Is Color Perception Truly Universal?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the nature of color perception and the concept of the universe's expansion, questioning whether color experiences are universal and proposing alternative models of cosmic dynamics. It encompasses philosophical considerations, personal theories, and scientific explanations related to perception and cosmology.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that individual color perception may differ fundamentally, questioning if what one person sees as blue could be perceived as red by another, despite using the same terminology.
  • Another participant references common thoughts on color perception and links to external discussions on the topic.
  • A participant asserts that colors have specific frequencies that do not change regardless of individual perception, emphasizing the objective nature of color wavelengths.
  • There is a proposal that instead of the universe expanding, everything within it could be shrinking, which would yield similar observational effects as expansion.
  • One participant challenges the speculative nature of personal theories, stating that such posts are not permitted in the discussion.
  • Another participant elaborates on the concept of spectrum inversion, clarifying misconceptions and discussing the implications of color naming and perception.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of color perception, with some arguing for objective frequencies while others propose subjective interpretations. The discussion on the universe's expansion versus contraction remains unresolved, with competing models presented without consensus.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the potential misunderstanding of color perception terminology and the speculative nature of alternative cosmological models. The discussion does not resolve the complexities of individual perception versus objective measurement.

ZeroChaos
I got two different things here so bare with me.

First let's start with colors. What if the color blue or at least the color you know as blue is really the color red to me or black to the next guy. you may see blue i may see red but i call it blue and you call it blue because its the same color as what we were always told was the color blue. We were always told that the color of grass was green and that the sky was blue and the color red was actually the color red. but it all comes down to what each one of us sees individually does it not?

Now for the universe. What if instead of expanding the universe is staying the same but everything inside of it is getting smaller? I'm sure someone has thought of that before. would it not be exactly the same as if it were expanding though? it could get infinitely small but size would only be relative to us inside this infinitely small universe.
 
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ZeroChaos said:
I got two different things here so bare with me.

First let's start with colors. What if the color blue or at least the color you know as blue is really the color red to me or black to the next guy. you may see blue i may see red but i call it blue and you call it blue because its the same color as what we were always told was the color blue. We were always told that the color of grass was green and that the sky was blue and the color red was actually the color red. but it all comes down to what each one of us sees individually does it not?
No. Colors have actual frequencies. If you have a defect that makes you perceive the color dfferently, the frequency of the color does not actually change.

1-27 FREQUENCIES AND WAVELENGTHS Compared to sound waves, the frequency of light waves is very high and the wavelength is very short. To measure these wavelengths more conveniently, a special unit of measure called an ANGSTROM UNIT, or more usually, an ANGSTROM ( ZDV GHYLVHG $QRWKHU FRPPRQ XQLW XVHG WR measure these waves is the millimicron (P ZKLFK LV RQH PLOOLRQWK RI D PLOOLPHWHU 2QH P) HTXDOV WHQ angstroms. One angstrom equals 1055-10m. Q33. What unit is used to measure the different wavelengths of light? FREQUENCIES AND COLOR For our discussion of light wave waves, we will use the millimicron measurement. The wavelength of a light determines the color of the light. Figure 1-18 indicates that light with a wavelength of 700 millimicrons is red, and that light with a wavelength of 500 millimicrons is blue-green. This illustration shows approximate wavelengths of the different colors in the visible spectrum. In actual fact, the color of light depends on its frequency, not its wavelength.

http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/14182/css/14182_39.htm

Now for the universe. What if instead of expanding the universe is staying the same but everything inside of it is getting smaller? I'm sure someone has thought of that before. would it not be exactly the same as if it were expanding though? it could get infinitely small but size would only be relative to us inside this infinitely small universe.
Personal theories and overly speculative posts are not allowed here.
 
Evo said:
No. Colors have actual frequencies. If you have a defect that makes you perceive the color dfferently, the frequency of the color does not actually change.



http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/14182/css/14182_39.htm

Personal theories and overly speculative posts are not allowed here.

Apeiron, I believe that you are taking a basic misconception on the OP's part and making more of it than is there.

Philosophy is stuck with the terminology of ‘spectrum inversion’, but it is potentially misleading.[10] First, a spectrum inversion scenario sounds like one which inverts either the spectrum or the colors of objects, but it actually inverts neither. In a typical spectrum inversion scenario, the spectral band 650-700nm remains red, and lemons remain yellow.[11]

Second, even when properly taken as an inversion of experiences, one might suppose that the “spectrum inversion” function corresponds to flipping the spectrum over. That is, using the traditional names for the spectral bands, one might suppose the function maps red to violet, orange to indigo, yellow to blue, green to green, blue to yellow, indigo to orange, and violet to red. However, this is not the usual sort of inversion scenario (red is not mapped to green, for example). Further, this function is not defined for all hues. Many hues — in particular, a large range of “extra-spectral” purples — are not found in the spectrum.
 

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