Le metre du monde

£4.99

About this item

French language publication spanning general history and the development of the metric system by Denis Guedj, who became famous as a novelist and a history of science professor. It is a completely free-standing volume but it can be read in conjunction with his previous work "La Meridienne". (That was a novel presenting the background behind the proposal of a French Meridian accurately measured out and tested in real time and space by Delambre and Mechain. Various governmental commissions of the revolutionary government had proposed and supported new standardised measures, not just weights and measures but the calendar, too.) Here we have an absorbing and comprehensive factual account which first of all explains the scientific, political and religious constrictions that tended to control the choices made from ancient times to the revolution in terms of standard measures. This is followed by the "new-wave" determination in the wake of the revolution to found a fresh objective standard resulting in a ten-millionth of a quarter of the earth's meridian being the standard. This is then carried over into weights and capacities (and even money) as a complete family of inter-related values. The appendix has a rich bibliography for further reading. [Durable softback cover.]

Author(s):: Guedj, Denis
Condition:: Fine
Edition:: 2000
Format:: Paperback
Number of pages:: 330
Publisher:: Seuil

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