Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants

by James Vincent

I’ve found myself beguiled by the arguments of these traditionalists; by the satisfying historical and cultural density of older measures, and the admirable desire to retain their legacy in an increasingly abstracted world. But although these units once embodied important realities of everyday life, these aspects of their use are increasingly irrelevant. For example, although it’s true that base-12 and base-16 divisions of imperial units make dividing goods by halves, thirds, and quarters easier, of what relevance is that in a world of pre-packaged groceries? And while we praise older units for being built on a more ‘human’ scale, is there anything more human than reaching beyond our grasp? To do so is a defining characteristic of the modern world, which encompasses spans beyond the individual’s comprehension. As anti-metric advocates love to point out, what ultimately determines the ‘right’ measurement is familiarity and tradition. But tradition is not immune to change, and if imperial measures are abandoned because they’re no longer useful, then that is natural too.