Classic Question

[makaveli121212]

How do you explain light/darkness/color to a blind person (that has always been blind)

[Moogy]

Darkness is what they "see".
Light is the opposite of what they "see".
Color is impossible to explain.

[lightdarkness]

I dont think you can.

I know someone who has been blind from a very young age, and they say they dont think about color.

[makaveli121212]

moogy, theyre blind, they dont see, i dont know if they can even percieve that they are in darkness, but i dont know any blind people

[perfect_fat]

I dont think you can.

I know someone who has been blind from a very young age, and they say they dont think about color.

And that's why the blind are such terrible dressers.

I've got an experiment for you. Hold up your hand (like you're telling somebody to step off). What do you see out of that hand?

That's what it's like for some blind people. Their eyes just don't work. For others, they can see, but just barely, maybe just shadows. So, I guess it defends on your definition of blind.

[User6773]

I've got another blindness-simulating experiment for you. Close your eyes.









On a more serious note, to try to explain color to a blind person is to try to explain something outside the realm of their understanding.

Imagine a race of people where every 5 or 6 people are all controlled by one mind. Now ask one of them what it's like to be 6 people. They won't be able to put it into words (because they can't explain to someone who doesn't understand how they feel) and you won't be able to understand it (because you can't feel how they feel.)

Which just proves that to fully empathize with someone you have to understand them.

[Omeganitros]

You fix their eyesight using a laser and a magnifying glass and then you say "Here, that's what everything looks like." Shortly afterwards, he will either be overwhelmed by everything he's seeing, or his eyes will explode from using the laser and magnifying glass incorrectly. Either way, he learns color.

That's what Superman did, in one of his black and white tv shows (viewable on TV Land).

But yeah, you cant teach a blind man color. Same thing with teaching someone psychic powers to one who has none.

[perfect_fat]

And same as teaching a right winger compassion, it's just out of their realm of understanding.

[Moogy]

Haha, nice analogy.

[mike100]

"I've got another blindness-simulating experiment for you. Close your eyes.









On a more serious note, to try to explain color to a blind person is to try to explain something outside the realm of their understanding.

Imagine a race of people where every 5 or 6 people are all controlled by one mind. Now ask one of them what it's like to be 6 people. They won't be able to put it into words (because they can't explain to someone who doesn't understand how they feel) and you won't be able to understand it (because you can't feel how they feel.)

Which just proves that to fully empathize with someone you have to understand them."



...wait what'd you say after "close your eyes"?

[mike100]

hmmm lemme figure out how to quote people....[quote]

[mike100]

...lol hmmm

Close your eyes.

[mike100]

[I am typing...]Hello.[/quote]

[mike100]

I wrote:[/quote]Grrrrr[quote]

[mike100]

Haha, nice analogy.

YESSS finally, i found the damn button. I'll stop now.