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âA fascinating book.â âJames Ryerson, New York Times Book Review A Smithsonian Best Science Book of the Year Winner of the PROSE Award for Best Book in Language \u0026 Linguistics Carved into our past and woven into our present, numbers shape our perceptions of the world far more than we think. In this sweeping account of how the invention of numbers sparked a revolution in human thought and culture, Caleb Everett draws on new discoveries in psychology, anthropology, and linguistics to reveal the many things made possible by numbers, from the concept of time to writing, agriculture, and commerce. Numbers are a tool, like the wheel, developed and refined over millennia. They allow us to grasp quantities precisely, but recent research confirms that they are not innateâand without numbers, we could not fully grasp quantities greater than three. Everett considers the number systems that have developed in different societies as he shares insights from his fascinating work with indigenous Amazonians. âThis is bold, heady stuff⦠The breadth of research Everett covers is impressive, and allows him to develop a narrative that is both global and compelling⦠Numbers is eye-opening, even eye-popping.â âNew Scientist âA powerful and convincing case for Everettâs main thesis: that numbers are neither natural nor innate to humans.â âWall Street Journal |
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