Is what you see as red the same as what I see as red?

Question

I know this is an old chestnut but as I have been asking a series of question about colour I thought this tied-in. This will be my last colour related question for the time being.

Answer 1

I understand the point of your question, but the simple answer is 'yes'. Given the lack of human genetic variation and subsequently the lack of different ways you can build a person, unless you have a medical condition, in all liklihood you will see red in the same way I do.

If you were a goose, I suspect the answer would be different.

Sorry to be boring.

Answer 2

Well, yes unless one of us is colourblind. Red is the name given the light evoked by the part of the spectrum with fairly long wavelengths. I suppose you could argue that it isn't red until we see it, and so it theoretically has the potential to be different to everyone (which I guess is what you're getting at), but the wavelengths will always be the same, so therefore red exists as more than a perceived colour; perception can't take away the science.

Answer 3

The colour behind your head is the only red I ever see.

Answer 4

I see blue as red, is that what you see red as?

Answer 5

"red" is merely the label that we (as a society) agree to use for a variety of wavelengths of light.  much like "chair".  if you have a different idea of what "red" and "chair" are, than we have to communicate that difference before we can understand each other.  this is part of the roots of language.

consider reading aristotle's "categories"

actually, sally's post is a good starting point for why we need to communicate about the differences we have in defining terms

Answer 6

It all depend on your family teaching! we do not see colors,we are  told of them(when child if they told you the red is yellow you would have followed their belief)now I'm sitting on a chair(I may be sitting on a lion if instead of chair they thought me lion)

Answer 7

depends what your looking at

Answer 8

An old chestnut maybe but a good question nevertheless.Two aspects to it of course : philosophical (as in "Is your reality the same as mine ??) and scientific (as in does your retina register the same incoming wavelength as I do and does it transmit the same sensation to whichever synapses we use to interpret the colour.)

We cannot know with absolute certainty (to the nth degree) that my red is your red but over time if we both consistently call the same wavelength of light by the same name we are probably close enough.I would instinctively name the colour background of your atavar as a "red".  

The name "red" is arbitrary and language dependent but think about how small children learn about colours.Parents show them a colour.It registers in the brain.Kids perceive the colour and associate the name they are given with the sensation/what they perceive.This is repeated with people/kids not originally involved in the "what colour is this" dialogue.So we can infer that all people who see red see the same red.  

Answer 9

well i cant see wot u see but ur pic the background colour is wot id call red

Answer 10

HI I dont really know, as you havent given me somthing that you see as red to see if I see it as red if you know what I mean.

I was always curious as to what colour blind people see other colours as etc,

So if your asking me if I see red like you see red well if the Yahoo uk and ireland sign is red to you then its red to me.

But sometimes i have been told that I see certain reds as orange so I dont know lol  

Answer 11

Yes if we describe it in English. You'll be in problem when some from other language would differ or refuse to accept a red as red!