Nonconceptual color perception

Abstract

Abstract This chapter argues that babies between 6 months and 11 months have color perception without color concepts. It discusses perceptual categories, color constancy, and whether adults have conceptual color perception or both nonconceptual and conceptual color perception. The chapter argues that at least some perceptual representation is nonconceptual in both infants and adults, so even if some perception is conceptual, perception is not constitutively conceptual. The argument relies on an extended example. Babies between the ages of 4–6 months and 11–12 months have near-adult level color discrimination—though perhaps without adult level color constancy—and have perceptual category representations. But they normally lack color cognition or color concepts (or even color proto-concepts), including the concept of color and the concepts of specific colors. The argument in this chapter depends on a three-way distinction among color category representations: (1) nonconceptual color category representations, which develop at 4–6 months of age; (2) color concepts, which develop starting around 11–12 months; and (3) linguistic color concepts, which develop starting around 3 years. The argument of this chapter will be used in Chapter 13 for phenomenally conscious color perception without access conscious color perception.