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Are English school children really taught that there are seven colours in the visible spectrum?

Started by	Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com>
First post	2016-06-23 20:24 +0100
Last post	2016-06-24 11:46 -0700
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#586345 — Are English school children really taught that there are seven colours in the visible spectrum?

From	Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com>
Date	2016-06-23 20:24 +0100
Subject	Are English school children really taught that there are seven colours in the visible spectrum?
Message-ID	<nkhd27$joq$1@news.albasani.net>

I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
school children are being taught that it's true:

   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36577208 .


-- 
A high and rising proportion of children are being born to mothers
least fitted to bring children into the world.... Some are of low
intelligence, most of low educational attainment. They are unlikely
to be able to give children the stable emotional background, the
consistent combination of love and firmness.... They are producing
problem children.... The balance of our human stock, is threatened...
		Sir Keith Joseph

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#586347

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-23 19:45 +0000
Message-ID	<hsqt3d-ldr.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586345

Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
> school children are being taught that it's true:

Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
having seven distinct color bands.


-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586381

From	Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com>
Date	2016-06-24 13:27 +0100
Message-ID	<nkj8vt$5vg$1@news.albasani.net>
In reply to	#586347

jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
> Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the
>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English
>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>
> Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
> having seven distinct color bands.

Really?!
>
>


-- 
A high and rising proportion of children are being born to mothers
least fitted to bring children into the world.... Some are of low
intelligence, most of low educational attainment. They are unlikely
to be able to give children the stable emotional background, the
consistent combination of love and firmness.... They are producing
problem children.... The balance of our human stock, is threatened...
		Sir Keith Joseph

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#586392

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-24 16:09 +0000
Message-ID	<uh204d-kj5.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586381

Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
> jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>> Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the
>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English
>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>
>> Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>> having seven distinct color bands.
> 
> Really?!

Yes.

For some reason I was thinking that there were 5 colors in a rainbow
so I looked at a couple of pictures. I see 7 distinct bands and I
know for a fact my color vision is perfectly normal.

"Rainbows span a continuous spectrum of colours. Any distinct bands
perceived are an artefact of human colour vision...".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586385

From	Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com>
Date	2016-06-24 08:56 -0400
Message-ID	<a8bqmbd5849lmgvg2kk0en9l2gl92goibn@4ax.com>
In reply to	#586347

On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:

>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>
>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>having seven distinct color bands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6490400-you-don-t-see-something-until-you-have-the-right-metaphor
"You don’t see something until you have the right metaphor to let you
perceive it"

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#586393

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-24 16:12 +0000
Message-ID	<qn204d-kj5.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586385

Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
> 
>>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>
>>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>>having seven distinct color bands.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
> The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
> related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
> made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
> perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
> distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
> language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
> words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.

The post was in English, so...


-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586512

From	Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com>
Date	2016-06-24 23:43 -0400
Message-ID	<gcvrmbl94e4enaea794h5rvb30v5arlc5b@4ax.com>
In reply to	#586393

On Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:12:10 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:

>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>> 
>>>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>>
>>>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>>>having seven distinct color bands.
>> 
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
>> The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
>> related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
>> made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
>> perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
>> distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
>> language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
>> words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.
>
>The post was in English, so...

"Colour" is English ...

... your problem is ...?

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#586536

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-25 05:06 +0000
Message-ID	<64g14d-e9a.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586512

Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:12:10 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
> 
>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>> 
>>>>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>>>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>>>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>>>
>>>>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>>>>having seven distinct color bands.
>>> 
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
>>> The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
>>> related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
>>> made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
>>> perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
>>> distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
>>> language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
>>> words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.
>>
>>The post was in English, so...
> 
> "Colour" is English ...

So are the subject school children.
 
> ... your problem is ...?

I need to find a good stucco contractor.


-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586578

From	Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com>
Date	2016-06-25 10:52 -0400
Message-ID	<mj6tmb9d7e3oieg2o1mlmngfo7hop9gsnd@4ax.com>
In reply to	#586536

On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 05:06:46 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:

>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:12:10 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>> 
>>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>>>>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>>>>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>>>>
>>>>>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>>>>>having seven distinct color bands.
>>>> 
>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
>>>> The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
>>>> related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
>>>> made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
>>>> perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
>>>> distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
>>>> language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
>>>> words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.
>>>
>>>The post was in English, so...
>> 
>> "Colour" is English ...
>
>So are the subject school children.
> 
>> ... your problem is ...?
>
>I need to find a good stucco contractor.

