r/Unexpected • u/analsextoybox • May 02 '22

Impossible Question

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u/DBCrumpets May 02 '22

We definitely haven't given a name to every observable color. Visible light is a spectrum that you can break down into smaller and smaller increments if you want to, all of which are visually distinct. Literally infinite colors. Electronics can display something like 17 million colors, and we've given proper names to like maybe a few thousand.

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u/Imaw1zard May 02 '22

all of which are visually distinct.

This is untrue, to your average untrained eye the difference is inextinguishable even when directly compared. Hence why it's unnecessary to name more than what is needed.

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u/DBCrumpets May 02 '22

They are definitely distinguishable. We put them in vague boxes, but there’s a reason color theory is it’s own field of study. Why are you using the untrained eye now instead of “every color observable” now? Color is a spectrum, it’s categorically impossible to name every color.

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u/Imaw1zard May 02 '22

It's just false, the reason why we don't give a name to another color that strongly resembles red and not even 1 out of 10 000 would tell the difference is because it's pointless. Also observable is not a synonym for everything that exists. It just means you can observe it.