Author Topic: if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound (Read 13712 times)

PANZERCATWAGON · « **on:** March 23, 2009, 01:59:01 pm »

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

Sir Jeremy · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2009, 02:29:03 pm »

Yes.

What is the meaning of this thread..lol.

Espadon · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2009, 02:33:15 pm »

If you died, would you stop breathing?

I understand what you're getting at though, but you can hardly apply quantum physics to common occurrences because there are too many factors that will make the event 'fail-safe.'

LtKillroy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2009, 02:51:38 pm »

Quote from: PANZERCATWAGON on March 23, 2009, 01:59:01 pm

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

I don't know, but I hope it lands on a philosopher.

TBDM · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2009, 02:55:11 pm »

Quote from: PANZERCATWAGON on March 23, 2009, 01:59:01 pm

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

yes, but no-ones there to hear it.

also

Tomorrow, today is yesterday.

blackdevil0742 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2009, 03:04:37 pm »

lies all lies!

{LAW} Gamer_2k4 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2009, 03:25:14 pm »

What if it lands on a woodchuck or something?

Does the sound that the woodchuck makes count?

~Niko~ · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2009, 03:39:07 pm »

it makes a sound but nobody is able to hear it.

Quote from: LtKillroy on March 23, 2009, 02:51:38 pm

Quote from: PANZERCATWAGON on March 23, 2009, 01:59:01 pm
if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound
I don't know, but I hope it lands on a philosopher.

It says there's nobody, so no philosophers can be around either.

SadistAtHeart · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2009, 03:45:31 pm »

For all we know, there are strange and surreal things happening directly behind us, and the act of observing makes these things go away. We can't know for sure. That what makes these discussions so fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPeprQ7oGc

Kazuki · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:04:34 pm »

Of course it makes a sound. The kinetic energy is transformed into heat and sound when the tree hits the ground. Since we have an atmosphere here on Earth, sound has a medium through which to travel. Just because humans aren't around to experience said sound does not mean that it doesn't exist.

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

Sir Jeremy · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:12:00 pm »

Quote from: SadistAtHeart on March 23, 2009, 03:45:31 pm

For all we know, there are strange and surreal things happening directly behind us, and the act of observing makes these things go away. We can't know for sure. That what makes these discussions so fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPeprQ7oGc

Like 3rd dimension? :O

SadistAtHeart · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:36:04 pm »

Quote from: Kazuki on March 23, 2009, 04:04:34 pm

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

Yes, but the tape recorder is a method of observing. For all intents and purposes, a tape recorder is still hearing the tree fall.

Mangled* · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:36:59 pm »

Quote from: Mangled* on March 23, 2009, 12:05:18 pm

If a tree falls in the forest, and I'm not there, and it makes a sound, but I don't hear it, but someone records it and plays it back to me at a dinner party, does that mean I'm still in the forest?

Quote pre-dates this entire thread.

Goodbye.

Blue-ninja · « **Reply #13 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:49:31 pm »

Quote from: LtKillroy on March 23, 2009, 02:51:38 pm

Quote from: PANZERCATWAGON on March 23, 2009, 01:59:01 pm
if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound
I don't know, but I hope it lands on a philosopher.

Made me chuckle quite a bit.

Also, yes, they make a sound. Take the tunguska event for one. The reverberations from the impact were felt around the world.

Lord Frunkamunch · « **Reply #14 on:** March 23, 2009, 04:51:19 pm »

no you were never in the forest therefore you cannot still be there. this is made doubly so by the fact that your current location is the dinner party and it is impossible for a sound produced by a recording device to cause someone to move.

unless of course the dinner party is taking place in said forest.

intriguing.

{LAW} Gamer_2k4 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:07:59 pm »

Hmm, here's a better question.

If no one's around to hear the tree fall, why does it matter?

Immortal Four · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:12:19 pm »

Quote from: Kazuki on March 23, 2009, 04:04:34 pm

Of course it makes a sound. The kinetic energy is transformed into heat and sound when the tree hits the ground. Since we have an atmosphere here on Earth, sound has a medium through which to travel. Just because humans aren't around to experience said sound does not mean that it doesn't exist.

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

When the tree falls, it produces ripples in the air. Sound is a product of perception. If there is nothing that can hear sound around the tree, then there is no sound- only ripples of air.

Your method of beating this riddle equates to springing a trap and then claiming it was never there. Leaving a tape recorder is invalidating the riddle: you put something near the tree that can percieve (and record, no less) the ripples of air. Even then, however, the tape recorder makes no such judgment as to conclude that there was a sound, since it cannot think. Whoever plays the recording will hear a sound.

Kazuki · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:25:58 pm »

Ah, but if sound is nothing but mere ripples, then there are two possible cases. Either we are generally referring to said ripples as sound or we are referring to the perception of said ripples as sound. In the first case, the tree undoubtedly makes a sound even if there is no one around to perceive it. In the second case, no object can possibly make a sound, because "sound," in our discussion, is the mere perception of ripples in the air. And object cannot create the perception; it simply creates the ripples.

I can't believe I'm actually talking about this. XD

a-4-year-old · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2009, 05:52:57 pm »

sound travels in waves trees make waves when they fall. Whether or not you're around is completely irrelevant.

LtKillroy · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2009, 06:04:27 pm »

I also love this question because everyone knows that of course you sound is made but people feel they have to bring all kinds of science crap into it. As if for some reason no one being around causes sound to not happen.

News:

Author Topic: if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound (Read 13712 times)