The point you were trying to make in your first reply to me remains
cryptic.

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#586586

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-25 15:28 +0000
Message-ID	<7hk24d-tae.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586578

Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 05:06:46 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
> 
>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>> On Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:12:10 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>> 
>>>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>>>>>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>>>>>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>>>>>>having seven distinct color bands.
>>>>> 
>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
>>>>> The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
>>>>> related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
>>>>> made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
>>>>> perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
>>>>> distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
>>>>> language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
>>>>> words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.
>>>>
>>>>The post was in English, so...
>>> 
>>> "Colour" is English ...
>>
>>So are the subject school children.
>> 
>>> ... your problem is ...?
>>
>>I need to find a good stucco contractor.
> 
> The point you were trying to make in your first reply to me remains
> cryptic.

"...whose language has fewer colour words..."

I highly doubt English school children speak much of anything other
than English.


-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586615

From	Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com>
Date	2016-06-25 13:15 -0400
Message-ID	<sudtmbd6nj3b7ok25fdf397ecj9g6roqbr@4ax.com>
In reply to	#586586

On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 15:28:07 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:

>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>> On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 05:06:46 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>> 
>>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:12:10 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>>>>> On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:45:53 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>>>>>>>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>>>>>>>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Perhaps because humans with normal color vision perceive a rainbow as
>>>>>>>having seven distinct color bands.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
>>>>>> The question of whether everyone sees seven colours in a rainbow is
>>>>>> related to the idea of Linguistic relativity. Suggestions have been
>>>>>> made that there is universality in the way that a rainbow is
>>>>>> perceived. However, more recent research suggests that the number of
>>>>>> distinct colours observed and what these are called depend on the
>>>>>> language that one uses with people whose language has fewer colour
>>>>>> words seeing fewer discrete colour bands.
>>>>>
>>>>>The post was in English, so...
>>>> 
>>>> "Colour" is English ...
>>>
>>>So are the subject school children.
>>> 
>>>> ... your problem is ...?
>>>
>>>I need to find a good stucco contractor.
>> 
>> The point you were trying to make in your first reply to me remains
>> cryptic.
>
>"...whose language has fewer colour words..."
>
>I highly doubt English school children speak much of anything other
>than English.

The vocabulary of school children enlarges as they progress through
school; or, it should.

Mark's link was about "a class of 11-year-olds."

The language of an 11-year-old probably contains "fewer colour words"
than a tenth-grader's.

But it seems 11-year-olds are expected to encounter the word "indigo":

https://www.flocabulary.com/wordlists/
Word Up Level Indigo - 5th Grade Vocabulary Word List

... perhaps for the purpose of indoctrination with Newton's mysticism
that the number of colors in the rainbow must harmonize with the
number of known Solar System objects in the 17th century.

Next up: rediscovering Newton's alchemy.

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#586665

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-25 20:15 +0000
Message-ID	<ic534d-j0g.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586615

Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 15:28:07 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:

<snip> 

>>I highly doubt English school children speak much of anything other
>>than English.
> 
> The vocabulary of school children enlarges as they progress through
> school; or, it should.

Vocabulary and foreign languages are two different things.

> Mark's link was about "a class of 11-year-olds."
> 
> The language of an 11-year-old probably contains "fewer colour words"
> than a tenth-grader's.
> 
> But it seems 11-year-olds are expected to encounter the word "indigo":

An 11-year-old should be in about 6th grade and have learned all the
colors by about 3rd grade.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp

Click on "Visual and Performing Arts, Adopted January 2001" for the
curriculum for prekindergarden through grade 12 and go to the section
on visual arts.

-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586686

From	Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com>
Date	2016-06-25 17:49 -0400
Message-ID	<bdutmb94p96de5mqat2r23car7tshl5dbu@4ax.com>
In reply to	#586665

On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 20:15:46 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:

>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>> On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 15:28:07 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>
><snip> 
>
>>>I highly doubt English school children speak much of anything other
>>>than English.
>> 
>> The vocabulary of school children enlarges as they progress through
>> school; or, it should.
>
>Vocabulary and foreign languages are two different things.

You are the one who brought foreign languages into the discussion.

Do you think the language of 5-year-olds is the same as the language
of typical adults?

Compare how many times one hears the phrase "you're a poopy head" on a
playground with its frequency in a board room.

