[MD] Helpcolour recognition

[ian glendinning]

DM,

Distinguishing between wavelengths of light is pretty well
physiological (bio-evolved, hard-wired, with physical exceptions) but
recognising and naming "the same" colours is a whole other
psycho-cultural ball game. "Mary the colour scientist", and several
"Qualia reversal / Spectrum reversal" thought experiments are
legendary in this area.

Searle / Pinker / Dennett / Chalmers / Blackmore all refer
philosophically, but others like James Austin / Adam Zeman and others
have published much research on the physiongnomy side too.

Ian

On 12/7/05, David M <davidint at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi folks
>
> Can anyone help?
>
> Now I understand that colour recogntion ability is
> hard wired into the eyes and brain. Yet naming colours is
> a cultural phenomenon/SQ.
>
> For example, I heard about a tribe that had no distinction
> between black and blue and that when the anthropolgists
> showed them the line on a card between a black and
> a blue half the tribe folks could not see a thing and said
> it is all the same colour.
>
> Anyone know of any work done on the brains reactions
> to colour, neurons firing when colours change, to show if
> there is a link between culture and the brain's ability to
> differentiate between colours.
>
> DM
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