Colors

Rndm_Perfection · 09-04-2003, 05:54 PM

I'm going to make this short, believe it or not, because I haven't much time before I have to go somewhere.

Basically, I'm going to pitch the idea that many people see "different" colors... that my Brown is much different to, oh, let's say Vampyr's Brown. That is, maybe my eyes interperate the light a little different.

Perhaps this isn't really philosophy, but it does have to deal with beliefs. The belief in question: Do you believe that you see the same color as everyone else (assuming nobody is "color blind")?

How do we remember colors? When we are young, the colors are given a name. "The sky is blue"... so you instinctively recognize that the color that is in the sky is called blue. Equally, "dirt is brown".

Well, what I'm questioning is, what if I see brown the way you would see blue? In other words, when you look at the sky, you might see what you'd call orange (but in the same shade that the blue would be). Sure, you may say "But that'd mean it would be the same color as the sun", but then the Sun was green, really really bright green (or at least what you'd consider green!).

I know that the rolleyes smilie is green. We all know that, but that doesn't prove my thought as incorrect. If anything, it could help prove it correct. We know it's green, because it's another reference.

How can you describe a color without using references? And keep in mind that shades can always be changed. I believe that in this theory, all blacks anbd all whites are the same because all colors with the "extreme shades" would look the same.

For example, though, on the describing of colors:
Let me describe brown... Brown is kinda... "dirty", and it... err, looks like it's dark. Well, it's the color of skin. But, uuhm.. it's kind of, wood -like.

All of those descriptions were based on references or shade., and I already said that shade cannot determine color, as there could be a blue with the exact same shade as some browns... and some browns with a super light shade.

Whoops, I made this longer than I wanted to... so I'm running late. But, lemme know what you little philosophers think. It'll be interesting.

Ginkasa · 09-04-2003, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rndm_Perfection

Well, what I'm questioning is, what if I see brown the way you would see blue? In other words, when you look at the sky, you might see what you'd call orange (but in the same shade that the blue would be). Sure, you may say "But that'd mean it would be the same color as the sun", but then the Sun was green, really really bright green (or at least what you'd consider green!).

This part confused me... I, before I read this paragraph, thought you were saying that what I might see as green you would see as my orange. But you would call that color green and we'd agree on the name, we just weren't seeing the same color (as we thought we were).

But that paragraph seems to suggest that what I see as green, and call green, you see as orange, and call orange. If it were like that, we would all know we were seeing different colors and there wouldn't be anything to discuss.

So I'll just assume that you typed it wrong.

Anyway, I think that we don't see different colors, at least not in so different a way that what I would call orange would actually look like my green to another guy.

We may see different colors as a little but of different shades, but not completely different colors. I think there would be something physical in the eye that would show us that.

*shrugs and walks away*

Vampyr · 09-04-2003, 06:25 PM

Im not going to bother to quote you random, seeing as how this is the third post and people will know what Im talking about.

But I completely agree with you. I have thought about this EXACT same thing a lot. The whole idea came to me when I was in the seventh grade. Its all about perception, just because youve been told grass is green your whole life doesnt mean its the same green everyone else sees. I tried telling this to some of my friends before, and they thought I was a lunatic. Good to see someone else has realized this.

+rep.

Dyne · 09-04-2003, 06:30 PM

My Science 9 teacher was talking about the exact same thing, and he said there's no way of knowing. I wouldn't know either.. but why are colours so soothing?

Like, green and blue are very relaxing, red is very aggressive. Just by looking at it, you can tell. I mean, the colour I see as red IS aggressive just by looking at it. Not because of what it is, because of it's hue. It LOOKS menacing. Blue LOOKS relaxing when you're looking at a blank TV.

We all came from the same DNA. I don't see why we wouldn't all see the same colours.

Why do so many people like the colour blue? It must be the same, shouldn't it? Why is blue such a popular choice?

Stonecutter · 09-04-2003, 06:42 PM

I like the question, and I've thought about it before, but since it's impossible to prove either way I generally leave it alone.

TheGame · 09-04-2003, 06:57 PM

well, it's impossible to see the world through another person's eyes... so, it's impossible to say we see it the same or different.

But blue for everybody is the same thing... I see blue, you see blue, so it's blue. Just like anything else we decipher with our eyes, I see a fat lady, you see a fat lady, does that mean my concept of what fat is may be reversed and what I see you would describe as skinny? No way to ever find out... but as long as we say it's the same thing, chances, it's the same thing

What it is, is what it is...

Jonbo298 · 09-04-2003, 07:01 PM

The you see fat lady, so I see fat lady reminded me of the movie with Gwenyth Platrow as a fat person, but Jack Black see's her as a skinny person.

This brings up a similar subject, hypnotism. If X person was hypnotised so that whenever he saw something blue, he would be seeing it as say Red. But then again, we are fooling with the mind, so not all of us would be seeing Blue as Blue. But I'm starting to lose myself, so I'll just stop.

GameKinG · 09-04-2003, 08:04 PM

Well others could see it differently, but Its more likely the same to them unless they are color blind.

nWoCHRISnWo · 09-04-2003, 10:55 PM

But some colors look a lot closer to some than others. Like most people would agree blue and purple look a lot alike while orange and purple aren't even close. If people saw different colors though, and one person's "blue" is actually what most people see as brown then they wouldn't agree that "blue" looks like purple.

...Eh, who cares anyways.

Mechadragon · 09-04-2003, 11:22 PM

Very interesting. *suspiciously looks at everyone" YOUR PERCEPTION IS WRONG! HAH!

Rndm_Perfection · 09-05-2003, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nWoCHRISnWo

But some colors look a lot closer to some than others. Like most people would agree blue and purple look a lot alike while orange and purple aren't even close. If people saw different colors though, and one person's "blue" is actually what most people see as brown then they wouldn't agree that "blue" looks like purple.

...Eh, who cares anyways.

That's because they are close together on the spectrum.

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple

Let's use that as the spectrum for now..

Lessay what I recognize as orange, you would recognize as blue, were you to see through my eyes (however, through your eyes, you'd call it orange as well). Therefor, I see what you'd call yellow, yet I call it purple... (and so do you, Ginkasa!).

Is blue close to purple? Sure is... is Orange close to Yellow? Definately (though we may not be talking about the same colors, exactly).

This "theory" would also be based on the spectrum. Don't give it too much thought though, for it is impossible to prove incorrect without scientific tools.

Xantar · 09-05-2003, 01:30 PM

Ah yes. Very Buddhist. And actually it touches on some quantum theory stuff, too.

The mistake made by many people of all kinds (scientists, theists, nutcases etc.) is assuming that there is a single objective reality that we can all see the same way if only we'd just think right. As this thread has pointed out, there isn't. And in fact, the universe as we know it wouldn't exist if we weren't here. The act of observing something changes it.

Sound weird? Well, it's proven.

Vampyr · 09-05-2003, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Ah yes. Very Buddhist. And actually it touches on some quantum theory stuff, too.

The mistake made by many people of all kinds (scientists, theists, nutcases etc.) is assuming that there is a single objective reality that we can all see the same way if only we'd just think right. As this thread has pointed out, there isn't. And in fact, the universe as we know it wouldn't exist if we weren't here. The act of observing something changes it.

Sound weird? Well, it's proven.

Yes, that old philosophy. I believe it 100%: reality is shaped by our perception.