Measuring the World: Journey
By: Kanako Goto, Vicente Jimenez, Nicole King, Anh Tran
We all have our own journey that begins in early childhood. For most people their journey is a mystery. We have no idea where it will take us, or what we will do, but for Karl Friedrich Gauss it was different. In the chapter “The Teacher” in Daniel Kehlmann’s novel Measuring the World we learn that Gauss’s journey begins at age eight. He was initially treated unfairly because of his social class, but quickly changed the teacher’s mind with his talent. After solving a difficult math equation in seconds, his future was set.
This is interesting because we, as 20 year old college students, are trying to figure out what to do with our own lives. We cannot imagine having our future laid out for us at such a young age.
During his early childhood, Gauss had to struggle through obstacles. With little support from his family, Gauss manages to further his education and become a mathematician. Coming from the lower class, Gauss didn’t have much control over the direction his life would go; he was discovered and pushed in one direction.
Alexander von Humboldt’s story is vastly different compared to Gauss’. Coming from a wealthy, upper class family, he could study whatever subject interested him. Success was expected. Our journey is more comparable to Humboldt’s. Studying at a liberal arts school, we have opportunities to study various subjects and can choose the direction our lives will go.
“Now the moment had been lost forever” (p. 11)
This line was said after Daguerre’s attempted photo of Humboldt and Gauss was interrupted by a police officer. We found this quote interesting because moments are never actually lost. Even though hard evidence was not captured from their meeting, nothing can erase it from history. This includes Kehlmann’s reconstruction of the event in words. Our experiences stay with us forever, although we may not have photos, they are engraved in our memories. Every experience affects our lives in some way or another.
As we participate in our own travels, we have learned that the act of taking pictures may actually take away from the actual experience. We are so focused on looking through the camera lens that we never actually see what is outside the frame. We are so intent on getting a good picture that we don’t actually experience events with our own eyes. Looking at a picture taken on the switchbacks of Haleakala cannot be compared to the heat, dehydration and exhaustion of actually being there. A picture is nothing but a pinpoint in time, and doesn’t show the journey of getting there.
We think that Humboldt may have experienced the journey more in depth than Gauss, who was always preoccupied with theoretical measurements. On the other hand, Humboldt scaled mountains, crossed rivers and met local people. Gauss stayed behind and worked. Humboldt seems more interested in the actual physical details while Gauss focuses on broad, fundamental ideas.
Humboldt muses: “The understanding of the cosmos had made great strides. Telescopes allowed one to explore the universe, one knew the structure of the earth, its weight, its trajectory, one had established the speed of light, worked at the ocean currents and the conditions of life and soon it would be possible to solve the last riddle, magnetic force. The end of the road was in sight, the measuring of the world almost complete. The cosmos would be understood, all difficulties pertaining to mans beginnings, such as fear, war, and exploitation, would sink into the past.... Science would bring about an era of the general good, and who could know if one day it might not even solve the problem of death” (204).
Humboldt felt as if his journey was over. Everything else had been measured; the last mystery was magnetic force. It is amazing that Humboldt thinks that magnetic force is the last problem; here we are over a century later still facing scientific issues. We feel like the idea that science can end all problems is impossible. Although science does solve many problems, it also creates them. There are endless debates and even wars over science.
How can Humboldt feel his journey was over when he has yet to see the entire world? Here we are, traveling to nine different countries and there is still so much more to experience! Every day is a journey, no matter what you are doing or where you are. The journey of discovery never ends.