I wrote this little essay back on March 3, 1998. That was more than eight years ago, and a lot has happened since that date. The millenium rollover has come and gone, but the world has not come to an end, and there has been no rapture, unless you and I have been "Left Behind."
As a mathematician, I have always been interested in numbers, but over the years civilization has given them a lot of importance that they do not deserve. For example, there is a whole pseudo-science called numerology that is totally worthless. In this little essay, I give some more examples of the nonsense connected with numbers.
Only 728 days until the year 2000! When I was in the first grade, I learned that if I lived to the age of 67, I would see the year 2000. I also was told about Haley's comet. I decided then that my goal will be to live long enough to see the return of Haley's comet, and the year 2000. Well, I lived long enough to see Haley's comet. Now, if the turn of the millenium is as big a bust as was the return of Haley's comet, I suppose that my life will have been lived in vain. Fortunately, I found much more important goals to set as time marched on.
Technically, the new millennium does not begin until 2001 when my classmates and I will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our High School graduation. I doubt if I will be taking a space odyssey. I would rather do that than go on the cruise which has tentatively been planned. However, most people will celebrate the turn of the millennium upon the arrival of the year 2000. That is the popular conception of the millennium change, but what difference does it really make?
I entitled this little essay, "What's in a number?". People have been placing importance on numbers for many centuries. For example, in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, numbers represent certain theological purposes. The number "40" represents a time of preparation or waiting for an important event. It rained on Noah's Ark for 40 days. The Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before entering the promised land. Jesus took a camping trip in the desert for 40 days before beginning his ministry.
The number 12 took on an importance in the representation of Israel, because of the 12 tribes that made up the nation. Christianity then used this notion with the 12 apostles, representing the new Israel. In the scriptures, the number 6 is considered an imperfect number, and 7 as its perfection. (We should note that mathematicians consider the number 6 to be a perfect number. becaise it is the sum of its perfect divisors, namely 1, 2, and 3.) Similarly, the number 3 has become important in Christian circles because of the Trinitarian formula. I am sure you could find other examples.
In the long scheme of things, numbers are really not very important, except for calculation purposes, and to represent such things as measurements. If we had a binary system, instead of a decimal system, a millennium would probably be 1024 years rather than 1000 years. For you who are mathematically inclined, 1024 is 2 raised to the 10th power. Mathematics is strictly an invention of the human mind. Numbers did not crawl out from under the rocks in ancient times. Numerology is as useless as all the other methods of making predictions.
I have heard some people say that the world will end at the end of this millennium because they date the age of the universe at 6000 years (which doesn't make any sense) According to the "rapture" theorists, Christ is supposed to then rule the earth during the 7th millennium. This would fit the notion of the sabbath millenium, based on the notion of a day of rest a la the creation story. I heard someone say recently that the world will end in the year 1998 because that is exactly 3 times 666, the mark of the beast (See the book of Revelation).
The Creator must surely be amused at our silliness. Along about the year 2050, people will realize that all the predictors were wrong just as they have always been. So far their batting average is .000. What's in a number?