Is light really light outside the human brain?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the philosophical implications of light perception, asserting that color and brightness are sensations created by the human brain rather than properties of the external universe. Participants explore the concept that the universe may be entirely devoid of color and brightness outside of conscious perception. The conversation also touches on the role of instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in interpreting light, questioning whether the data they provide can be considered valid if the universe is perceived as "black" without a mind to interpret it. This line of reasoning is identified as solipsism, a philosophical stance that has been critiqued for its lack of practical utility.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts related to light and wavelengths
  • Familiarity with philosophical concepts, particularly solipsism
  • Knowledge of sensory perception and its implications in cognitive science
  • Awareness of astronomical instruments like the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the philosophical implications of solipsism and its critiques
  • Explore the physics of light, including wave-particle duality
  • Investigate the role of perception in cognitive science
  • Learn about the capabilities and findings of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
USEFUL FOR

Philosophers, cognitive scientists, astronomers, and anyone interested in the intersection of perception and reality.

zeromodz
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We know that color is a sensation in the brain from interpreting different wavelengths of light. Therefore, color does not actually exist in the real external universe. Why not take it a step further and say that the sensation of brightness is a human concept. Not that actual magnitude of brightness, but the notion of interpreting brightness just as we interpret colors.

What if the entire universe is completely black outside the human mind (Or any organism's mind), and light is just a wave with different frequencies that in reality, doesn't reveal anything? What do you think?
 
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zeromodz said:
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What if the entire universe is completely black outside the human mind (Or any organism's mind), and light is just a wave with different frequencies that in reality, doesn't reveal anything? What do you think?

Well, it seems that "black" is a reasonable description if there is no mind or eye to perceive light from sources in the universe. But how do you blend instruments such as the HST into your thinking about this? Should we discount whatever it reveals to us? I'm confused...

OF
 
This line of reasoning is called solipism, it's almost 2000 years old, and it is not physics, it is philosophy. (And bad philosophy at that, because it's sterile - it doesn't teach us much that is useful).
 

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