4 ms·

Very true. It seems closely related to the problem with qualia, which I've always thought of similarly. Instinctively it seems impossible to describe the color

Very true. It seems closely related to the problem with qualia, which I've always thought of similarly. Instinctively it seems impossible to describe the color green to someone who has never seen it. Seeing it seems to add "something" that is impossible to acquire in any other way. But this is because of our physical limitations, rather than the existence of some ephemeral quality. If we would have total knowledge and full ability of introspection, I don't see why we wouldn't be able to accurately predict the subjective experience of any input, including colors.

goatlover 6y ago
Maybe, but since we don’t have that knowledge, we can’t program it.
- analog31 6y ago
  A friend of mine was the project manager for a project to develop one of the first color matching systems for paint stores. My friend is colorblind. At least for him, the project was very much a matter of programming knowledge that he could not possess. I've gotten color matching done at Home Depot, to get paint for repairing my house. It's uncanny.
  - dragonwriter 6y ago
    > My friend is colorblind. At least for him, the project was very much a matter of programming knowledge that he could not possess. Being unable to perceive color and color relationships does not equate to being unable to have knowledge of color and color relationships.
    - analog31 6y ago
      True. For instance there's knowledge that can't be directly perceived by any one individual, given variations in our sensory apparatus. Even among so called "normal" sighted people, the sensation of red varies from person to person. I have a normal sighted colleague, and there are "red" LED wavelengths that seem very bright to me, but he can barely see them. The color matching equipment is partly based on an accommodation of those variations.
    - glenstein 6y ago
      >Being unable to perceive color and color relationships does not equate to being unable to have knowledge of color and color relationships. Yeah, I think that was their point. Whatever 'knowledge' we think we have with qualia is actually something that, functionally, we seem to be able to get along without and do just fine. Which makes you wonder what functional purpose we don't have by not having 'qualia'.
- neatze 6y ago
  And we will NOT know what knowledge we have unless we program it.

goatlover 6y ago

Maybe, but since we don’t have that knowledge, we can’t program it.

analog31 6y ago
A friend of mine was the project manager for a project to develop one of the first color matching systems for paint stores. My friend is colorblind. At least for him, the project was very much a matter of programming knowledge that he could not possess. I've gotten color matching done at Home Depot, to get paint for repairing my house. It's uncanny.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > My friend is colorblind. At least for him, the project was very much a matter of programming knowledge that he could not possess. Being unable to perceive color and color relationships does not equate to being unable to have knowledge of color and color relationships.
  - analog31 6y ago
    True. For instance there's knowledge that can't be directly perceived by any one individual, given variations in our sensory apparatus. Even among so called "normal" sighted people, the sensation of red varies from person to person. I have a normal sighted colleague, and there are "red" LED wavelengths that seem very bright to me, but he can barely see them. The color matching equipment is partly based on an accommodation of those variations.
  - glenstein 6y ago
    >Being unable to perceive color and color relationships does not equate to being unable to have knowledge of color and color relationships. Yeah, I think that was their point. Whatever 'knowledge' we think we have with qualia is actually something that, functionally, we seem to be able to get along without and do just fine. Which makes you wonder what functional purpose we don't have by not having 'qualia'.
neatze 6y ago
And we will NOT know what knowledge we have unless we program it.