Zero
The Biography of a Dangerous Idea
by Charles Seife · first published 2000
73% recommend27% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Engaging history of the number zero, tracing how cultures resisted and adopted the idea. It is a short, readable book suited to anyone curious about mathematics and its history.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The Babylonians invented it, the Greeks banned it, the Hindus worshiped it, and the Church used it to fend off heretics. Now it threatens the foundations of modern physics. For centuries the power of zero savored of the demonic; once harnessed, it became the most important tool in mathematics. For zero, infinity’s twin, is not like other numbers. It is both nothing and everything. In Zero, Science Journalist Charles Seife follows this innocent-looking number from its birth as an Eastern philosophical concept to its struggle for acceptance in Europe, its rise and transcendence in the West, a
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2008–2026The nothing that is
Kaplan, Robert, Robert Kaplan, Ellen Kaplan
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 54 recommend · 5 mention4 recommend · 54 recommend
2008–2026Everything and more
David Foster Wallace
Recommended by 30 · mentioned by 3530 recommend · 35 mention30 recommend · 3530 recommend
2008–2026A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking
Recommended by 76 · mentioned by 16876 recommend · 168 mention76 recommend · 16876 recommend
2007–2026How to solve it
George Pólya
Recommended by 161 · mentioned by 206161 recommend · 206 mention161 recommend · 206161 recommend
2008–2026Elements
Euclid
Recommended by 60 · mentioned by 22560 recommend · 225 mention60 recommend · 22560 recommend
A fantastic longer read on the topic is "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife – highly recommended!
on “How the number zero was ‘discovered’” ↗Highly recommend "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" [1] if you're interested in learning more about the number zero. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Biography-Dangerous-Charles-Seif...
on “Bakhshali manuscript: oldest recorded use of the zero symbol” ↗Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife is one of the most engaging books I've read about mathematics. In its Amazon reviews, I also see The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero by Robert…
on “Do Teachers Need to Include the History of Mathematics in Their Teaching? (2003)” ↗> For a long time the idea of 0 wasn't natural. Yes! A long time ago I read a wonderful little book on just this bit of history: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-Biography-Dangerous-Charles-Seif...
on “Why Mathematics is Boring (2007) [pdf]” ↗"Zero: Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife is a great read you can finish in a few sittings.
on “You can't divide by zero – Garrit's Notes” ↗I’m in the process of reading this article, but I recently read Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife (which is a great book) so I feel like I can explain: The Greeks were ideologically opposed to the number zero. Aristotle outright refuses to acknowledge…
on “The Invention of Zero” ↗I enjoyed these books on the history of that question: Charles Seife's "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" (http://www.amazon.com/Zero-Biography-Dangerous-Idea-ebook/dp...) Robert Kaplan's "The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero" (http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-that-Natural-History-ebook/dp/...)
on “Is zero an even number?” ↗Seife's book "Zero" totally blew my mind a few years back. Powerful words: "If this is really what the agency stands for, I am sorry to have helped in whatever small way that I did."
on “An Open Letter to My Former NSA Colleagues” ↗Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea (Seife) is a terrific book. Highly recommended! http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/329336.Zero
on “Zero” ↗Likely listed elsewhere, from the article for convenience: Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea - Charles Seife Measurement - Paul Lockhart Prelude to Mathematics - W. W. Sawyer Proofs from The Book - Aigner and Ziegler The Joy of x - Steven Strogatz Things…
on “Classic Mathematics Books for Lifelong Learners” ↗…- Broca's Brain Sagan - The Demon-Haunted World Salam - Science in the Third World Seife - Zero Weisskopf - The Joy of Insight POPULAR Deutsch - The Beginning of Infinity (especially his explanation about fungibility in quantum mechanics)…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite physics sites, documentaries, books?” ↗The number zero was considered useless for a long period of time [1]. A certain piece of academic information isn't useless just because you can't think of a use for it, so I'd say yes, you're wrong. [1] http://www.amazon.com/Zero-The-Biography-Dangerous-Idea/dp/0...
on “Linguist claims that English Is a Scandinavian language” ↗http://www.amazon.com/Zero-The-Biography-Dangerous-Idea/dp/0...
on “You have an obsolete finger” ↗…"The Babylonians invented it, the Greeks banned it, the Hindus worshiped it, and the Church used it to fend off heretics. Now it threatens the foundations of modern physics. For centuries the power of zero savored of the demonic; once harnessed, it became the most important tool in mathematics. For zero, infinity's twin, is not like other numbers. It is both nothing and everything. In Zero, Science Journalist…
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite equation?” ↗For a mathematical fallacy, see the appendix of Charles Seife's book "Zero", proving that Winston Churchill is in fact a carrot!
on “All People in Canada are the Same Age (1997)” ↗