds back to several hundred years BC. Some empty-headed genius improved the traditional Eastern counting methods immeasurably by adding zero as a placeholder, which allowed the genesis of our currently-used decimal system. Seife is enthusiastic about his ...
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The seemingly impossible Zen task of writing a book about nothing has a loophole: people have been chatting, learning and even fighting about nothing for millennia. This account starts with the story of a modern battleship stopped dead in the water by a loose zero, then rewinds back to several hundred years BC. Some empty-headed genius improved the traditional Eastern counting methods immeasurably by adding zero as a placeholder, which allowed the genesis of our currently-used decimal system. Seife is enthusiastic about his subject, providing a synthesis of math, history and anthropology. Why did the Church discourage the use of zero? Why did mystics question its shape? Starting with Chapter 0, Zero is a philosophical look at the time men spent questioning its very meaning.
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Add this copy of Zero: the Biography of a Dangerous Idea to cart. $16.95, good condition, Sold by The Yard Sale Store rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Narrowsburg, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Publishing Mills.
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Good. 4 AUDIO CASSETTE EDITION We will test each cassette, prior to shipping for a smooth sound. You will receive a reliable set! Some shelf wear to the covers. Enjoy this AUDIO CASSETTE TAPE performance for your home and library.
Add this copy of Zero: the Biography of a Dangerous Idea to cart. $92.65, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Publishing Mills.
