Forums → The Tavern → A Thought on Colors

I think the only way that works is if you are color blind and can see certain colors (or light wave lengths). Color is the light wave length that an object does not absorb, so everyone sees the same light wave length. That is at least what I can recall from science classes. So I could be off.

Well, the wavelength is the same no matter how we perceive it. Of course everyone perceives colours differently to a certain degree, since everyone has different eyes and different number and placement of photoreceptors. If you'd analyze it further, you'd see that the nervous signal would be slightly different for each person, or so I guess. But I'm pretty sure that those variations aren't as dramatic as you proposed, well not taking anormalities and pathologies in consideration of course.

To sum up, vision indeed is subjective, but not that much actually.

Color is the light wave length that an object does not absorb, so everyone sees the same light wave length.

i know this.If you see some truck stops or something on the side of the interstate that looks like a parking lot.look at the lights.Most of the stops they put yellow bulbs in the posts because it creates depression.Therefor making you want to leave.My talked to a guy that does that to truck stops

Let's see, we got Other minds, Simulated Reality and Brain in a vat, and probably more, but meh.

Not speak of "subjective perception", the cultural impact on our perception and so on, when it comes to the less philosophical measures. Like being able to differentiate colours based on your language.

I remembered that there is an inverted spectrum theory about this. In short, it explains that some people might see a reverse color spectrum. As far as I can think, you couldn't be able to (dis)prove this unless you isolated a gene, perhaps.

You guys could be color blind or looking at it in different light. That is the only way you guys could look at them in different colors I think.

Well the your body is structured it is wired to see in a certain way. In some cases, you are born colorblind, in which case you see different things in different ways.
I don't think that is the case, I guess you can't really prove it in any way. But I mean when you try on clothes and your wearing blue shorts and a yellow shirt. But you saw yellow as pink and blue as green, I'm sure you'd think you look ridiculous, But some people would think you look good. But that is like the only way you k.ow if you saw thinks differently. But I don't think you can find out if that is true. But i don;t think that is the way it is.

this is an extremely interesting topic, even because of the mess we do using the same words for absolute, actual colors and perceived colors.
as hahiha already said we have objective instruments to detect something's color intended as wave length, but I don't think that would help at all. An instrument like that could determine the absolute color in form of wave length, but that doesn't mean that having the wave length we can figure the actual colors in our minds. In other words, bjective instruments can say "this light has a wave length of xxx,yyy , and that's what we call red" but that won't help us, we would all think that's called red but we could still perceive it in a different manner.

Messy topic.

perceiving colors differently is right but not that far off as to blue and red, but maybe a different shade of blue. Unless your color blind and see colors differently anyway.

But you saw yellow as pink and blue as green, I'm sure you'd think you look ridiculous,

bjective instruments can say "this light has a wave length of xxx,yyy , and that's what we call red" but that won't help us, we would all think that's called red but we could still perceive it in a different manner.

Unless we would be able to get into other peoples mind, I think we're never going to be certain wether or not we all see the same colors. Yes wavelengths are universal, but the perception is different for everyone, it's like flavours: we were told that tabasco is spicy, so we say it is, but perhaps some people taste it in a different way than others. These ideas keep me awake at night sometimes

sorry i didnt bother to read other comments except the first one but could you explain better? a colour is a colour. the colours name is determined by humans. the colour we see doesnt change, our opinion does. so one can say he likes that colour or dislike him but he cant say its a different colour unless he has a sight problem. if you meant close colours like yellow and orange, well that happens because some people think one colour is a different one or closer to another one. one can say its yellow and one can say its orange but they SEE the same colour

i didnt bother to read other comments except the first one

sorry i didnt bother to read other comments except the first one but could you explain better? a colour is a colour. the colours name is determined by humans. the colour we see doesnt change, our opinion does. so one can say he likes that colour or dislike him but he cant say its a different colour unless he has a sight problem. if you meant close colours like yellow and orange, well that happens because some people think one colour is a different one or closer to another one. one can say its yellow and one can say its orange but they SEE the same colour