>> Mark's link was about "a class of 11-year-olds."
>> 
>> The language of an 11-year-old probably contains "fewer colour words"
>> than a tenth-grader's.
>> 
>> But it seems 11-year-olds are expected to encounter the word "indigo":
>
>An 11-year-old should be in about 6th grade and have learned all the
>colors by about 3rd grade.

"All the colors?" RGB with 8 bits each is 16+ million colors. They
don't all have names; and RGB can't produce all named colors.

>http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp
>
>Click on "Visual and Performing Arts, Adopted January 2001" for the
>curriculum for prekindergarden through grade 12 and go to the section
>on visual arts.

I already acknowleged that 11-year-olds may have a definition for
"indigo."

I wonder how many of them ever called it by name when they saw it.

It is doubtful that either of us used indigo in a coloring book as
children:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Crayola_crayon_colors
 Indigo:	Produced 1999 - present.

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#586694

From	jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date	2016-06-25 22:35 +0000
Message-ID	<8jd34d-dng.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to	#586686

Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 20:15:46 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
> 
>>Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com> wrote:
>>> On Sat, 25 Jun 2016 15:28:07 -0000, jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com wrote:
>>
>><snip> 
>>
>>>>I highly doubt English school children speak much of anything other
>>>>than English.
>>> 
>>> The vocabulary of school children enlarges as they progress through
>>> school; or, it should.
>>
>>Vocabulary and foreign languages are two different things.
> 
> You are the one who brought foreign languages into the discussion.

Nope, it was whoever brought up language in the first place.

> Do you think the language of 5-year-olds is the same as the language
> of typical adults?

Previously the standard was 11-year-old, which most certainly have
the samd language for colors as adults.

> Compare how many times one hears the phrase "you're a poopy head" on a
> playground with its frequency in a board room.

Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange are the same in both places.

>>> Mark's link was about "a class of 11-year-olds."
>>> 
>>> The language of an 11-year-old probably contains "fewer colour words"
>>> than a tenth-grader's.
>>> 
>>> But it seems 11-year-olds are expected to encounter the word "indigo":
>>
>>An 11-year-old should be in about 6th grade and have learned all the
>>colors by about 3rd grade.
> 
> "All the colors?" RGB with 8 bits each is 16+ million colors. They
> don't all have names; and RGB can't produce all named colors.

OK, the primary colors and the colors you can get by mixing them.

Did I REALLY have to state that?

>>http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp
>>
>>Click on "Visual and Performing Arts, Adopted January 2001" for the
>>curriculum for prekindergarden through grade 12 and go to the section
>>on visual arts.
> 
> I already acknowleged that 11-year-olds may have a definition for
> "indigo."
> 
> I wonder how many of them ever called it by name when they saw it.

My guess is most people that are not arty types would call it bluish
purple, including adults, but it is irrelevant what you call it.

> 
> It is doubtful that either of us used indigo in a coloring book as
> children:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Crayola_crayon_colors
>  Indigo:        Produced 1999 - present.
 
Part of the curriculum for the first few grades is mixing primary colors
to get other colors.

 

-- 
Jim Pennino

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#586349

From	moroney@world.std.spaamtrap.com (Michael Moroney)
Date	2016-06-23 20:14 +0000
Message-ID	<nkhfvf$cgh$1@pcls7.std.com>
In reply to	#586345

Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> writes:

>I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English 
>school children are being taught that it's true:

From what I have read several places, what children learn about colors and
where the "boundary" between colors is is very dependent on language/culture
and what they are taught when young.  If those English children are taught
consistently that there are seven colors in a rainbow, they will see seven
colors.  If they are taught there are four colors, they will see four
colors.  One description I remember is there is a tribe in Africa that have
rather few words for different colors.  One is essentially "dark" and
includes everything from black to brown to dark gray to navy blue.  If you
flash them a navy blue card and then a dark brown card and ask if the two
cards are the same color they will answer yes. But if you show the cards
side by side they can tell they are different.

