Beyond measure

the hidden history of measurement from cubits to quantum constants
James Vincent
Book - 2023

"A vibrant account of how measurement has invisibly shaped our world, from ancient civilizations to the modern day. From the cubit to the kilogram, the humble inch to the speed of light, measurement is a powerful tool that humans invented to make sense of the world. In this revelatory work of science and social history, James Vincent dives into its hidden world, taking readers from ancient Egypt, where measuring the annual depth of the Nile was an essential task, to the intellectual origins of the metric system in the French Revolution, and from the surprisingly animated rivalry between metric and imperial, to our current age of the "quantified self." At every turn, Vincent is keenly attuned to the political consequences of measurement, exploring how it has also been used as a tool for oppression and control. Beyond Measure reveals how measurement is not only deeply entwined with our experience of the world, but also how its history encompasses and shapes the human quest for knowledge"--

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Vincent, James (Journalist) (Author)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company, 2023.
Edition:First American edition.
Subjects:

MARC

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245 1 0 |a Beyond measure :  |b the hidden history of measurement from cubits to quantum constants /  |c James Vincent. 
250 |a First American edition. 
264 1 |a New York, NY :  |b W.W. Norton & Company,  |c 2023. 
264 4 |c Ã2023 
300 |a viii, 423 pages :  |b illustrations ;  |c 24 cm 
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500 |a "First published in the UK by Faber & Faber Ltd."--Title page verso. 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references and index. 
520 |a "A vibrant account of how measurement has invisibly shaped our world, from ancient civilizations to the modern day. From the cubit to the kilogram, the humble inch to the speed of light, measurement is a powerful tool that humans invented to make sense of the world. In this revelatory work of science and social history, James Vincent dives into its hidden world, taking readers from ancient Egypt, where measuring the annual depth of the Nile was an essential task, to the intellectual origins of the metric system in the French Revolution, and from the surprisingly animated rivalry between metric and imperial, to our current age of the "quantified self." At every turn, Vincent is keenly attuned to the political consequences of measurement, exploring how it has also been used as a tool for oppression and control. Beyond Measure reveals how measurement is not only deeply entwined with our experience of the world, but also how its history encompasses and shapes the human quest for knowledge"--  |c Provided by publisher. 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references (pages 353-391) and index. 
505 0 |a Introduction -- Why measurement matters -- The kindling of civilisation -- Measure and the social order -- The proper subject of measurement -- The quantifying spirit -- The metric revolution -- A grid laid across the world -- Measuring life and death -- The battle of the standards -- For all times, for all people -- The managed life -- Epilogue. 
650 0 |a Weights and measures  |x History. 
650 0 |a Measurement  |x History. 
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