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Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea

List Price: $14.00
Your Price: $10.50
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's excellent for a book about literally nothing.
Review: I don't know were to start, this book is just amazing. It's the best of many worlds all mixed together. It's got history, math, theology, philosophy, physics, society, etc. The writing style is very clear and precise, easy to understand.

He takes you from the start, tracing the ideas of zero and inifity through time and how their concepts have been feared and embraced, how they've affected and forced evolution upon religious, philosophical, societal, and scientific ideas.

Definately an excellent read for anybody interested in even just one of the topics upon which he touches.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A book with a deceptively simple title
Review: This is a very well written and thought out book, that touches not just upon mathematics of the '0,' but also on the impact of the idea of '0' and infinity on social and itellectual development of human societies.

People who should read this book are the ones who are interested in how our society with its intellectual inheretance emerged, and apparently the impact of 'zero' on the development of that inheritance is far from zero.

In general, the mathematical concepts are discussed in broad, comprehensive and very accessable manner.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Book About Absolutely Nothing
Review: Charles Seife does a great job explaining the way zero was conceived and how the various mathematicians - Aristotle, Newton, and Leibniz - molded it to fit their views of a perfect world. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to know more about mathematical history, becuase zero sure is essential to it. However, basic understanding of Calculus is recommended for this book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Beautiful
Review: Well written, splendid job done in reserch. Its a beautiful book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: 4 for 0
Review: 0 is a fascinating concept and an interesting number. It is well described by other positive reviews. It is a much better read and much better written and than Longitude or A History of Time. I was a bit disappointed when the author leaped from math to physics. While the former is pure the latter is an approximation. I was interested in the concept and the philosophy of 0 from a numerical perspective and did not find enough in the early chapters to be satisfying. Somehow, 0 showed up in India. Though I was disappointed with the leap to physics, it was logically very well presented to be enjoyable and understandable, I did learn a few things and it connected a few things up very well though there are a few leaps of faith. Good job Charles Siefe - enjoyed it a lot.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful story of God's banana peel
Review: It may well be the most potent force in the universe. The Greeks were scared to death of it. Aristotle wouldn't permit it(and the Catholic Church's vice-grip on Aristotelianism held Western science and mathematics back for centuries). But this force does not discriminate; it delights in tripping up secular science as well. Certain forms of mathematics must ignore it in order to work. String theory basically pretends it isn't there. It is, as stated on the book jacket, "a timebomb ticking in the heart of astrophysics."

Zero.

Charles Seife's history of zero(and of infinity, which is awfully close to the same thing, as Seife elegantly demonstrates)is one of the most interesting and thought-provoking books I have read in a long time. There are mathematical and scientific equations and concepts aplenty here, but they were not daunting for this manifestly un-mathematic non-scientist. Seife has a fascinating story to tell and he tells it with enthusiasm. I cannot recommend Zero too highly.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Way more than "just math"
Review: I am emphatically NOT a math person - in fact I avoid math whenever possible. I started this book essentially under duress from a friend. It came as rather a shock that it was not only interesting, but understandable - even enjoyable.

I always considered numbers static quantitative figures, used for counting and for plugging into formulas when forced. I never considered that numbers could have an impact on religion, philosophy, and science. They're just numbers - they don't do anything. But in reality, there was a cosmological shift required to accept a number that we take for granted. By following a chronological "biography" of zero, you see that the concepts of zero and infinity have caused as much intrigue, politicking, and murder as either love or money ever has. You see how civilizations, religions, and rulers rose and fell partly based on their acceptance of numbers. The impact of the concepts of nothingness and infinity continues today and the book gives insight into some really interesting concepts - wormholes in space/time, the nature of the universe, etc.

There is some math, but the theories are clearly and wittily explained - even if you don't crunch the numbers, you'll get the concepts. And you can console yourself with the thought that you're in good company - even Einstein used a cosmological constant to make his formulas work out!(It's in the book.) The author clearly knows and loves his subject, and does a great job of sharing his enthusiasm with the reader.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Good coverage, annoying style
Review: The book covers a fascinating subject in a fair amount of detail. However, if you prefer thoughtful and well-worded books, this one is NOT for you. The author has overloaded an otherwise interesting work with too many verbal embellishments and glib expressions.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: fascinating and fun too
Review: when i first got zero i was a bit worried because even though the reviews were really good, i was never good at math. the reviews were right, though. it was understandable, it was fun to read. where else do you read about martin luther's constipation in the same place that you read about quantum theory? very cool.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Very clearly written
Review: This is the most understandable math book I have read in a long time. It explains alot of ideas that I have heard people talking about, such as zenos paradox and string theory, in a way that made me say 'aha' and finally understand them.


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