1923: Felsius

2026-06-16T19:23:14Z

86.17.238.188: Updated symbol link

{{comic
| number = 1923
| date = December 1, 2017
| title = Felsius
| image = felsius.png
| titletext = The symbol for degrees Felsius is an average of the Euro symbol (€) and the Greek lunate epsilon (ϵ).
}}

==Explanation==

Just like in [[1292: Pi vs. Tau]], [[Randall]] tries to unify two measurement systems by averaging both values. There are several {{w|Scale of temperature|temperature scales}} actively used in different parts of the world of for different purposes, including {{w|Celsius}} and {{w|Fahrenheit}}, but e.g. also {{w|Kelvin}}, {{w|Rankine scale|Rankine}} and [[3001: Temperature Scales|potentially several others]].

The {{w|United States customary units}} system uses Fahrenheit, as does the closely related one of {{w|imperial units}}. Alternatively, {{w|Metric system|metric units}} use Celsius or Kelvin. While Fahrenheit is still used in the US, {{w|Territories of the United States|its territories}}, the Bahamas, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Liberia and Palau, all other countries use (or prefer) Celsius. In scientific work, including in the US, only Celsius and Kelvin scales are used.{{Actual citation needed|...the obvious exception is any lab working /straight/ off of the boltzman constant; but we also learn in #3001 that Rankine may be a legacy Kelvin-equivalent 'sciencce-based' scale still used in certain circumstances}}

The conversion factors between Celsius and Fahrenheit are:
:°C = (°F − 32) × 5 / 9
:°F = °C × 9 / 5 + 32

which makes the average (mean) value of °C and °F: °Ꞓ = °C × 7 / 5 + 16. The step-by-step derivation of this is:
:°Ꞓ = (°C + °F) / 2
: = (°C + (°C × 9 / 5 + 32)) / 2
: = (°C + °C × 9 / 5 + 32) / 2
: = (°C × 5 / 5 + °C × 9 / 5 + 32) / 2
: = (°C × (5+9) / 5 + 32) / 2
: = (°C × 14 / 5 + 32) / 2
: = °C × 7 / 5 + 16

[[Randall]] chose to name his new unit of temperature Felsius (a {{w|portmanteau}} of Fahrenheit and Celsius).

Comically enough, the Felsius scale discards the main advantages of either temperature scale. The Celsius scale is based around 0 °C as the melting point of water and 100 °C as the boiling point, which is an advantage Felsius does not preserve. Fahrenheit is often argued to be a convenient temperature measure for human comfort, as 0 °F is very cold and 100 °F is very hot and many places on Earth which humans inhabit fall handily within these extremes the majority of the time, but Felsius does not preserve this advantage of the Fahrenheit scale either.

The title text states that the symbol he chose to represent this unit also is the average of two other symbols. Visually, it is assumed to be a combination of Celsius and Fahrenheit (a C with a crossbar), but it is actually like one or other of the unrelated symbols for the {{w|Euro sign|euro currency}} (€) and the Greek lunate {{w|epsilon}} (ϵ). Randall's symbol has a single crossbar, like the Greek lunate epsilon, but the crossbar continues to the left, like the Euro symbol. (In this explanation and the transcript, we have used the symbol [http://graphemica.com/Ꞓ U+A792], which may appear too large or too small depending on the font.)

{|class="wikitable"
!Symbol!!Number of crossbars!!Length of crossbar(s)
|-
||Euro||2||Long
|-
||Epsilon||1||Short
|-
||Felsius||1||Long
|-
||[not used]||2||Short
|}

In doing all this, Randall has fallen into the trap of creating [[927: Standards|a new temperature scale/standard]].

Randall has also compared Celsius and Fahrenheit scales earlier in [[1643: Degrees]], and in [[526: Converting to Metric]] he tries to give users of the Fahrenheit scale an idea about what a given Celsius temperature would feel like. Later on he will [[3001|rate the "cursedness" of various scales]], respectively as 2/10 and 3/10, but we do not discover his opinion of his own combined scale. 

This is an example of {{w|Argument to moderation}}, also known as the false middle point fallacy. A famous use of this fallacy is in the Bible, the {{w|Judgment of Solomon}}. The true mother of a disputed baby is discovered<ref>1 [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_kings/3-27.htm Kings 3:27] "...she is the mother thereof."</ref> by proposing the "compromise" of cutting the baby in half. Perhaps Randall has a similar strategy in proposing Felsius, an absurd compromise, in order to somehow discover the "true" temperature scale.

Note that this is not the first (or last) time Randall has [[:Category:Compromise|proposed a controversial 'third' way]].

=== Table of Given Conversions & Additional ===
{| class="wikitable"
!°C!!°Ꞓ!!°F!!Note
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |100.0
| style="text-align:right;" |156.0
| style="text-align:right;" |212.0
|Water boils at sea level (1 atmosphere)
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |54.0
| style="text-align:right;" |91.6
| style="text-align:right;" |129.2
|World heat record, at time of comic ({{w|Highest temperature recorded on Earth|Current status}})
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |37.0
| style="text-align:right;" |67.8
| style="text-align:right;" |98.6
|{{w|Human body temperature}} range average
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |22.0
| style="text-align:right;" |46.8
| style="text-align:right;" |71.6
|Room temperature (maximum per [https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=room+temperature American Heritage Dictionary])
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |0.0
| style="text-align:right;" |16.0
| style="text-align:right;" |32.0
|Pure water freezes at sea level (1 atm); Reference point for 0°C)
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |−11.4
| style="text-align:right;" |0.0
| style="text-align:right;" |11.4
|0°Ꞓ reference
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |−17.8
| style="text-align:right;" |−8.9
| style="text-align:right;" |0.0
|Reference point for 0°F
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |−21.1
| style="text-align:right;" |−13.5
| style="text-align:right;" |−6.0
|Saturated salt water freezes at sea level (1 atm)[https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=1722]
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |−40.0
| style="text-align:right;" |−40.0
| style="text-align:right;" |−40.0
|Equivalence point (equal figures in both Celcius and Fahrenheit scales)
|-
| style="text-align:right;" |−273.2
| style="text-align:right;" |−366.4
| style="text-align:right;" |−459.7
|{{w|Absolute zero}}; 0K and 0°Ra (equivalent to −273.15°C and −459.67°F, respectively)
|}

<references></references>

==Transcript==
:[A thermometer is shown where the temperature is indicated, with a red column of liquid, to be just above room temperature. This can be seen from the five labels belonging to five lines pointing at the scale. None of these coincide with the 14 ticks on the actual scale for the thermometer. Below the last label is the formula for calculating the temperature on this scale.]
:92°Ꞓ world heat record
:68°Ꞓ body temperature
:47°Ꞓ room temperature
:16°Ꞓ water freezes
:–9°Ꞓ 0°F
:°Ꞓ=7×°C/5+16=(7×°F–80)/9

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Since the Celsius vs Fahrenheit debate has proven surprisingly hard to resolve, as a compromise I've started using Felsius (°Ꞓ), the average of the two.

==Implementations==
An implementation of Felsius is available at [http://www.weatherinfelsius.us Weather In Felsius], using a location based on user's IP address and accepting US ZIP codes (permanent dead link).

Additionally, a converter to and from Felsius is available at [https://felsius.com Felsius Conversion Tool].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Portmanteau]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Compromise]]
[[Category:Unicode]]

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1923: Felsius