From: trivedi@curie.uchicago.edu (Anil Trivedi)
Subject:    Zero
Organization: Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago.
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 10:13:18 GMT


The following discussion took place in soc.culture.arabic; I thought
it would be of interest to some here as well. 
(Please do not be sensitive about the use of the term "India":
the discussion is about times long ago...)


In article <1992Apr8.032426.11816@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> souissi@ei.ecn.purdue.edu (Ridha Souissi) writes:
>In article <1992Apr8.000731.29997@midway.uchicago.edu> trivedi@rabi.uchicago.edu (Anil Trivedi) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr07.073012.30344@slate.mines.colorado.edu> imustafa@slate.mines.colorado.edu (MUSTAFA IBRAHIM ) writes:

MI:
>>>		" Zero was introduced by the Arabs...

AT:
>>No it wasn't, except to Eurocentric minds. It has long been known and
>>accepted that zero was invented by Indians; modern scholarship suggests
>>that Mayans and Babylonians may have independently arrived at it also.
>>Europeans learnt about it from the Arabs.

RS:
>I always thought that the Arabs have invented the zero. I didn't do
>any research on the subject, and I hope that other posters can
>enlighten us more on the subject.  There are other scientific
>achievements by the Arabs, but they are hardly acknowleged in the
>West, and are attributed to other western scientists.

AT:
I hope no one will be shocked to hear that West has been unduly arrogant
towards other cultures: recall that Native Americans are still called
Indians even though it has been known for FIVE HUNDRED YEARS that Columbus
had missed India by quite a distance. How *Native Americans* feel about
being called by someone else's name and how *Indians* may feel about this
has never mattered.

Arabs have actually done GREAT things in mathematics and science, for
which they are given NO credit in the West. (The same for other older
civilizations, such as the Chinese, Indians, Mayans, etc.)

However, Arabs are given credit for bringing Indian arithmetic to Europe,
and for preserving "Greek knowledge", whose Egyptian roots are never
acknowledged, for Europe during the latter's dark ages. 

Modern number system was developed, and Zero invented, in India.
Throughout history, that has been openly acknowledged by Arab mathematicians
and histroians, as you would expect from scholars of integrity. It is the
Europeans who confused the issue and, just as they did with "Indians" of
Americas, never bothered to set it right.

(BTW, a good clue to the non-Arab roots of numerals is that while Arabs
write their text from right to left, they write their numbers from left
to right: as it was done in India.
Similarly, the fact that the hours, minutes, degrees, etc are divided into
60 units--how hard have some tried to change that!--goes back to Babylon.)

I can suggest three very different books:

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#1. "FROM ONE TO ZERO" by G. Ifrah
	
Description: 	Evolution of various number *systems* as well as of *shapes*
	     	of numerals used to represent them; gets quite detailed.

Recommendation:	Since it is somewhat specialized, look in the library first.
		If you decide to buy it, it is available in paperback.

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#2. "NUMBER: THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE" by Tobias Dantzig

Description: 	A truly delightful but non-technical coverage of concepts 
	 	as well as history, from antiquity to present.

Recommendation:	If you don't have it, go out and buy it NOW. Paperback.

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#3. "THE CREST OF THE PEACOCK: NON-EUROPEAN ROOTS OF MATHEMATICS"
    by G. V. Joseph

Description:	A direct challenge to Euro-centrism. May well come to be
		regarded as "Black Athena" of mathematics! Arab, Chinese, 
		and Indian contributions are discussed in detail.

Recommendation:	A great book. Very new and no paperback yet; about $30.
		Look at it and then decide.
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