The Origin and Significance of Zero : : An Interdisciplinary Perspective / / edited by Peter Gobets and Robert Lawrence Kuhn.

• Superior document: Religious Studies, Theology and Philosophy E-Books Online, Collection 2024
• TeilnehmendeR: Gobets, Peter,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, 2024.; ©2024
• Year of Publication: 2024
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Religious Studies, Theology and Philosophy E-Books Online, Collection 2024.; Value Inquiry Book Series ; 395.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (787 pages)

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.

Table of Contents

Front Matter -- Introduction / Peter Gobets -- Part 0 Zero in Historical Perspective -- Introduction to Part 0 -- Chapter 1 Viewing the Zero as a Part of Cross-cultural Intellectual Heritage / Bhaswati Bhattacharya -- Chapter 2 Connecting Zeros / Mayank N. Vahia -- Chapter 3 Babylonian Zeros / Jim Ritter -- Chapter 4 Aspects of Zero in Ancient Egypt / Friedhelm Hoffmann -- Chapter 5 The Zero Concept in Ancient Egypt / Beatrice Lumpkin -- Chapter 6 On the Placeholder in Numeration and the Numeral Zero in China / Célestin Xiaohan Zhou -- Chapter 7 Reflections on Early Dated Inscriptions from South India / T. S. Ravishankar -- Chapter 8 From Śūnya to Zero – an Enigmatic Odyssey / Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay -- Chapter 9 The Significance of Zero in Jaina Mathematics / Anupam Jain -- Chapter 10 Notes on the Origin of the First Definition of Zero Consistent with Basic Physical Laws / Jonathan J. Crabtree -- Chapter 11 Putting a Price on Zero / Manil Suri -- Chapter 12 Revisiting Khmer Stele K-127 -- Authors: Debra G. Aczel, Solang Uk, Hab Touch, and Miriam R. Aczel -- Chapter 13 The Medieval Arabic Zero / Jeffrey A. Oaks -- Chapter 14 Numeration in the Scientific Manuscripts of the Maghreb / Djamil Aïssani -- Chapter 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 -- Chapter 16 On the Semiotics of Zero / Brian Rotman -- Chapter 17 Nought Matters: the History and Philosophy of Zero / Paul Ernest -- Chapter 18 The Influence of Buddhism on the Invention and Development of Zero / Alexis Lavis -- Chapter 19 Zero and Śūnyatā: Likely Bedfellows / Fabio Gironi -- Chapter 20 Indian Origin of Zero / Ravi Prakash Arya -- Chapter 21 A Philosophical Origin of the Mathematical Zero / Sudip Bhattacharyya -- Chapter 22 Category Theory and the Ontology of Śūnyata -- Authors: Sisir Roy and Rayudu Posina -- Chapter 23 Zero: an Integrative Spiritual Perspective with One and Infinity -- Authors: Sharda S. Nandram, Puneet K. Bindlish, Ankur Joshi, and Vishwanath Dhital -- Chapter 24 Challenges in Interpreting the Invention of Zero / Kaspars Klavins -- Chapter 25 Some More Unsystematic Notes on Śūnya / Alberto Pelissero -- Chapter 26 Much Ado about Nothing or, How Much Philosophy Is Required to Invent the Number Zero? / Johannes Bronkhorst -- Chapter 27 From Emptiness to Nonsense: the Constitution of the Number Zero (for Non-mathematicians) / Erik Hoogcarspel -- Chapter 28 The Fear of Nothingness / John Marmysz -- Chapter 29 The Concept of Naught in Jewish Tradition / Esti Eisenmann -- Chapter 30 How Does Tom Tillemans Think? / Erik Hoogcarspel -- Chapter 31 Overhauling the Prevailing Worldview: an Essay / Peter Gobets -- Part 2 Zero in the Arts -- Introduction to Part 2 -- Chapter 32 Selected Works by Anish Kapoor / Peter Gobets -- Part 3 Zero in Mathematics and Science -- Introduction to Part 3 -- Chapter 33 The Unique Significance of Zero in Thinking: a Sense of ‘Nothing’ / Andreas Nieder -- Chapter 34 Can We Divide by Zero? / Marina Ville -- Chapter 35 Division by Zero (khahara) in Indian Mathematics / Avinash Sathaye -- Chapter 36 Zero: in Various Forms -- Authors: Mayank N. Vahia and Upasana Neogi -- Chapter 37 Nothing, Zeno Paradoxes and Quantum Physics / Marcis Auzinsh -- Chapter 38 The Significance to Physics of the Number Zero -- Authors: Joseph A. Biello and R. Samson -- Chapter 39 A World without Zero / R. Samson -- Epilogue / Peter Gobets -- Back Matter -- Appendix 1 Expertise Center on Zero Memorandum of Understanding -- Appendix 2 Online Presentations -- Appendix 3 Status Update/Petition on the Bakhshali Manuscript -- Index.