Is Your Red The Same as My Red?

Summary

In this thought-provoking script, Michael from Vsauce explores the concept of color as an illusion, emphasizing that color perception is a creation of the brain rather than an external reality. He delves into the idea that our internal experiences of color are fundamentally private, using the 'Explanatory Gap' to illustrate the challenge of sharing raw feelings like pain or the perception of color. The script also touches on the philosophical debate about qualia and the possibility that language could one day bridge the gap in our understanding of each other's perceptions.

Takeaways

• 🌈 Color is an illusion; it doesn't exist in the external world but is created by our brains as they interpret the electromagnetic spectrum.
• 🤔 The concept of color is subjective and varies from person to person, as we can't directly experience or measure each other's internal color perceptions.
• 👀 Color blindness is one way in which color perception differs among individuals, but there could be more subtle variations that aren't detectable by standard tests.
• 💡 The idea that different people might see colors differently without any detectable performance differences is a fascinating possibility that challenges our understanding of perception.
• 🧠 Philosophers refer to the subjective experience of raw feelings like color as 'Qualia' and the inability to share these experiences is known as the 'Explanatory Gap'.
• 👁️‍🗨️ Tommy Edison, a blind YouTuber, shares his perspective on color, highlighting how sighted people's descriptions of color don't help him visualize it.
• 🤝 Some philosophers, like Daniel Dennett, argue that the privacy of qualia might be due to limitations in our language rather than an inherent barrier to communication.
• 🦜 The lack of a 'Theory of Mind' in animals, such as signing apes who never ask questions, suggests they don't understand that others have separate minds with different knowledge.
• 🧒 The 'Sally-Anne' test illustrates the development of 'Theory of Mind' in children, showing that young kids struggle to understand that others may have different information.
• 🌍 Our individual perceptions are unique and isolated, but our ability to ask questions and share our experiences is a distinctly human trait that connects us.

Q & A

What does the script suggest about the nature of color?

The script suggests that color is an illusion and does not exist in the outside world independently of our perception. It is created inside our heads as our brains convert certain wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum into the experience of color.

Why can't we measure the experience of color inside someone else's mind?

We can't measure the experience of color inside someone else's mind because it is a subjective, internal experience that is not directly observable or measurable. It is a personal perception that varies from individual to individual.

What is the 'Explanatory Gap' mentioned in the script?

The 'Explanatory Gap' refers to the philosophical problem of how physical processes in the brain can give rise to subjective experiences, or qualia. It highlights our inability to connect physical phenomena with raw feelings or to explain and share our own internal experiences.

How does the script illustrate the concept of qualia?

The script illustrates the concept of qualia by discussing the inability to share the exact experience of pain with an alien who has never felt it, despite understanding the biological processes involved. It also touches on the challenge of describing color to someone who has been blind from birth.

What is the 'Theory of Mind' and why is it significant in the context of the script?

The 'Theory of Mind' is the understanding that other individuals have separate minds with their own knowledge and information. It is significant in the script as it contrasts human curiosity and the ability to ask questions with the behavior of animals, like apes, who do not ask questions and may lack this understanding.

How does the script use the example of an alien to explain the concept of qualia?

The script uses the example of an alien who can speak English but has never felt pain to illustrate the concept of qualia. Even if the alien learns about the biological processes of pain, it can never actually feel it, highlighting the gap between understanding a concept and experiencing it.

What is the 'Sally-Anne' test and how does it relate to the script's discussion on the 'Theory of Mind'?

The 'Sally-Anne' test is an experiment used to determine when a child develops a 'Theory of Mind' by testing their understanding of others' beliefs and knowledge. The script relates this to the idea that humans and animals may differ in their ability to recognize that others have separate minds and can be sources of information.

Why does the script mention Tommy Edison and his YouTube channel?

Tommy Edison is mentioned as an example of someone who has never seen and tries to explain what colors are like from a blind person's perspective. His channel provides insights into the concept of qualia and the subjective nature of experiences that are difficult to convey to others.

What is the philosophical argument presented by Daniel Dennett regarding qualia?

Daniel Dennett argues that qualia may appear private and ineffable due to a failure of our language rather than because they are inherently impossible to share. He suggests that with a more precise language, it might be possible to describe experiences like color in a way that allows others to understand them.

How does the script conclude about the nature of human experience and curiosity?

The script concludes by emphasizing that while we are all alone with our perceptions and cannot directly share our internal experiences, our ability to ask questions and wonder about these concepts is a distinctly human trait that should be celebrated.