4 ms·
The strangeness of zero seems so strange to me now, though there must be some truth to it given the relatively recent historical emergence of 'zero'. Mapping m
by waffletower 2y ago
The strangeness of zero seems so strange to me now, though there must be some truth to it given the relatively recent historical emergence of 'zero'. Mapping mathematics to concrete objects via counting is an important mathematical primitive, but the concept of zero pervades so many other common physical phenomena -- pendulums are a very effective case in point for both zero and negative numbers. Having zero of certain necessities (food, water) are incredibly salient and readily understood conceptually to young minds. It seems to me that its historical absence is actually exaggerated, as if zero was instead a known, but unspoken truth.
- praptak 2y agoIt's not only about having a concept for absence though. Zero provides a way to express both the absence of grain and having some grain in a unified way, a number.
- andsoitis 2y ago> zero pervades so many other common physical phenomena Zero was invented approximately a thousand years before the pendulum was scientifically developed for use in technology like clocks.
- red75prime 2y agoAbsence of something surely was a known concept. Zero..., that is reified absence by itself with no relation to a thing being absent, most likely not.