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"Ground Zero: A Review of The Pleasures of Counting, by T. W. Koerner," by David Berlinski. The Sciences, July/August 1997, pages 37-41.
This spirited, provocative, and highly readable piece is not so much a review as a discourse on the conundrum of mathematics. Berlinski praises Koerner's book for its conversational tone and clear explanations. He also remarks that the book is mistitled, for it is not really about counting but about the astonishing uses of mathematics, especially in computing. The book is aimed at the general public, but not the mathematically fearful---which, according to Berlinski, is most of us. "Most human beings loathe mathematics, their fear as natural, unforced and instinctive as their fear of snakes," he writes. As Berlinski sees it, "mathematics is a landscape without landmarks, an endless collection of points, peaks and problems." No wonder people are afraid of it.
--- Allyn Jackson
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