Movies, mirrors, and metamers: experiencing the manifestation conditions of color

William A. Sharp (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)

Abstract: On a traditional view, color experience consists in representing objects as having reflectance properties. I argue this view issues unpalatable verdicts regarding the veridicality of experiences had at the cinema, looking in the mirror, and seeing surfaces transplanted from conditions in which they are metamers to conditions in which they are not. I propose an amendment to the view according to which color experience consists in representing surfaces as reflecting various proportions of light. The amendment is more ecumenical; enjoys intuitive support; and squares better with extant motivations of the traditional view.