The Accountant Before the Sphinx: The Problem of the New Systematics of Color Perception

Introduction

In "The Accountant Before the Sphinx", Henrique Goldkorn takes readers on a fascinating journey through the history of color perception, from the ancient Greeks to the present day. Goldkorn argues that the way we see and understand color is not simply a matter of biology, but is also shaped by culture, history, and technology.

The History of Color Perception

Goldkorn begins by examining the history of color perception in Western thought. He shows how the ancient Greeks and Romans had a very different understanding of color than we do today. For them, color was not simply a property of objects, but was also a symbol of moral and spiritual qualities.

In the Middle Ages, color theory was largely based on the writings of Aristotle and Ptolemy. These philosophers believed that color was a mixture of light and dark, and that the different colors of the rainbow were caused by the different proportions of light and dark in each color.

During the Renaissance, there was a renewed interest in color theory, and artists began to experiment with new ways of representing color in their paintings. This led to the development of new color mixing techniques, and to a greater understanding of the relationship between color and light.

The New Systematics of Color Perception

In the 19th century, a new system of color perception was developed by the German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. Helmholtz's system was based on the idea that color is a sensation that is created by the brain in response to the different wavelengths of light that enter the eye.

Helmholtz's system of color perception is still the dominant model today, and it has been used to explain a wide range of phenomena, from the way we see colors to the way we perceive colorblindness. However, Goldkorn argues that Helmholtz's system is not complete, and that it does not account for the role of culture, history, and technology in color perception.

The Problem of the New Systematics of Color Perception

Goldkorn argues that the new systematics of color perception is too focused on the physical properties of color, and that it does not take into account the way that color is experienced by humans. He argues that color is not simply a matter of physics, but is also a matter of culture, history, and technology.

Goldkorn gives several examples of how culture, history, and technology have shaped the way we see and understand color. For example, he shows how the ancient Greeks associated certain colors with certain moral and spiritual qualities, and how the development of new color mixing techniques in the Renaissance led to a new understanding of the relationship between color and light.

Goldkorn concludes by arguing that the new systematics of color perception is a valuable tool for understanding the physical properties of color, but that it is not sufficient for understanding the way that color is experienced by humans. He calls for a new approach to color perception that takes into account the role of culture, history, and technology.

Conclusion

"The Accountant Before the Sphinx" is a fascinating and thought-provoking book that challenges our understanding of color perception. Goldkorn's interdisciplinary approach draws on a wide range of sources, from philosophy to art history to physics, to provide a comprehensive and nuanced account of the history of color perception. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of science, the philosophy of perception, or the nature of color.