The Origin and Significance of Zero
An Interdisciplinary Perspective
Published on 29. March 2024
Book
Hardback
788 pages
978-90-04-69155-1 (ISBN)
Description
Winner of the 2024 Outstanding Academic Titles award in Choice, a publishing unit of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL)
Zero has been axial in human development, but the origin and discovery of zero has never been satisfactorily addressed by a comprehensive, systematic and above all interdisciplinary research program. In this volume, over 40 international scholars explore zero under four broad themes: history; religion, philosophy & linguistics; arts; and mathematics & the sciences. Some propose that the invention/discovery of zero may have been facilitated by the prior evolution of a sophisticated concept of Nothingness or Emptiness (as it is understood in non-European traditions); and conversely, inhibited by the absence of, or aversion to, such a concept of Nothingness in the West. But not all scholars agree. Join the debate.
Zero has been axial in human development, but the origin and discovery of zero has never been satisfactorily addressed by a comprehensive, systematic and above all interdisciplinary research program. In this volume, over 40 international scholars explore zero under four broad themes: history; religion, philosophy & linguistics; arts; and mathematics & the sciences. Some propose that the invention/discovery of zero may have been facilitated by the prior evolution of a sophisticated concept of Nothingness or Emptiness (as it is understood in non-European traditions); and conversely, inhibited by the absence of, or aversion to, such a concept of Nothingness in the West. But not all scholars agree. Join the debate.
Reviews / Votes
"...a fascinating interdisciplinary expedition to unearth zero's best-kept secrets."- Professor Max Tegmark, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
"Zero has been central to battles in mathematics, in philosophy, in religion, and in the sciences."
- Professor John Leslie, University of Guelph, Canada
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 46 mm
Weight
1252 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-04-69155-1 (9789004691551)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Peter Gobets is an independent researcher, specializing in philosophy, linguistics and the history of science and mathematics. He has authored three books including a philosophical novel. In the early 1990s, he drafted the original Zero Project, formally launched in 2015.
Robert Lawrence Kuhn (B.A., S.M., Ph.D.) is creator and host of Closer To Truth (science and philosophy, TV and web). He has written or edited over thirty books, chairs The Kuhn Foundation, and received the China Reform Friendship Medal.
Robert Lawrence Kuhn (B.A., S.M., Ph.D.) is creator and host of Closer To Truth (science and philosophy, TV and web). He has written or edited over thirty books, chairs The Kuhn Foundation, and received the China Reform Friendship Medal.
