The infamous a tree falls in the woods question

coldgettingdumb

I just caught this on another board and wnated to know what others think."If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"How many times have you been in an argument over the answer? Well, it's a trick question. There is only one correct answer, and that answer is: "No."Perception.Nounsound (plural sounds)1. A sensation perceived by the ear caused by the vibration of air or some other medium. (He turned when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.)If no one is there to perceive the vibrations in the air as "sound", there is no sound.My view is of course it makes a sound, we just aren't there to hear it, the birds and wildlife are... just not us but it still would make it an almighty crash right?and perhaps it's echo would be heard others as well.

DrJoel

i dont think george berkeley will be showing up any time soon.

...or anyone else for that matter.

jaymack

What about those lips on Rich Boy?
If he had never released an album, would we know he had munched lips?

Reynaldo

The true answer, of course, is: It need not be determined.

DB_Cooper

In related news,

1) The egg came first.

2) The sky is blue because air molecules diffuse blue wavelengths at a different rate than red wavelengths of light.


There are no trick questions, just trick people.

Reynaldo

What if one were to put a microphone/recorder in the forest and record the sound of the tree falling/crashing (making sure to not actually hear it), and then play the sound back in such a way that they could see a visual representation of the sound waves but not hear the actual sound? Could not one then be reasonably sure that a sound was made without actually hearing it?

twoply

Is this what is referred to as "Missing the forest for the sound of the trees?"

bthav

ans is n/a cause sabadabada cut all the trees down.