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#586353

From	benj <benj@nobody.net>
Date	2016-06-23 17:48 -0400
Message-ID	<576c5924$0$31385$c3e8da3$dd9697d2@news.astraweb.com>
In reply to	#586349

On 6/23/2016 4:14 PM, Michael Moroney wrote:
> Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> writes:
>
>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the
>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).  It seems that English
>> school children are being taught that it's true:
>
>  From what I have read several places, what children learn about colors and
> where the "boundary" between colors is is very dependent on language/culture
> and what they are taught when young.  If those English children are taught
> consistently that there are seven colors in a rainbow, they will see seven
> colors.  If they are taught there are four colors, they will see four
> colors.  One description I remember is there is a tribe in Africa that have
> rather few words for different colors.  One is essentially "dark" and
> includes everything from black to brown to dark gray to navy blue.  If you
> flash them a navy blue card and then a dark brown card and ask if the two
> cards are the same color they will answer yes. But if you show the cards
> side by side they can tell they are different.
>

BJ Quacked:

Which just shows that things in science are often not as simple as they 
seem (or are taught). Colors from a physics viewpoint are simply 
different frequencies of light. But "color" (Coulour in the Yoo Kay) is 
both a physiological and psychological phenomena. Physiologically the 
way your eye senses color allows one for example to perceive most (but 
not all as everybody here should know) colors using a combination of 
just three "primary" colors. Your TV, computer or phone does this. But 
there are also psychological effects. For example one sees brown as a 
"color", but what is the frequency of "brown"? Use a prism to split 
white light and brown isn't one of the frequencies. We used to joke 
about building "brown" lasers...they work at bullshit frequencies.

If you want to know more ask a journalist like HVAC or the writers at 
phys.org they know everything about brown.

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#586389

From	Sergio <invalid@invalid.com>
Date	2016-06-24 10:19 -0500
Message-ID	<nkjj30$13ek$1@gioia.aioe.org>
In reply to	#586353

On 6/23/2016 4:48 PM, benj wrote:
> On 6/23/2016 4:14 PM, Michael Moroney wrote:
>> Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> writes:

>
> BJ Quacked:
>
> Which just shows that things in science are often not as simple as they
> seem (or are taught). Colors from a physics viewpoint are simply
> different frequencies of light. But "color" (Coulour in the Yoo Kay) is
> both a physiological and psychological phenomena. Physiologically the
> way your eye senses color allows one for example to perceive most (but
> not all as everybody here should know) colors using a combination of
> just three "primary" colors. Your TV, computer or phone does this. But
> there are also psychological effects. For example one sees brown as a
> "color", but what is the frequency of "brown"? Use a prism to split
> white light and brown isn't one of the frequencies. We used to joke
> about building "brown" lasers...they work at bullshit frequencies.

> If you want to know more ask a journalist like HVAC or the writers at
> phys.org they know everything about brown.


Look, the US Supreme Court Just Ruled that a persons COLOR Must be used 
in Admissions to all colleges.

If your are Brown or Black, you are IN,  WHite is right out.

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#586420

From	Archimedes Plutonium <plutonium.archimedes@gmail.com>
Date	2016-06-24 14:03 -0700
Message-ID	<8f2a6da0-ffda-4298-a5fa-98ccb4925ac0@googlegroups.com>
In reply to	#586389

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#586400

From	moroney@world.std.spaamtrap.com (Michael Moroney)
Date	2016-06-24 18:42 +0000
Message-ID	<nkjuud$9o7$1@pcls7.std.com>
In reply to	#586345

Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).

The Wikipedia rainbow article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow states
Newton initially used five colors but later added orange and indigo because
the number seven was considered special (musical notes, (known) objects in
solar system, days of week) at the time.

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#586513

From	Wally W. <ww84wa@aim.com>
Date	2016-06-24 23:49 -0400
Message-ID	<3hvrmbhhq0aatg1mrhkt7cfk7rbfprvut9@4ax.com>
In reply to	#586400

On Fri, 24 Jun 2016 18:42:21 +0000 (UTC), Michael Moroney wrote:

>Peter Percival <peterxpercival@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I know that Newton pretended that there were seven colours in the 
>> rainbow (presumably he didn't really believe it).
>
>The Wikipedia rainbow article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow states
>Newton initially used five colors but later added orange and indigo because
>the number seven was considered special (musical notes, (known) objects in
>solar system, days of week) at the time.

... so the quantity was based more on mysticism than perception.

Also from the wiki article:
According to Isaac Asimov, "It is customary to list indigo as a color
lying between blue and violet, but it has never seemed to me that
indigo is worth the dignity of being considered a separate color. To
my eyes it seems merely deep blue."

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Are English school children really taught that there are seven colours in the visible spectrum?

Contents

#586345 — Are English school children really taught that there are seven colours in the visible spectrum?

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#586513