turkmath.org

Between 1889 and 1983 one meter was defined by the International Prototype Meter. This was a bar of an alloy of 90% platinum and 10% iridium and had an x-shaped cross section. The length of the meter was defined by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in Paris, as the distance between two groups of lines on the bar, which was stored at 0 °C. About two hundred years later, a meter was defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1⁄299,792,458 of a second. Till 1989 the meter was still haptic and touchable. The definition of “meter” is now substituted by a fact, which can be determined only by appliances. No human brain is able to detect the duration of 1/299,792,458 seconds. No human eye is able to observe the speed of light in vacuum. The scientific reality is based on sign conventions, which scientists have to learn with big efforts and their transfer requires a high level of translation performance. In my speech I will discuss about the change in the visual cultures in terms of the exchange of knowledge and science, and which influence these changes have on the perception of reality.