3 ms·
Perhaps I'm simplifying/abstracting a bit too much here but - colors are single dimensional (i.e. the wavelength of the light you're seeing) whereas smells are
by GuiA 8y ago
Perhaps I'm simplifying/abstracting a bit too much here but - colors are single dimensional (i.e. the wavelength of the light you're seeing) whereas smells are multidimensional/maybe not even really mappable to any continuum.
- GolDDranks 8y agoActually, color sensation is three dimensional because we have three types of cells that are sensitive to different frequencies. One could maybe argue that the dimensionality of a smell sensation corresponds to the amount of types of receptors we have in our noses.
- scatters 8y agoPinks and purples are non-spectral, mixing red and blue. Browns are unsaturated, dark oranges. Greys contain all wavelengths.
- red75prime 8y ago> colors are single dimensional Light is a mixture of different wavelengths, so, in a sense, it's infinitely dimensional. People's perception of light is usually three dimensional. > maybe not even really mappable to any continuum I think it cannot be continuum, as sense of smell is caused by discrete molecules. As for "not mappable", it can be that it's mappable, but our brain is really bad at it.
- amelius 8y agoBut light is composed of photons, which carry a certain energy which is responsible for the color you see.
- pygy_ 8y agoColors are not wavelength. Color actually has three dimensions that can be coded as RGB, HSL, LAB, or using degenerate coding in four dimensions with CYMK. Visual geometry has three dimensions, making vision a 6 dimensions thing (plus time, but that is added to every sense). You point still stands though, since AFAIK smell has many more dimensions (not sure if they've been thoroughly counted).