WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COUNT? WHY ARE HUMANS THE ONLY SPECIES ON EARTH THAT CAN DO IT? WHERE DID COUNTING COME FROM? HOW HAS IT SHAPED SOCIETIES ALONG THE WAY? AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Counting is a captivating journey through the history of humanity?s relationship with numbers. Written by historian and mathematician Benjamin Wardhaugh, this innovative and erudite book explores how cultures across time and geography have developed unique ways of counting?and how those systems have, in turn, shaped their worlds.
From bead makers in ancient South Africa to the philosophers of classical Athens, from Indian mathematicians to Papuan shopkeepers, Counting uncovers the diverse and surprising ways people have used numbers to make sense of their environments. Wardhaugh takes readers from the Stone Age to the digital age, revealing how counting evolved alongside human civilization?used for trade, governance, storytelling, and even protest.
Through vivid stories and rich historical insight, Wardhaugh shows that counting is far more than a practical tool?it?s a deeply cultural act that reflects the beliefs, needs, and aspirations of those who use it. This is not just a history of mathematics, but a sweeping narrative of human creativity, adaptation, and our desire to bring order to a complex world.
For readers interested in numbers, history, or the strange and wonderful ways humans interpret their reality, Counting offers an enlightening and thought-provoking perspective.