Content
Contents
Foreword
?Valdis Seglins
Preface
?Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Acknowledgements
List of Figures and Tables
Notes on Contributors
Introduction
?Peter Gobets
Part 0: Zero in Historical Perspective
Introduction to Part 0
1 Viewing the Zero as a Part of Cross-cultural Intellectual Heritage
?Bhaswati Bhattacharya
2 Connecting Zeros
?Mayank N. Vahia
3 Babylonian Zeros
?Jim Ritter
4 Aspects of Zero in Ancient Egypt
?Friedhelm Hoffmann
5 The Zero Concept in Ancient Egypt
?Beatrice Lumpkin
6 On the Placeholder in Numeration and the Numeral Zero in China
?Celestin Xiaohan Zhou
7 Reflections on Early Dated Inscriptions from South India
?T. S. Ravishankar
8 From Sunya to Zero - an Enigmatic Odyssey
?Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay
9 The Significance of Zero in Jaina Mathematics
?Anupam Jain
10 Notes on the Origin of the First Definition of Zero Consistent with Basic Physical Laws
?Jonathan J. Crabtree
11 Putting a Price on Zero
?Manil Suri
12 Revisiting Khmer Stele K-127
?Debra G. Aczel, Solang Uk and Hab Touch
13 The Medieval Arabic Zero
?Jeffrey A. Oaks
14 Numeration in the Scientific Manuscripts of the Maghreb
?Djamil Aissani
15 The Zero Triumphant: Allegory, Emptiness and the Early History of the Tarot
?Esther Freinkel Tishman
Part 1: Zero in Religious, Philosophical and Linguistic Perspective
Introduction to Part 1
16 On the Semiotics of Zero
?Brian Rotman
17 Nought Matters: the History and Philosophy of Zero
?Paul Ernest
18 The Influence of Buddhism on the Invention and Development of Zero
?Alexis Lavis
19 Zero and Sunyata: Likely Bedfellows
?Fabio Gironi
20 Indian Origin of Zero
?Ravi Prakash Arya
21 A Philosophical Origin of the Mathematical Zero
?Sudip Bhattacharyya
22 Category Theory and the Ontology of Sunyata
?Sisir Roy and Rayudu Posina
23 Zero: an Integrative Spiritual Perspective with One and Infinity
?Sharda S. Nandram, Puneet K. Bindlish, Ankur Joshi and Vishwanath Dhital
24 Challenges in Interpreting the Invention of Zero
?Kaspars Klavins
25 Some More Unsystematic Notes on Sunya
?Alberto Pelissero
26 Much Ado about Nothing or, How Much Philosophy Is Required to Invent the Number Zero?
?Johannes Bronkhorst
27 From Emptiness to Nonsense: the Constitution of the Number Zero (for Non-mathematicians)
?Erik Hoogcarspel
28 The Fear of Nothingness
?John Marmysz
29 The Concept of Naught in Jewish Tradition
?Esti Eisenmann
30 How Does Tom Tillemans Think?
?Erik Hoogcarspel
31 Overhauling the Prevailing Worldview: an Essay
?Peter Gobets
Part 2: Zero in the Arts
Introduction to Part 2
32 Selected Works by Anish Kapoor
?Peter Gobets
Part 3: Zero in Mathematics and Science
Introduction to Part 3
33 The Unique Significance of Zero in Thinking: a Sense of 'Nothing'
?Andreas Nieder
34 Can We Divide by Zero?
?Marina Ville
35 Division by Zero (khahara) in Indian Mathematics
?Avinash Sathaye
36 Zero: in Various Forms
?Mayank N. Vahia and Upsana Neogi
37 Nothing, Zeno Paradoxes and Quantum Physics
?Marcis Auzinsh
38 The Significance to Physics of the Number Zero
?Joseph A. Biello and R. Samson
39 A World without Zero
?R. Samson
Epilogue
?Peter Gobets
Appendix 1: Expertise Center on Zero Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Appendix 2: Online Presentations
Appendix 3: Status Update/Petition on the Bakhshali Manuscript
Index
Foreword
?Valdis Seglins
Preface
?Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Acknowledgements
List of Figures and Tables
Notes on Contributors
Introduction
?Peter Gobets
Part 0: Zero in Historical Perspective
Introduction to Part 0
1 Viewing the Zero as a Part of Cross-cultural Intellectual Heritage
?Bhaswati Bhattacharya
2 Connecting Zeros
?Mayank N. Vahia
3 Babylonian Zeros
?Jim Ritter
4 Aspects of Zero in Ancient Egypt
?Friedhelm Hoffmann
5 The Zero Concept in Ancient Egypt
?Beatrice Lumpkin
6 On the Placeholder in Numeration and the Numeral Zero in China
?Celestin Xiaohan Zhou
7 Reflections on Early Dated Inscriptions from South India
?T. S. Ravishankar
8 From Sunya to Zero - an Enigmatic Odyssey
?Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay
9 The Significance of Zero in Jaina Mathematics
?Anupam Jain
10 Notes on the Origin of the First Definition of Zero Consistent with Basic Physical Laws
?Jonathan J. Crabtree
11 Putting a Price on Zero
?Manil Suri
12 Revisiting Khmer Stele K-127
?Debra G. Aczel, Solang Uk and Hab Touch
13 The Medieval Arabic Zero
?Jeffrey A. Oaks
14 Numeration in the Scientific Manuscripts of the Maghreb
?Djamil Aissani
15 The Zero Triumphant: Allegory, Emptiness and the Early History of the Tarot
?Esther Freinkel Tishman
Part 1: Zero in Religious, Philosophical and Linguistic Perspective
Introduction to Part 1
16 On the Semiotics of Zero
?Brian Rotman
17 Nought Matters: the History and Philosophy of Zero
?Paul Ernest
18 The Influence of Buddhism on the Invention and Development of Zero
?Alexis Lavis
19 Zero and Sunyata: Likely Bedfellows
?Fabio Gironi
20 Indian Origin of Zero
?Ravi Prakash Arya
21 A Philosophical Origin of the Mathematical Zero
?Sudip Bhattacharyya
22 Category Theory and the Ontology of Sunyata
?Sisir Roy and Rayudu Posina
23 Zero: an Integrative Spiritual Perspective with One and Infinity
?Sharda S. Nandram, Puneet K. Bindlish, Ankur Joshi and Vishwanath Dhital
24 Challenges in Interpreting the Invention of Zero
?Kaspars Klavins
25 Some More Unsystematic Notes on Sunya
?Alberto Pelissero
26 Much Ado about Nothing or, How Much Philosophy Is Required to Invent the Number Zero?
?Johannes Bronkhorst
27 From Emptiness to Nonsense: the Constitution of the Number Zero (for Non-mathematicians)
?Erik Hoogcarspel
28 The Fear of Nothingness
?John Marmysz
29 The Concept of Naught in Jewish Tradition
?Esti Eisenmann
30 How Does Tom Tillemans Think?
?Erik Hoogcarspel
31 Overhauling the Prevailing Worldview: an Essay
?Peter Gobets
Part 2: Zero in the Arts
Introduction to Part 2
32 Selected Works by Anish Kapoor
?Peter Gobets
Part 3: Zero in Mathematics and Science
Introduction to Part 3
33 The Unique Significance of Zero in Thinking: a Sense of 'Nothing'
?Andreas Nieder
34 Can We Divide by Zero?
?Marina Ville
35 Division by Zero (khahara) in Indian Mathematics
?Avinash Sathaye
36 Zero: in Various Forms
?Mayank N. Vahia and Upsana Neogi
37 Nothing, Zeno Paradoxes and Quantum Physics
?Marcis Auzinsh
38 The Significance to Physics of the Number Zero
?Joseph A. Biello and R. Samson
39 A World without Zero
?R. Samson
Epilogue
?Peter Gobets
Appendix 1: Expertise Center on Zero Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Appendix 2: Online Presentations
Appendix 3: Status Update/Petition on the Bakhshali Manuscript
Index