This whole Rush thing...

[chopper]

Define "blue".

[VRM]

Originally Posted by chopper

Define "blue".

Easy question for a guy who works with phone fibre...

Visible light in roughly the 450-500 nanometres range.



Steve

[chopper]

Not so easy.

Folks see colors differently. That's why you can go into an electronics shop where someone has tuned all of the TVs to look the same. They will all look the same to him but not to others, who will say that there are color variations between sets. (I worked in a television/appliance shop in an earlier life).

However, your question implies that the sky is a constant color, with the distinction being which constant color, and there is the misdirection.

It's like the question "what color is a polar bear", hence the requirement for a usable definition.

[VRM]

Chopper,
You are getting pretty much exactly where I was going as well.

The blue end of the spectrum is always the same. Those numbers can be measured by scientific equipment. Your perception (and mine) of that spectrum is what differs. And you are right - we need common usable definitions of things.

Mike does not need to convince me of any truth, but if he wants me to think the same thing as he does then the burden of proof IS on him. If he told me today that the sky is blue he would be wrong. Today the sky was grey, and there is nothing he can do to convince me otherwise. It works the same way in reversed roles. His sky might or might not have been blue today. I cannot prove or disprove it (to my satisfaction) without being there (and agreeing with what 'blue' actually is ).
We can get into all kinds of discussions about a priori and a posteriori knowledge, but I really doubt we are going to solve any dispute between Descartes (I had a rainy day cart, and you had a sunny day cart! ) and Locke here.


So Mike, what is your answer to your own question?

Steve

[Jamo]

phuk this...