How Can I Imagine a New Color?

Imagine a world where you can see a range of colors never before seen. But how can we truly imagine a new color if we don't have more than three types of cone cells in our eyes? It's like asking how a 2D creature would perceive a 3D world—our brain can't naturally comprehend it. However, by understanding the limitations of our visual system, we can explore the potential for new color experiences.

Limitations of Human Vision

The world as we know it can be quite limited for those with fewer cone cells. A dichromatic person, like a color blind person, or a dog, which has two types of cone cells, perceives the world through a narrower spectrum. This results in a stark contrast to the more vivid colors a typical human sees. Imagine a world where colors are simplified to shades of orange, blue, and a bland palette. Suddenly, the world changes as you gain a fourth type of cone cell. Suddenly, you can differentiate between red and green, which might have previously looked like an ambiguous shade of orange or blue.

Many birds and reptiles have four types of cone cells, but they might not appreciate the new colors as we do. The experience of a new color is subjective and tied to our individual sensory experience. As long as our experience is restricted by our eyes' receptors to wavelengths within the range of approximately 380 to 700 nanometers, we can mix and experience various colors within this range, but any color outside this range would be beyond our perceptual capacity.

Pantone and the Spectrum of Color

The Pantone color system, used widely in industrial settings, comprises over 3000 identified colors. If you were to explore this vast palette, you might not find a color that is entirely new. Instead, any new color would be a variant or a mix of existing colors. For example, a new color might be described as "reddish purplish—bluish." The experience of a new color would also be influenced by the limitations of our language and imagination.

The Tetrachromat and Beyond

Elusive as it may seem, the concept of a tetrachromat, a person with four types of cone cells, has been discussed. However, we don't know if they experience a brand new color or simply perceive a greater variety of shades. The term 'color imagination' is a fascinating concept that delves into the subjective nature of seeing color. Until we can better understand the neurological basis of color perception, exploring the edges of human color consciousness remains an intriguing challenge.

Final Thoughts

So, can we imagine a new color? While the experience of color is a qualitative and subjective awareness, the current constraints of our sensory system make it difficult to imagine truly new colors. Any new color would be a mix of existing colors, limited by the range of color receptors in our eyes. Our ability to perceive and name colors is inherently bound by these biological limits, making the exploration of color an ever-evolving journey of discovery and imagination.

Stay curious and continue to explore the vast spectrum of colors around you. Remember that every color you see is a unique blend within the boundaries of human perception.

Additional Resources

To learn more about color perception and the science behind it, visit the following resources:

Color Theory Basics Color Perception and Human Brain Tetrachromats and Color Perception