577 replies to this topic

[cheo_vl]

if e tree falls in the woods and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?  i'll say what i think, then if you guys dissagree, please explain your theory. i think that if a tree falls in the woods and there's no one around to hear it, id does NOT make a sound. sound is defined as vibrations traveling through air, water, or some other medium, especially those within the range of frequencies that can be perceived by the human ear. the simple answer is that sound is something that can be heard. if no one hears it there is no sound. until someone hears them, those vibrations traveling through the air cannot be called sound. so i think that if a tree falls in the woods and there's no one around to hear it, it emits certain vibration with the potential to become a sound, if there was somebody there to hear it. does anyone have a different point of view?

[Leonardo]

Yes it does. Sound is simply an energy and the effect this energy has on the surroundings can be measured after the fact. It is pompous of us to assume we have such influence as to be able to negate this by our absence.

[The Silver Thong]

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Yes it does. Sound is simply an energy and the effect this energy has on the surroundings can be measured after the fact. It is pompous of us to assume we have such influence as to be able to negate this by our absence.

   Good answer.

[Leonardo]

Eyethangewe, Mr. Thong.  

[Pax Unum]

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Yes it does. Sound is simply an energy and the effect this energy has on the surroundings can be measured after the fact. It is pompous of us to assume we have such influence as to be able to negate this by our absence.

I agree, the sound waves are created even if no one is there to hear them...

[Adam2006]

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I agree, the sound waves are created even if no one is there to hear them...

Yeah. Try explaining this to other people at school. Just dont try. It took half an hour.
I was going to say the same as PU and Leonardo, but you both beat me to it

[IamsSon]

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Yes it does. Sound is simply an energy and the effect this energy has on the surroundings can be measured after the fact. It is pompous of us to assume we have such influence as to be able to negate this by our absence.

I'm with Leo.  Sound is generated whether someone is there to hear it or not.  But I think we are also basically arguing about the definition of a word, is the word sound only properly used when referring to those vibrations which actually reach the human ear, or is it proper to use it for any vibrations which have the potential to be perceived by the human ear?

[Leonardo]

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I'm with Leo.  Sound is generated whether someone is there to hear it or not.  But I think we are also basically arguing about the definition of a word, is the word sound only properly used when referring to those vibrations which actually reach the human ear, or is it proper to use it for any vibrations which have the potential to be perceived by the human ear?

Good point, Iams.

I was using 'sound' as from physics where it is the wave energy propagated through a medium. As to whether it should be hearable by us should we then exclude ultra sound or subsonics? I think any sound energy should be included if we have the means to detect it whether we can hear it naturally or not.

[cladking]

With your definition of sound, you are right.

There is a major problem with your definition of sound however.  It's OK
to put this in a human perspective for most purposes but there are excep-
tions.  For instance an avalanche can be triggered by sound and then bury
and kill hundreds of people. Did the falling tree which triggered it make a
sound?  I would say that a better definition of sound would not include any
type or species of ear.  

And if anyone asks, the egg came first because being hatched is a defining
characteristic of being a chicken.  The egg was laid by a chicken-like animal.

[cladking]

It should also be remembered that the world is a highly complicated
and interrelated place.  A butterfly flapping it's wings in China causes
a hurricane a week later in Haiti.  The falling tree scurries animals and
sets in motion vast changes which dramatically affect all life on Earth
over time.  

Why wouldn't it make a sound as well?

[cheo_vl]

you missunderstand, i know that the vibrations are there, but as someone mentioned above it comes down to the definition of sound, if something is not heard, it is not sound, it's just all the vibrations. the avalanche is not triggered by sound, it's triggered by vibrations. technically, if no one hears it, it's not a sound.

[truethat]

God heard it!  

[Genocyde]

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if e tree falls in the woods and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?

No, it makes sound waves that could be interpreted into some sound or noise, but if no once/thing is around to hear it, it just produces the waves.

[Please Explain]

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if no one hears it, it's not a sound.

A deaf person can't hear it but he can feel the vibration.
I can hear and feel both but if i wasn't there how can i hear or feel it?

[cladking]

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you missunderstand, i know that the vibrations are there, but as someone mentioned above it comes down to the definition of sound, if something is not heard, it is not sound, it's just all the vibrations. the avalanche is not triggered by sound, it's triggered by vibrations. technically, if no one hears it, it's not a sound.

Now we're left with doing a census of what's in the area.  Is a man who's
sleeping or in a coma capable of hearing sound.  What if it wakes him up
and he's not sure if he heard it or not.  What about animals?  Why can't
they hear sounds?  

Words are for communication and communication is easier if words have
as definite as possible definitions.  Why introduce complicating factors.