Gregory Todd Williams

Via Kottke comes this rather incredible article about a study of synesthetes, in particular a colorblind synesthete. This is one of the craziest things I’ve ever read. The crux of the issue is described:

We also observed one case in which we believe cross activation enables a colorblind synesthete to see numbers tinged with hues he otherwise cannot perceive.

I seem to recall writing a philosophy paper as an undergrad that dealt with color perception, arguing that something like this should be possible. My argument was rather poor, but the idea stuck with me and I’m fascinated that a study like this shows it’s possible. Talking with Derek (a synesthete), I wondered if non-colorblind synesthetes experience colors that only tetrachromats can actually see. He said,

i often find myself at a loss to accurately describe the colors and certainly if i try to recreate them, in say a word processor, they never quite come out right

Thoroughly fascinating.