Seeing red

[Angrboda]

When we think of color it is always as 'something' colored.  That's a composite perception.  If you want to call that an idea, I won't argue with it.  Are you going anyplace in particular with this?

I'm trying to understand your position.  That's all.  I can draw inferences or make arguments later, but for now, you and Rhythm have the floor and I just want to ask questions.

And I've been yielding to common usage, so I don't know how informative this would be.

As for redness.  I'm not sure about you, but I constantly see colored "static," for example in the dark.  I suppose if I consciously consider the very fine dots, I might think "That's a red dot," but I think I'm still perceiving all these little flashes of color even when I'm not conscious of them.

I don't see colored static, but I did have a similar experience. After I OD'ed on lithium, for several weeks afterward, whenever I would close my eyes, I would be overwhelmed by 'the perception' of colored static. In my case, it seemed connected to the way my brain was processing things, and not 'in the eyes' as it were, but I can't be sure. Regardless, as blind-sight cases show, we can perceive things without being conscious of them. However, as a matter of definition, I'd say that unless some part of the mind is aware of the phenomena (consciously or subconsciously), then you aren't actually perceiving it. I have a similar thing with the pain in my hands where my fingers were amputated. If I'm not paying attention to it, the sensation of pain disappears. Am I still perceiving it? I'd say no.