{"product_id":"questioning-the-millennium-a-rationalists-guide-to-a-precisely-arbitrary-countdown","title":"Questioning the Millennium: A Rationalist's Guide to a Precisely Arbitrary Countdown","description":"In Questioning the Millennium, Stephen Jay Gould applies his wit and erudition to one of today's most pressing subjects: the significance of the millennium.\n\nIn this beautiful inquiry into time and its milestones, he shares his interest and insights with his readers. Refreshingly reasoned, erudite, and absorbing, the book asks and answers the three major questions that define the approaching calendrical event:\nFirst, what exactly is this concept of a millennium and how has its meaning shifted? How did the name for a future thousand year reign of Christ on earth get transferred to the passage of a secular period of a thousand years in current human history?\n\nWhen does the new millennium begin: January 1, in the year 2000 or 2001?\n\nFinally, why must our calendars be so complex, leading to our search for arbitrary regularity, including a fascination with millennia?\nAs always, Gould brings into his essays a wide range of compelling historical and scientific fact, including a brief history of millennia fevers, calendrical traditions and idiosyncrasies from around the world, the story of a sixth-century monk whose errors in chronology plague us even today, and the heroism of a young autistic man who has developed the extraordinary ability to calculate dates deep into the past and the future.\n\nRanging over a wide terrain of phenomena - from the arbitrary regularities of human calendars to the unpredictability of nature, from the vagaries of pop culture to the birth of Christ - Stephen Jay Gould holds the mirror up to our millennial passions to reveal our foibles, absurdities, and uniqueness - in other words, our humanity.\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 0609600761\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: HBSV.0609600761.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Gould, Stephen Jay\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: Book  is in good condition and has some writing, underlining, and or highlighting inside. Cover may have some cosmetic wear.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"The Happy Book Stack ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52048868671789,"sku":"HBSV.0609600761.G","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/6799\/6205\/files\/0609600761-0.jpg?v=1778273190","url":"https:\/\/www.thehappybookstack.com\/products\/questioning-the-millennium-a-rationalists-guide-to-a-precisely-arbitrary-countdown","provider":"The Happy Book Stack ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}