Poll: If a Tree falls in a forest...

[almaster88]

Who else's mind is boggled right now?

 

[EeveeElectro]

If a tree falls in the forest, do the other tree's laugh at it?

 

[Frybird]

Yes it does. The real question is, can you clap with one hand?

Yes to that, too! Use a flat surface.

Or you just clap your fingers against your palm. Not that hard, but not that loud either...

 

[savandicus]

To say no is the same as saying a deaf person cant speak/make any noise unless another person is around.

 

[Legion]

If a tree falls in the forest, do the other tree's laugh at it?

It would be pretty humiliating, I mean, there would be a lot of other trees that saw it, I doubt it'd hear the end of that one.

 

[fletch_talon]

Wait...

If we're being all philosophical and stuff, then you'd have to argue the existance of a higher power. Because if a deity is capable of omniscience then a situation in which a trees falling is not witnessed cannot exist.

 

[irrelevantnugget]

Oh lawd, I'm the only one so far that said no...

Philosophy professor went on about why there is no sound for about half an hour. He had a point, somewhere, even though I intuitively thought there would be sound.

Sounds is something that only exists when it is perceived by an organism, and each organism experiences it in a different way. 'Sound' might be just some energy moving around, but 'sound' has arbitrarily defined by humans, for humans, thus if it's not perceived, it cannot exist.

Something like that. I nearly fell asleep anyway.

So...I've I'm standing by the tree, and you're miles away, it doesn't exist because -you- didn't hear it? (Then again, for -you- it didn't exist, you didn't hear it, but that doesn't imply total non-existence does it? Would that be like having someone standing behind my back all the time but not knowing they were there? I mean, just because I don't know, doesn't mean they aren't there does it?)

It exists for all humankind because A (could be anyone, even a baby) human has heard it.
If no human has heard it, to humankind it does not exist because it has never been perceived.

Let's look at those whistles that only dogs can hear. We are only aware of the sound, solely because we see the dogs react to it, pointing out its existence. So through indirect relations (and modern apparatus) we have defined certain forms of energy that can be perceived. But if it is not perceived, there is no way it can exist, or at least not to us.

This brings in the problem of dualism: what if there's an object world of which we can only see a glimpse? Should we doubt everything we can perceive with our limited senses? But going there would stray us off-topic, sadly.

 

[Crimsanon]

This argument will never end.

 

[KSI Hellboy]

Who are the three people that said no?!?

 

[almaster88]

Oh lawd, I'm the only one so far that said no...

Philosophy professor went on about why there is no sound for about half an hour. He had a point, somewhere, even though I intuitively thought there would be sound.

Sounds is something that only exists when it is perceived by an organism, and each organism experiences it in a different way. 'Sound' might be just some energy moving around, but 'sound' has arbitrarily defined by humans, for humans, thus if it's not perceived, it cannot exist.

Something like that. I nearly fell asleep anyway.

So...I've I'm standing by the tree, and you're miles away, it doesn't exist because -you- didn't hear it? (Then again, for -you- it didn't exist, you didn't hear it, but that doesn't imply total non-existence does it? Would that be like having someone standing behind my back all the time but not knowing they were there? I mean, just because I don't know, doesn't mean they aren't there does it?)

It exists for all humankind because A (could be anyone, even a baby) human has heard it.
If no human has heard it, to humankind it does not exist because it has never been perceived.

Let's look at those whistles that only dogs can hear. We are only aware of the sound, solely because we see the dogs react to it, pointing out its existence. So through indirect relations (and modern apparatus) we have defined certain forms of energy that can be perceived. But if it is not perceived, there is no way it can exist, or at least not to us.

This brings in the problem of dualism: what if there's an object world of which we can only see a glimpse? Should we doubt everything we can perceive with our limited senses? But going there would stray us off-topic, sadly.

Man you're deep, I like that. I agree completely, most of what "exists" is only through human perception, if we do not perceive it, we assume it does not exist, until it is proven that it does.

 

[dwightsteel]

Yes it does. The real question is, can you clap with one hand?

Yes. Slap yourself in the face.

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

Obviously it makes a sound. There is no spiritual, religious, wishy washy arguement that can combat the fact that it makes a sound

This. And yes there is air, it's not a forest in space because that would be a dead forest, and the sound would still resonate within the treetrunk.

(footnote: arguably a tree couldn't actually 'fall' in space)

 

[Psychemaster]

The laws of physics prevent the tree from not making a sound when it hits the ground.

Sorry.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Better Question: If a tree falls down in the forest, and no one is around to hear it,
What color is it?

 

[Zorg Machine]

if there are no creatures around (insects etc) I personally think that there are only vibrations and no sound due to the fact that noone is around to pick up the vibrations.

 

[Dessembrae]

yes of course it will!

a more interesting question would be "if a tree falls in a vacuum, does it make a sound?"

 

[Oopsie]

Without an observer around, there would be no sound.

 

[Chibz]

No. For I am a part of a special, elite group to ensure that this tree does not, in fact, make any sound what-so-ever.

 

[almaster88]

yes of course it will!

a more interesting question would be "if a tree falls in a vacuum, does it make a sound?"

Thats not a very ahrd question. Sound is vibrations on the air. No air= no sound. Solved

P.S sound could also be in water, but no water= no sound,. Double solved, oh snap