Is your red the same red as everyone else's red?

Question

When I look at traffic lights I see red, amber, green now that is because I've been taught that's what colour they are. How do we know that although we realise our red is red but what if someone sees our red as our blue but knows it as red etc.

Sounds ridiculous but has anyone ever done a test on this if possible?

Answer 1

Favourite answer

There is no way to test that what you see as red (i,e what your brain interprets as red) is the same (i.e identical) as what other people see.

The nearest test is that for colour blindness

Answer 2

its a very valid question and I dont think there's any way to truly know. From a young age we are shown a colour and told that it is red. 'Red' is just a descripton for what we have been shown and associated to that word, there is no way of knowing that how we percieve that spectrum of light is that same as others percieve it, its all related to how our eyes and brain interpret the light being bounced off the item in question.

I'm not sure if there is anyway to test it though...

Answer 3

You learn that a certain wavelength of radiation detected by you eye is 'red'(the colour of sunset and blood traffic stop lights) and so does every person and animals with colour vision (birds and suchlike).That's it and all you need to know.

Answer 4

This question is extremely popular. The answer is that no-one knows... it is entirely subjective... Red is red, and that';s all anyone can say !

Source(s): psychology, philosophy, subjectivity / objectivity

Answer 5

Red is red and will always be red, unless one is colour blind.

Answer 6

Yes, it is.Everybody sees the same color the same way.I can prove it to you if you want.You didn't ask for proof so.....