What if you and I see different colors? Like when I see red, it’s the same as when you see blue and vice versa? A classic Deep Thoughts thought experiment that isn’t actually that deep, because everyone thought of it when they were like 15. If we each saw different colors, there would be no way to know. End of thought experiment.
But here’s a deep thought. The fact that we see different colors is just a true fact about the world, and we have a way of knowing that it’s true. Because when I see red and green, they’re on opposite ends of the color sensory spectrum, while for other people the difference between red and green is much more subtle. We do have ways to compare private experiences! Take that, Wittgenstein!
Anyway, colorblind glasses. This is a product that supposedly helps colorblind people see color. I learned about them from a video by Anne Reardon. Reports on effectiveness seem pretty mixed, with some saying the it makes the colors look more vibrant, some saying it helps them perform better in color tests, and some saying it doesn’t make much difference at all.
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