The Fahrenheit temperature scale. Why is it still used by (some) people?

[Cassie88]

Blue wins!

Look at the map above. What do you see? The Celsius scale is logical and easy to understand. Zero degrees C is the freezing point of water, 100 degrees the boiling point. What is the Fahrenheit scale calibrated against? I have no idea, but I think the guy who came up with it used his own body temperature at the time to indicate some sort of average, which, if true, is just bonkers! :D

[NamerOfStars]

Well, first off, your map is wrong: Liberia and Myanmar also haven't caved to French imperialism (what, do you think the rest of the world adopted it of their own free will? Look into the history of the thing; you'll be surprised, and not pleasantly). Secondly, Celsius is NOT "logical and easy to understand"- it's every bit as arbitrary; you're just USED to it. The whole idea behind the metric system is that base 10 is natural and sensible, when base 2 is more natural, base 6 was more common until military and economic force destroyed it, and base 12 is more useful. Familiarity doesn't make better something better.

The idea was that a meter was one ten-millionth of the diameter of the Earth. But it's not- so it was fixed. Then fixed again. Then again, because it still wasn't right. After two more attempts, they gave up, and now a meter is the length of a particular bar of metal in a safe in Switzerland. This means that the gram (the weight of one cubic centimeter) is equally arbitrary, on top of not being what it claims to be, since it's a measure of weight, not "mass".

The Celsius scale is arguably the least stupid of the Metric scales (well, of the shared ones, at least); the idea was that water freezes at zero and boils at 100- except that THAT'S wrong, too; it assumes the Earth has a single uniform atmospheric pressure that never changes- apparently the "brilliant" minds behind that measurement system had never heard of mountains. Beyond that, it means that your degrees are almost twice as large as ours, so that for any matter beyond deciding what clothes to wear, you're going to need to break into decimals, which is often clunky and awkward to work with; hardly the end of the world, but both unpleasant and unnecessary when there's a better, human-scaled system readily available.

So, why is Fahrenheit still used? Because some people have the brains to question new fads AND the guts to defy them; "different" doesn't mean "better"- it just means "different". By all means, go and revel in your kowtowing to foreign governments, but remember that if YOUR mindset prevailed everywhere, we'd still be drinking New Coke.

[Cassie88]

You think the metric system and Celsius is a "new fad". Oh dear. Kowtowing to FOREIGN governments? Where I live we adopted it because it just made sense to do so. There was no pressure from the French, LOL :D
Okay, Liberia and Burma uses it as well. That's now the United States, Jamaica, Liberia and Burma. Not exactly influential nations on the world stage, but okay.

[NamerOfStars]

You live in New Zealand- you adopted it, along with every other Commonwealth country, because the UK mandated it after caving to French economic pressures. It was only because "it just made sense to do so" in the sense that handing your gold over to the Viking raiders "just made sense".

And yes, it's very much a "new fad"- consider who INVENTED the damn system. History is your friend- but only if you know it.

[Cassie88]

Believe whatever you like.

[Paul_in_Indy]

I am not a laboratory scientist. I do not care about the behavior of water under my temperature scale. I use Fahrenheit as a measure of ambient temperature. For this purpose it is perfect.

100 degrees F is a survivable temperature, but a dangerous one. Zero degrees F is a survivable temperature, but a dangerous one. As the ambient temp approaches 0 or 100, you know that it is getting closer to the limit of human endurance. If the temp passes either of those indexes, you know it is has become unpleasant. That makes perfect, intuitive sense.

As the centigrade scale approaches zero, I know, what?, that water is about to freeze? Why do I care about that?

Fahrenheit is more useful for the task I ask of it. Makes sense to me.

[Cassie88]

Okay, you say that it works for you, but as a laboratory scientist you should be using S. I. units, which in turn are based upon metric units (ex. litres, metres). Do you use feet and inches as well? One may as well use cubits and handspans.

[Cassie88]

Sorry, you say you're NOT a laboratory scientist. I misread your comment.

[Paul_in_Indy]

I use cubits, arm-yards, handspans, and thumb-inches for all sorts of things whose exact measurements don’t matter. Quick body reference measurements are very convenient.

…and, no, I am not a laboratory scientist. :)

[purplepoppy]

Murder rates higher in F countries than in C ones too. Wonder if there's a link

[Anonymous]

Some countries are still trying to catch up with the rest of the world.

[KostasKouvalis]

Hey... that was invented by a German-Pollack and it's something we're very proud of. 😂

Oh did Myanmar and Liberia finally switch to metric? I heard some people in the UK still used standards. Honestly I'm not surprised, because Americans ALWAYS have to do everything differently. It's so funny though, because it wasn't even invented in America.

