Measuring Beyond the Standard: Informal Measurement Systems as Cognitive Technologies

2024/11/10 by Roope Oskari Kaaronen, Mikael A. Manninen, Jussi T. Eronen · 1 voice · 1 citation
Decision Sciences · #Complex Systems and Decision Making

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/tops.12770

Abstract

This paper explores the role of measurement as a cognitive technology across human history, emphasizing the coexistence of formal and informal measurement systems. While standardized systems dominate contemporary culture and are well documented across large-scale societies of the past, this manuscript highlights the less explored domain of informal measurement practices that have been integral to daily life from the past to the present. Through the examination of body-based measurement systems and proportional heuristics, we demonstrate how these informal strategies were not merely precursors to formal standards but essential adaptive tools for solving everyday problems. Often, these informal solutions come with practical advantages. This manuscript calls for a broader recognition of their significance in cultural and technological evolution.

Cited by

• Countless ways to count: the functional heterogeneity of number systems

Discussions

• Our paper is out in this cool special issue on cognitive technologies. It’s on the topic of traditional and informal measurement systems across cultural traditions. How have people *really* measured [bsky, 15 points, 1 comments]

Related

• Body-based units of measure in cultural evolution
• Self-Optimization via Figures and Digital Parameters – Psychic Repercussions of Digital Measurement and Comparison.
• Reflexive Measurement
• The Early History of Weighing Technology from the Perspective of a Theory of Innovation
• Measure for Measure: Politics of Quantifying Individuals to Govern Them