HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MEASUREMENT - A REALIST VIEW

Joel Michell

Abstract

According to the realist interpretation, measurement is the estimation of numerical relations (or ratios) between magnitudes of a quantitative attribute and a unit. The history of scientific measurement, from antiquity to the present may be interpreted as revealing a progressive deepening in the understanding of this position. First, the concept of ratio was broadened to include ratios between incommensurable magnitudes; second, the concept of a quantitative attribute was broadened to include non-extensive quantities; third, quantitative structure and its relations to ratios and real numbers were elaborated; and finally, the issue of empirically distinguishing between quantitative and non-quantitative structures was addressed. This interpretation of measurement understands it in a way that is continuous with scientific investigation in general, i.e., as an attempt to discover independently existing facts.

Keywords

realism, philosophy of measurement, history of measurement

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IMEKO-TC7-2004-128.pdf

DOI

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IMEKO TC

TC7 - Measurement Science

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