If a tree falls in a forest

[Law of Loud]

If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is around to hear it, does it make any sound?

This question is what I would consider to be one of the most antagonizing questions I've ever heard, because the arguments about it consist primarily of, "If nobody can hear it, then there is no sound" and "It creates the vibrations, therefore there is sound".

Instantly, we have a problem in that we haven't defined "sound". The former defines sound as the perception of the vibrations, while the latter defines sound as the vibrations themselves. Without a clear definition of the word "sound", there's bound to be problems.

From Merriam-Webster, sound is defined as "mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air)". If we follow the Merriam-Webster definition, then indeed the falling tree would cause a sound.

Take that you filthy heathens.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

Take that you filthy heathens.

What?

 

[Telephone]

If a tree falls in a forest it will cause pressure waves to move through the air.

If there is nobody around the pressure waves will dissipate without registering as a sound in the brain of anyone.

If somebody is around the waves will register as a sound in this persons brain.

It is simple really, just semantics. Just decide how you wish to define 'sound' - a pressure wave or an electrical current in the auditory cortex of a human brain.

 

[Lilly of the Valley]

Sound- vibrations sensed by the ear: vibrations traveling through air, water, or some other medium, especially those within the range of frequencies that can be perceived by the human ear.

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is around to hear it, does it make any sound?

This question is what I would consider to be one of the most antagonizing questions I've ever heard, because the arguments about it consist primarily of, "If nobody can hear it, then there is no sound" and "It creates the vibrations, therefore there is sound".

Instantly, we have a problem in that we haven't defined "sound". The former defines sound as the perception of the vibrations, while the latter defines sound as the vibrations themselves. Without a clear definition of the word "sound", there's bound to be problems.

From Merriam-Webster, sound is defined as "mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air)". If we follow the Merriam-Webster definition, then indeed the falling tree would cause a sound.

Take that you filthy heathens.

What if there is nobody around to see it falling?

 

[Law of Loud]

What if there is nobody around to see it falling?

My oh my... I was wondering if anybody'd catch on to that possibility.

Perhaps it didn't fall at all...

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

My oh my... I was wondering if anybody'd catch on to that possibility.

Perhaps it didn't fall at all...

Perhaps. The following is my personal opinion.

The actual truth of whether the tree fell or not does not depend on the evidence of people perceiving it.

For me to beleive that the tree fell or not, I need to perceive it. From all the evidence available to me, I can take a stand as to whether the tree fell or not. But what actually happened is what actually happened and is not modified by what i think of it. the modification is in my perception only.

 

[Soul_Searcher]

Hi LoL,

"This question is what I would consider to be one of the most antagonizing questions I've ever heard, because the arguments about it consist primarily of, "If nobody can hear it, then there is no sound" and "It creates the vibrations, therefore there is sound"."

Ah, but if there is no-one there to hear it, and it doesn't make a noise, does it even exist in the first place?

 

[aca_rev55]

First off,
It doesn't make a sound.

Second,
What is "Take that you filthy heathens" supposed to mean. Should I be taking offense?

 

[TeddyKGB]

What if there is nobody around to see it falling?

What if it's in a box with a cat?

 

[JustJack!]

No, God makes everyone on earth deaf for a second everytime a tree falls in the forest.

 

[Abbadon]

Everyone here go read Berkeley.

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

What if it's in a box with a cat?

Happy B'day!

What do you mean by your question?

Is sarcasm an acquired attitude of the people with the brain symbol?

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

First off,
It doesn't make a sound.

Second,
What is "Take that you filthy heathens" supposed to mean. Should I be taking offense?

If it didn't make a sound, it wouldn't even if undeaf people are around it.

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

If I wasn't around when a tree fell, I would say that as far as I know, the tree didn't make a sound. I wouldn't categorically assert that the tree didn't make a sound. It holds for entire humanity too. As far as humanity's perceptions are concerned the tree didn't make a sound.

It is not an absolute categorical proclamation that the tree didn't make a sound.

 

[Telephone]

If I wasn't around when a tree fell, I would say that as far as I know, the tree didn't make a sound. I wouldn't categorically assert that the tree didn't make a sound. It holds for entire humanity too. As far as humanity's perceptions are concerned the tree didn't make a sound.

It is not an absolute categorical proclamation that the tree didn't make a sound.

It really is not this complex, define sound, then answer the question, no mystery neeeded.

 

[Law of Loud]

It really is not this complex, define sound, then answer the question, no mystery neeeded.

That's what I tried to do in the OP... but I get the impression that most people didn't really bother to read the OP.

 

[TeddyKGB]

Happy B'day!

Not so much. Thanks anyway.

What do you mean by your question?

Is sarcasm an acquired attitude of the people with the brain symbol?

Just a bad joke about Schrodinger's Cat.

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

It really is not this complex, define sound, then answer the question, no mystery neeeded.

The question leads one to infer that the tree actually makes or does not make a sound when it falls.

The perception of sound is from the hearer. The falling tree does the same thing every time.

If I am there the waves are gonna hit my hear, if not the waves don't reach me.

All I can say is I didn't hear it, so I have no reason to believe it made a sound. Nothing more that.

'The tree didn't make a sound' is my perspective.

 

[DailyBlessings]

See, you haven't really contemplated the question carefully enough- in the tradition from which that question proceeds, the empirical attributes of the descending tree are only the first step to the consideration of the question.