If A Tree Falls In The Woods...

[Agent. Mulder]

Hey, I have another good one.

If an animal goes extinct and leaves no evidence of its existence, did it ever exist in the first place?

Im saying yes, because then you wouldnt even be talking about this animal in the first place, as you would have known about it despite it being extinct and leaving no fossil record.

[Agent. Mulder]

There is no tree.....

without the act of observing the tree could fall or could not, could make a sound or could not... it is only when an object or energy is observed that it takes on solid form and does one thing or another. Without the observer there to witness the fall of the tree there simply is no tree.... and therefore no sound.

Too bad we KNOW that when something falls, it produces the energy of sound in which we are capable of picking up. However, we are now no longer in the range of that sound to hear it, but when you see the fallen tree you know it made a sound. It just wasnt loud enough for you to hear.

Its like asking: if a pin falls on a carpet, and you didnt hear it, does it make a sound? Well, yeah, obviously. You could get some seriously good mics and pic it up too, despite the fact your ears couldnt hear it.

Simple, the tree makes a sound.

[Agent. Mulder]

More to the point would be: "If a tree falls in a forest and there is nobody there to hear (or see it) does the tree exist?

All of existence is created by light and sound but matter/tree is a different subject. We exist in a hologram which is merely a 3dimensional stage in which we have projected our consciousness to experience within.

Science knows that all that truly exists is energy and that the only time energy takes on the forum of matter is when it is viewed/thought about.

Omni Love,Marietta

All of existance is just light and sound, but matters Not Included there?

Our 3d environment that we know isnt a hologram. Its made of light, sound, and matter (which you just said is our whole existance), and our consciousness could be running through it i guess, in a physical body. Where does science say "energy is the form of matter only when its seen or thought about"?

[danielost]

if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it it does make a sound. just as if a tree fall on the moon and someone was there to hear it it still does not make a sound.

[Agent. Mulder]

if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it it does make a sound. just as if a tree fall on the moon and someone was there to hear it it still does not make a sound.

But, there is no sound on the moon. But, there is on earth as there is air for sound to carry. The sound from the tree carries fairly far (since it actually makes a sound), but no ones close enough to hear it.

[greggK]

That's right. If you were down in the valley on the moon, you wouldn't hear the avalanche 'bout to overtake you. You run at .00013 MPH and the avalanche is coming at you at .00413 MPH. A slow crush.

And you wouldn't hear a thing.

Edited August 24, 2010 by greggK

[greggK]

View Postcheo_vl, on Aug 5 2009, 02:57 AM, said:

here's another one, what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

Both cannot exist at the same time, for if there is an immovable object, then there would be no such thing as an unstoppable force and vice versa.

It would be nothing would happen; life would go on just as if neither one existed. As soon as they met, they would cancel each other out. Imagine it, though. An unstoppable force goes plowing along and hits an immovable object. Well, I guess it would be an irrevocable blur.

Edited August 24, 2010 by greggK

[Black Hound]

Oh my. is this a Zen question? How about the sound of one hand clapping? or reading the mind of the mindless? To say one understands "Zen" is a true indication they do not.Got several books here with all kinds of "Zen-like" sayings in them. The story of the satori bird and the wood cutter is the best.

[Alienated Being]

Leave a tape recorder in the woods during a hurricane. Guaranteed we'll be hearing some trees falling.

[Finity]

View Postcheo_vl, on Aug 5 2009, 02:57 AM, said:

here's another one, what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

Both cannot exist at the same time, for if there is an immovable object, then there would be no such thing as an unstoppable force and vice versa.

It would be nothing would happen; life would go on just as if neither one existed. As soon as they met, they would cancel each other out. Imagine it, though. An unstoppable force goes plowing along and hits an immovable object. Well, I guess it would be an irrevocable blur.

It would create an infinite amount of heat energy, which would eventually destroy the entire universe

[jake50003]

Not to be rude but you guys are all wrong. Sound DOES MAKE a sound (scientifically speaking) because its the vibrations of the molecules of the medium, in this case, the tree is the medium. (Again, this is scientifically speaking). Now, sound does NOT make a sound if you use the regular definition of sound, which is... If sound is only sound that affects someone´s nervous system...in this case sound is NOT able to be heard.

