The biography of a dangerous idea
Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Zero: The History of a Dangerous Idea evolution a nonfiction popular science whole written by the American journo Charles Seife and originally publicized in February 2000 by Northman, a division of Penguin Unsystematic House. Zero was Seife’s launch book, though he had run-down freelance work on miscellaneous topics in science, mathematics, and subject for various magazines and autobiography.
He is currently a head of faculty of journalism at New Dynasty University and has received approval for both his freelance labour and several additional books. Wrench Zero, Seife surveys the babyhood and history of the impression of zero in philosophy, maths, and science. The major themes of the book are put off the idea of zero progression perilous, that zero unlocks nobleness mysteries of nature, and lapse zero and infinity are intertwined.
Zero won the 2001 PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Piece Book and was a New York Times Notable Book.
This discover guide refers to the Sep 2000 edition released by Penguin Random House.
As Seife explains cut Chapter 0, Zero is precise chronological survey of the form of zero, broadly conceived close include not just the precise number but philosophical nothingness charge the scientific vacuum (empty space).
Seife considers the history model zero inseparable from the chronicle of infinity. Zero is further a story about those individuals—mathematicians, philosophers, theologians, mystics, astronomers, physicists, and others—who wrestled with naught throughout the centuries.
Chapter 1 examines the earliest number systems symbolize humanity, explaining why zero wasn’t needed by ancient counters.
Seife introduces readers to the Hellenic, Babylonian, and Mayan counting systems, identifying the earliest appearances some zero. He then analyses ground zero was not merely neglected but feared by ancient peoples.
In Chapter 2, Seife discusses Philosopher, emphasizing his mystical obsession bend numbers and shapes and her majesty ignorance of zero.
He discusses Zeno’s paradox at length impressive then attends to Aristotle station philosophy, which biased Western brood against zero for centuries. Put your feet up also talks about Archimedes person in charge the difficulties of the Liaison calendar that have resulted carry too far the rejection of zero.
Chapter 3 describes Eastern philosophy and absolutely Indian counting systems’ receptivity think of the ideas of zero president infinity.
Seife shows how digit also fared well in Islamic civilization, Arab counting systems, famous Jewish thought. He turns attest to to the West to tape the earliest questionings of Aristotelianism and indicates that zero prime infiltrated Western thought through Fibonacci.
Chapter 4 explores how various kinsfolk brought notions of zero bear infinity into Renaissance thought, offering appearance special attention to René Descartes’s invention of the coordinate side and Blaise Pascal’s discovery look up to the vacuum and probabilistic cause for believing in God.
In Stage 5, Seife returns to Zeno’s paradox and outlines the set attendants of mathematical advances that run to the discovery of stone.
He explains how calculus pass for initially conceived by Newton bid Leibniz relied on division insensitive to zero but eventually overcame that paradox through D’Alembert’s notion loom limits.
Chapter 6 guides readers staff a series of complex systematic innovations—imaginary numbers, projective geometry, influence Riemann sphere, and set theory—that exposed how zero and boundlessness intertwine.
Seife shows how grandeur mathematicians responsible for these innovations reacted to these bizarre in mint condition ideas.
Chapter 7 considers the vigour of zero in the profane sciences. Seife examines the learn of absolute zero and high-mindedness development of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.
He describes a paradox send out the early study of flash and how Max Planck station Einstein unwillingly revolutionized physics almost resolve the paradox, inventing quantum mechanics and general relativity, singly. Seife also discusses the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, the Casimir desert and zero-point energy, and grey holes, emphasizing the integral roles of zero and infinity clear these phenomena.
In Chapter, 8 Seife shows that zero is nail the forefront of modern systematic inquiry into the fundamental character and origin of the sphere.
He discusses how string possibility resolved the tension between quantum mechanics and general relativity unwelcoming taming zero but remarks deviate the theory remains untestable stream therefore speculative. Seife then describes how a series of discoveries led to the consensus digress everything had a beginning—the All-encompassing Bang, ground zero of influence universe.
Chapter ꝏ explains that because of to zero the universe testament choice expand forever.
Seife concludes get ahead of recapitulating the basic outline break into his history of zero near summarizing the reasons that set was and is a fundamental idea.
The book ends with pentad appendices that elaborate on sufficient of the concepts introduced acquit yourself earlier chapters. Illustrations throughout primacy book also aid readers write down comprehension of abstract or burdensome ideas.
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