if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound

[N. Escalona]

This is trivial stuff.

The sensation produced in the organs of hearing when the surrounding air is set in vibration in such a way as to affect these; also, that which is or may be heard; the external object of audition, or the property of bodies by which this is produced. Hence also, pressure waves that differ from audible sound only in being of a lower or a higher frequency.

Sound is the sensation. If no one is around to hear the tree fall, then it does not make (effect) a sound.

[Rai-Dei]

Actually at any given moment anything can happen, for example if you are bouncing a ball thousands and thousands of times on a hard floor, there's a chance that ball will go through the floor.

We live in a dynamic world, not a static.

[excruciator]

I think the definition of sound is just waves/vibrations.
Doesn't matter whether you are around to hear it or not.

[Mangled*]

If a deaf person falls over in a forest and screams, but nobody hears it, how do you know they are deaf?

[UnknownSniper]

If a deaf person falls over in a forest and screams, but nobody hears it, how do you know they are deaf?

They didn't hear you walk up behind them through the leaves, before you pushed them over?

[PANZERCATWAGON]

Of course it makes a sound. The kinetic energy is transformed into heat and sound when the tree hits the ground.

its mostly potential into sound rather than kinetic. an almost insignificant amount of heat

I can beat this riddle by leaving a tape recorder in the middle of the woods.

you beat perhaps the riddle but not the concept. the sound is still being observed



also ive got what i wanted out of this thread now so ill just settle this. there are many different answers with not one being more right than another

first: the egotistical approach - no. with no one around to hear it the sound no longer exists

second: the simple approach - yes. the tree would still make a sound irrespective to whether or not people are around to hear it. we can assume so because of similar proofs made beforehand through our senses

third: the definition approach - no. the vibrations only become defined as sound once they reach a receiver. otherwise it is known as energy

fourht: the quantum approach - maybe. the sound could have been made or it could not have been. also it might have both been made and not made at the same time. without an observer you will never know

fifth: the b*****d philosophical approach - no answer. to begin questioning the riddle itself we must first question existence. as there is no way of knowing if the universe or the self exists it is unknown whether the tree or the sound exists

[croat1gamer]

if you kill a zombie, have you killed someone, because it was dead allready

[UnknownSniper]

if you kill a zombie, have you killed someone, because it was dead allready

Zombies don't exist, but this is the wrong thread for that...

[Dascoo]

IF THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND

THEN NOBODY SAW THE TREE FALL

OR HEAR IT FALL

THEREFORE IT NEVER FELL

[Smegma]

fifth: the b*****d philosophical approach - no answer. to begin questioning the riddle itself we must first question existence. as there is no way of knowing if the universe or the self exists it is unknown whether the tree or the sound exists

Or just the fact that this argument cannot be proven as the act of listening, as we discussed, defeats the original clause. Its the much more "believable" skeptical approach. If there ever was one.

[Sir Jeremy]

IF THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND

THEN NOBODY SAW THE TREE FALL

OR HEAR IT FALL

THEREFORE IT NEVER FELL

I believe you are correct Dascoo.

How do you know a tree fell in the forest if you're not around? and if you are around you should have heard it make a sound?

[Hair|Trigger]

It would make a sound, because it would scare the wildlife nearby who hear the tree fall

I mean it's not that often that a tree falls and there's a kangaroo or something flattened underneath it

[Requiem-]

You can't know whether it made a sound or not. Nobody can prove anything.

[jrgp]

If we knew it fell, maybe we saw it from a distance. Like a hidden camera or a satellite. If that be the case, we must have seen the vibrations it made upon hitting the ground, causing sounds.

And if we didn't experience it falling first hand, or know it happened based on a credible source (like the above), then we have no way of knowing if it really did fall. And hence, if it really did make a sound.

[Xxypher]

It makes a sound.
Sound is vibration, right? So the tree hitting the ground would create loads of it.

[excruciator]

You can't know whether it made a sound or not. Nobody can prove anything.

If it fell, it made vibrations.
If it made vibrations, it must made sound, detectable(not detected)audible frequency.

[Kerrazyeye]

Wars will be started arguing this....

[demoniac93]

Wars will be started arguing this....

No, all answers have already been given, it did happen, it didn't happen, and can happen, that's all, sound in scientific terms is a vibration (receivable) by the human ear as we can define it as sound, it's also a pack of vibes in the air, being not received it cannot be identified, therefore remains pure energy, and god i love philosophy, does SOUND as the definition it goes by exist? i say lock before somebody ends up in a sanitary over this

[ds dude]

There's something to the question. Some people above posted this, but I'll say it anyway.

If a tree falls, and if there is no one around to hear it, that makes me believe that there is no sound, because how would you hear or know.

Kazuki is scientifically correct, but how would we know if it fell. That's the question.

[Chariot]

We know it fell because it says so in the fucking riddle.