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I know that red is red the same way I know that hot is hot, that cold is cold, that pain is pain, that pleasure is pleasure, that loud is loud, etc. Sure, you

I know that red is red the same way I know that hot is hot, that cold is cold, that pain is pain, that pleasure is pleasure, that loud is loud, etc. Sure, you can be taught that when you hear a deafening sound to say "wow that's really soft" but that doesn't change the fact that it's a loud sound and you're experiencing a loud sound.

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
I believe they are raising the point of qualia, or a viewers internal representation of the perception. You know that red is red, but you don't know that your red is anyone else's - which may be why I like green and you like red, we may have two totally different experiences of the colours.
- supermw 8y ago
  This has always bothered me, I want everyone to see colors the same way so we can all have the same internal experience. However, I have rationalized away this theory with a thought experiment. Imagine someone messed with your brain and remixed your colors. So now maybe what you once saw as red you now see as green. However, since your brain has no other reference, you will not even be aware this change has happened. Now if we put a device in your brain that changes your colors every second or so, you still won’t even know. You’ll never know! Because you have no way to compare a previous representation with a new one. Imagine looking out now into the world around you, and being told every second your colors are being rewired. Since you can only have one dictionary of colors in your mind, you see nothing change, because that would imply there is an even deeper meta-representation of colors you can compare with. Ultimately, colors do not exist. This is why my favorite color is black, as it is the only “true” color, and not to mention everything looks good in black.
  - tcmb 8y ago
    Don't you think there is a representation of color in memory, that you can compare current visual input to? I can close my eyes and recall the image of a red apple, or are you saying my memory of red would switch to green as well?
- criley2 8y ago
  "I believe they are raising the point of qualia, or a viewers internal representation of the perception" So am I.
zepolen 8y ago
This doesn't happen for everyone Some people lack nerve 'analyzers' and do not "feel" pain/heat/cold etc, just pressure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pain_with_anhidrosis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pa... Likewise some people lack emotional analyzers and do not "feel" emotions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisocial_personality_disorder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisocial_personality_disorde...

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago

I believe they are raising the point of qualia, or a viewers internal representation of the perception. You know that red is red, but you don't know that your red is anyone else's - which may be why I like green and you like red, we may have two totally different experiences of the colours.

supermw 8y ago
This has always bothered me, I want everyone to see colors the same way so we can all have the same internal experience. However, I have rationalized away this theory with a thought experiment. Imagine someone messed with your brain and remixed your colors. So now maybe what you once saw as red you now see as green. However, since your brain has no other reference, you will not even be aware this change has happened. Now if we put a device in your brain that changes your colors every second or so, you still won’t even know. You’ll never know! Because you have no way to compare a previous representation with a new one. Imagine looking out now into the world around you, and being told every second your colors are being rewired. Since you can only have one dictionary of colors in your mind, you see nothing change, because that would imply there is an even deeper meta-representation of colors you can compare with. Ultimately, colors do not exist. This is why my favorite color is black, as it is the only “true” color, and not to mention everything looks good in black.
- tcmb 8y ago
  Don't you think there is a representation of color in memory, that you can compare current visual input to? I can close my eyes and recall the image of a red apple, or are you saying my memory of red would switch to green as well?
criley2 8y ago
"I believe they are raising the point of qualia, or a viewers internal representation of the perception" So am I.

zepolen 8y ago

This doesn't happen for everyone Some people lack nerve 'analyzers' and do not "feel" pain/heat/cold etc, just pressure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pain_with_anhidrosis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pa... Likewise some people lack emotional analyzers and do not "feel" emotions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisocial_personality_disorder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisocial_personality_disorde...