In less words... it all depends what kind of DEFINITION you are using for sound. (There are TWO DEFINITIONS for sound) This is the most accurate answer scientists can give.

[Shiloh17]

Anything capable of hearing will hear the tree fall if standing near it.

Gather 50 deaf people around it, and no they won't hear a thing.

Take everyone away when the tree falls, and the capacity to hear the tree still remains. (sound vibrations)

And anything capable of detecting those sound vibrations should be able to playback what a falling tree sounds

like when unobserved, based solely on the vibrations it gives off.

So, to answer the question, no a tree does not make noise when there is nothing to hear or observe it, however

the capacity to hear it remains, based on sound vibrations of any reciever.

[Eldorado]

Not to be rude but you guys are all wrong. Sound DOES MAKE a sound (scientifically speaking) because its the vibrations of the molecules of the medium, in this case, the tree is the medium. (Again, this is scientifically speaking). Now, sound does NOT make a sound if you use the regular definition of sound, which is... If sound is only sound that affects someone´s nervous system...in this case sound is NOT able to be heard.

In less words... it all depends what kind of DEFINITION you are using for sound. (There are TWO DEFINITIONS for sound) This is the most accurate answer scientists can give.

Do you know you're replying to a two years old conversation?

Welcome to UM!

[Space Commander Travis]

it's quite an interesting philosophological question though. The answer is, of course, that sound is caused by sound waves in the air which are detected by the ear of the recipient (or microphone). Therefore, the potential for sound is there, but it only actually manifests if there's someone within range to hear it. That, at least, is my theory.

:-O

[lightly]

Did the sun shine on the earth before it was seen, or felt, by a living thing? Did meteorites and volcanoes make noise before life on earth ?

.. If it rains in the woods, and no "one" is there, does the woods get wet ? If the wind blows in the woods, and no "one" is there, do the leaves move? If there is a forest fire and no "one" sees it, does the woods burn? If i put a dot • < here and no one sees it... it it still there? ... Yes, of course trees make sound when they fall.

[Ninhursag]

I also think it makes a sound ..

Lol to the previous post

[White Crane Feather]

All the little animals and insects would have to be deaf aswell.

[Harlequin Dreamer]

The sound would of happened regardless of who is there or not but I still prefer the idiom of what sound does one hand clapping make.

[Mr Right Wing]

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?

Sound is a sensory perception and perceptions exist only in the mind.

Therefore it doesnt matter if you are there or not as sound isnt objectively real.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Mr Right Wing

[B Randomly]

It doesn't matter if "someone" was there to hear it.... if the tree fell, in the first place, there definitely was a sound. Just by the description, alone, says there was a sound. The question infers that there was action. For every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction.

[Rlyeh]

Sound is a sensory perception and perceptions exist only in the mind.

Therefore it doesnt matter if you are there or not as sound isnt objectively real.

Are you going to say SONAR (SOund Navigation And Ranging) doesn't exist? We can't hear it.

Sound waves exist independently of the mind/brain/sensory perception.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Rlyeh

[ThePhantomFlanFlinger]

I was asked this question once and i said no.Later on a tree fell and nearly hit me...it made one hell of a noise..now id say yes.

eta... once a horse did a wee wee on me...that was a hell of a lot noisier..and damper..

Edited October 6, 2012 by ThePhantomFlanFlinger

[Mr Right Wing]

Are you going to say SONAR (SOund Navigation And Ranging) doesn't exist? We can't hear it.

Sound waves exist independently of the mind/brain/sensory perception.

A pressure wave travelling through the air is just a pressure wave.

The ears detect it, produce electrical signals which go to the brain, then the brain interrupts those electrical signals as sound. Sound does not exist outside of your head its just sensory perception.

[Rlyeh]

A pressure wave travelling through the air is just a pressure wave.

Also known as sound waves.

[henry9449]

why does you analyis

depend on a person being there is there tranmission of vibrations with out a receiver still a sound people or not