The Story of 1

This is really a history of arithmetic. Relates how counting started with Sumerians, went west to Egypt, absorbed by the Greeks, used by the Romans, improved in India, refined by Moslems, borrowed by the Italians, changed to binary by Leibniz and rules today's computers.Terry Jones makes his usual effort to add humor and human interest. Nevertheless, a considerable amount of history is included. I enjoyed the connection between counting and culture. Sumerian need to organize cities. Egyptian goal to collect taxes. Greek desire for an abstract understanding of the cosmos. Roman will to conquer. Indian interest in infinite. Moslem addition of algebra. Italian focus on business. Leibniz desire for new language. This background provides insight that numbers are a international - really a supranational - effort. Each group added something vital.Demonstrates several contrasts. One was the difference between using abacus and calculating on paper. About the same duration, but abacus was not as precise. Therefore, business went with paper. However, explains that it was outlawed for a while, since it seemed 'weird'. Excellent explanation of the superiority of Indian numbers over Roman numerals. Outstanding presentation of how binary math works. Easy to follow.I did not know that the Indians had measured the size of the earth correctly, before the Greeks. Shows the place in India where this was done. Facinating!Spends some time on the introduction of the numeral "0". Shows how this Indian invention is a key to modern mathematics. Records the invention of the cubit in Egypt and how important a standard "ruler" was for thier building projects. Much more detail than seems at first viewing. The reinactments of history with period clothes and buildings, etc. provides the sense of time. This also adds interest and learning.Easy to follow. I plan to rewatch with my grandson and to catch more detail in the future.Recommended.

I came across with this DVD when I was searching resources for more spiritual information. The title seemed interesting as the "1" ment to me the single source of all visdom. But when I read the reviews, I realized that it was really about the story of the "1" we know as a number. No second meaning. But still I ordered the dvd as I am also highly interested in science history. After watching the dvd, my first thoughts are as follows:1. Producers wanted give information in an entertaining way. But to my taste, the "entertaining" part was pushed a bit too much.2. The language of the dvd is quite simple and easy to follow word by word but if you want to grasp the overall meaning, it's difficult to grasp. i.e. too many things are said and you can hear them but in the end, you find difficult to summarize what you have learned.3. In the dvd, when they mentioned about "1" in fact, I think they ment "unit". Which I believe different than each other. Maybe this is the source of confusion I wanted to explain in item 2 of my review.4. In the dvd, there is an attempt to track the history of numbers from different parts of the world, rather than sticking to western resources only. And I appreciate that. But given that the dvd is only 60 min long, it's inevitable that other possible resources of "1" are just touched, rather than analysed.5. The animations in the dvd are not contributing to better understanding of the subject, but rather diluting the seriousness of the study.As a result, it's an entertaining dvd in which you can find some interesting pieces of information to contribute to your general knowledge. A bit of a luxury I would say.

The Story of 1 is a terrific hybrid of history and mathematical concepts. While both my wife and I are educators, my field is history and hers is math, and we both feel that this entertaining documentary would work exceptionally for middle-school students right on through college age, and in both of our respective disciplines.Terry Jones, enjoyable as always, traces the number one through its pre-historic beginnings to its current applications in computer binary code and reveals how numbers and concepts transformed civilizations in the time between. Matters presented include the progress of one with other numbers and how civilizations were allowed to grow as a result; the inefficiency of Roman numerals over Arabic (Indian!) numerals and the latter's capitalist conquest; and finally with Leibniz's assertion that only one and zero are necessary for any mathematical problem. Also, most interestingly, he shows the Australian aboriginal culture whose native counting system never moved beyond the number one. He does this, of course, in his usual humorous way with the assistance of modern experts and actors in period clothing. He also travels to many of the sites to show first-hand the evidence for that which he is explaining.Mr. Jones, like me, is clearly not an expert in mathematical concepts - he is more comfortable with the historical details - but the viewer learns alongside him in clearly illustrated sequences where imaginative animations have been added for good measure. Likewise, it offers an historical appreciation and understanding for those who are more numerically minded - like my wife - for the mathematical systems we often take for granted.It is highly informative and short enough to be easily utilized in the classroom setting.

Well received before time

This video was watched intently by my two grandchildren who loved it - good historical information about the development of the number system, including music as well as humour. An hour of fun!

The viedo tracks the origin of numbers and goes all the way to the binary age. Terry Jones does his best to be amusing - which he is. Apart from the small parts with Marcus Dusautoy however, there is very little new to be learned. There is a lack of mathematical dept - which is of course probably the intention.

Came in perfect condition.