I personally like it. You're kind of right that it doesn't make any sense, but it's what I'm used to. Metric is so confusing to me. Everyone says it goes by 10s and I just don't see it. I'll stick to Fahrenheit😂

[Guardian45]

Fahrenheit scale was proposed in 1724 by physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. Originally, the lower defining point, 0 °F, was the freezing temperature of brine solution (water, ice, & ammonium chloride, a salt). The other limit was best estimate of average human body temperature, set at 90 °F, then 96 °F.


The Fahrenheit temperature scale is used almost exclusively by the US, and is the last remaining superpower. Its economic influence is disproportionate versus the rest of the world. With the rise of China and India that influence is destined to wane. Eventually, the US will have to convert to Celsius to maintain their economic competitiveness.

[Paul_in_Indy]

Why does anyone care what temperature scale their economic partners report the weather in? It’s a non-issue.

[Guardian45]

@Paul_in_Indy Anything that impacts how many temperature sensitive widgets one sells or buys will care. For example, air conditioners

[Paul_in_Indy]

I am not aware of any US made air conditioner system which is not compatible with Centigrade operation. All of the units I can think of are convertible by the user with no parts required. On the other hand, all of them will require a change of label to have instructions in Mandarin instead of English. Obviously, the latter is a greater barrier to operation…but the manufacturer will label any units for the Chinese market in the desired language.

US industry is entirely capable of using the centigrade temperature scale. The fact that American consumers prefer Fahrenheit for environmental controls is a non-issue. American consumers prefer lots of things (like English labeling) that the Asian market does not. Market pressures will look after themselves.

The use of Fahrenheit for my weather forecast has no impact on international commerce.

[Paul_in_Indy]

Of much greater concern is how far behind the US mapping industry is! They obstinately continue to update maps of the American road system. As the Eastern powers continue to improve their economies, US maps will need to change to Chinese roads in order to remain competitive.

Obviously, I’m being droll. …but I think that’s a pretty direct parallel. :)

[Guardian45]

@Paul_in_Indy. Admittedly, ACs are NOT the best example, but I think the idea still stands. This is an area where The US no longer leads the way. Economic competitiveness in a global economy will determine success.

[Paul_in_Indy]

OK…. but I predict we will not find that the temperature scale used to report our weather forecasts is a driver of economic competitiveness.

[Guardian45]

@Paul_in_Indy. It's ONE factor NOT the decisive factor. Temperature is important in many industries.

[Guardian45]

Especially in scientific research

[Paul_in_Indy]

Well, since no one in the US does scientific research using the Fahrenheit scale, that should be OK.

But if the preference of many Americans to read their temperature in Fahrenheit will have to change to allow for the rise of Eastern markets, I suspect other things will have to change first. I suspect many Chinese individuals care more about properly cooked pork and noodles than they do about the centigrade temperature scale. I recommend that Americans learn to prefer good Chinese food, first. —which will be more delicious to all of us.

[Guardian45]

@Paul_in_Indy. But again, I'm NOT talking about weather or pork or cooking per season. American Research & Innovation is STILL important in global competitiveness

[Paul_in_Indy]

Right. You are talking about the problem of America not being able to engage in the world economy until its citizens prefer setting their thermostats in the same units that up and coming powers’ citizens do. I am respectfully disagreeing. I maintain that if the day to day preferences of Americans can interfere with economic opportunities by differing from the day-to-day preferences of, for example, residents of China, then it will probably be something more important than the numbers on the weather app that trip us up first.

You are welcome to disagree. No one is saying otherwise. …but, really, I cannot see how my preference for Fahrenheit temperatures will affect trade with Asia.

[Paul_in_Indy]

I will bow out and let you have the last word. Thanks for chatting! :)

[AviatorTom]

The map is somewhat misleading. Some places may use C as the main temp reading, but also post the equivalent in F. In the US, many medical doctors and researchers use C, and convert to F sometimes.

[slatyb]

Because change is hard. And besides, what difference does it make? We get the temperature from our phone or other device, and can see it (or hear it) in any scale we like. I like Reaumur.

[OnTheLevel]

I guess the counter question is why would it be necessary to switch? All temperature scales are relative anyway.

[Cassie88]

Well, it's called progress. When a system, method, technology or what-have-you is replaced by one better, doesn't it make sense to make the switch?

[OnTheLevel]

What makes Centigrade better than Fahrenheit?

[LiamJHayden]

"Zero degrees C is the freezing point of water, 100 degrees the boiling point."

In Denver the boiling point is 95C.

[NostalgiaSenpi]

I've seen most thermometers have the conversion right on them. I never really cared.

[Quidthonian]

That is to allow the USA to feel "special", and to confuse other groups.

[gorydetails]

Because Fahrenheit is vastly superior to Celsius.

[CubaPirate]

Some people still use imperial measurements too

[Cassie88]

Yes, they do.

[PatriceONeal]

We do things our own way in U. S 🇺🇸