Measure of all things. The Measure of All Things: The Seven 2022-11-16
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The phrase "measure of all things" is often attributed to the Greek philosopher Protagoras, who is said to have claimed that "man is the measure of all things." This statement has been interpreted in various ways over the years, but at its core, it suggests that our perceptions and experiences are the ultimate standard by which we can judge and understand the world around us. In other words, what we consider to be true or real is ultimately determined by our own subjective experiences.
There are a number of implications to this idea. For one, it suggests that there may not be any objective truths that exist independently of our perceptions of them. Instead, our understanding of the world is shaped by our individual perspectives, and what we consider to be true is influenced by our own biases and experiences.
This idea also highlights the importance of subjectivity and individual experience. It suggests that each person's perspective is equally valid and that no one person's view of the world should be considered more authoritative or accurate than anyone else's. In this sense, the "measure of all things" is not a fixed standard or set of objective criteria, but rather a constantly shifting and subjective one that is shaped by the individual experiences and perspectives of each person.
One potential consequence of this idea is that it can be difficult to reach consensus or agreement on certain issues, as each person's perspective may be different. It also means that there may be multiple valid interpretations of events or phenomena, and that it is important to consider and respect the diverse perspectives of others.
Overall, the idea that "man is the measure of all things" highlights the central role that subjectivity and individual experience play in shaping our understanding of the world. While this idea may be difficult to reconcile with more traditional notions of objectivity and universal truth, it is an important reminder of the influence that our own experiences and perspectives have on our perceptions of the world.
Precision: The Measure of All Things
Only then -- after the meter had already been publicly announced -- did his partner, Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Delambre, discover the truth and face a fateful choice: what matters more, the truth or the appearance of the truth? The right philosophy can foster prosperity and happiness. But, again, this hidden error is not the direct inspiration for studying errors. Nevertheless, natural law theory remains alive and well, silently percolating just under the surface of Western jurisprudence. Only then -- after the meter had already been publicly announced -- did his partner, Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Delambre, discover the truth and face a fateful choice: what matters more, the truth or the appearance of the truth? I would recommend this book solely to astronomy and geodesy enthusiasts. This one is endlessly fascinating.
An entertaining and interesting read. One could say that it takes a very utilitarian approach to jurisprudence. The authority of the law rests simply on the governmental structures that people recognize as authoritative. This, then, is a story of two men, a secret, and a timeless human dilemma: is it permissible to perpetuate a small lie in the service of a larger truth? On a related note, I can't believe I just read a soap opera about two French guys in the eighteenth century. The author does a great job, too, of explaining the obvious benefits of standardization, but also the less-obvious downsides related to the loss of local control, the divorce from human-scale and nature-based measures that focused on things like the amount of seed that could be distributed in a day as a measure of land, but with adjustments for what was known locally about the quality of a particular plot of land. Possibly, this hidden error inspired scientists to study the actual process of making errors.
But at the same time, societies apply those standards in ways that are most suited for their cultures, which explains the variance in laws and customs throughout the world. Wow, what a great reason. Their mission was to measure the world, and their findings would help define the me In June 1792, amidst the chaos of the French Revolution, two intrepid astronomers set out in opposite directions on an extraordinary journey. Moreover, in the form of the meridian expedition, it would be a work of national pride: French savants on French soil would measure the Earth and use its glorious natural proportions to define a new unit of measurement! The most fascinating account concerns the savant Mechain whose life becomes a torment when he finds himself committing a critical measurement error, little realizing that it was not. This is indeed a herculean task, and the only way we can accomplish this is if we become a virtuous people. A very fine account of the attempts to authoritatively size the meter using a meridian survey in the 1790s. Professor Marcus du Sautoy explores why we are driven to measure and quantify the world around us and why we have reduced the universe to just a handful of fundamental units of measurement.
I was looking for something to pass the car ride up to Vermont, and the guy on the back of the box of cassettes, author Ken Alder, looked like a down-to-earth, pleasant enough fellow. It is part of the purpose of my blog to set many of these discussions of various philosophies in the context of the historical times in which we find them. It was a time when scientists believed they could redefine the foundations of space and time, creating a thirty-day month, a ten-day week, and a ten-hour day. A great story of not only the origins of the metric system but also about revolutionary France and the evolution of science. The acknowledging of natural law in this case led to freedom winning against oppression.
And make thereto a law of my ordaining, that he who cannot partake of respect and right shall die the death as a public pest. The guilty knowledge of his misdeed drove him to the brink of madness, and ultimately to his death. Wisdom is the application of that truth. He has pored over hundreds of thousands of pages of unedited manuscripts, most of them in French. While this might be a goal towards which science strives, it is naive to believe we can achieve such neutrality. Ken Alder combined a dramatic account from the French Revolution, the internal demise of a paranoid astronomer, and a spotty history of the metric system to our current day. Slightly meandering, but overall enjoyable.
