If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it

DigitalDeviant · Jan 10, 2011

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Depravo · Jan 10, 2011

By 'no one' do you also mean no creatures with sound detecting capabilities or any kind of audio recording equipment? Or do you just mean people?

Jakob95 · Jan 10, 2011

I think he means everything.

Jakob95 · Jan 10, 2011

Still does make a sound. Its just that nobody will be able to hear it.

kiafazool · Jan 10, 2011

it makes a sound because no one hearing it doesn't stop the scientific process of something falling and making a sound

Depravo · Jan 10, 2011

Well, the pedantic answer would be: there's technically no way we can tell if it makes a sound if there is no means of observing it but logic leads us to assume it would.

A much more straightforward answer would be: of course it does, you idiot. Stop asking stupid questions,

To forestall your next question, "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" the answer is 'cl'. It's the other hand that makes the 'ap'.

Ritsuki · Jan 10, 2011

Schrodinger's cat variant ?

guinness · Jan 10, 2011

How do we know the tree fell if no one was around to witness it?

_Chaz_ · Jan 10, 2011

Of course it makes a sound. The production of sound waves is sound, which the tree would make.

Depravo · Jan 10, 2011

If Schrödinger's cat fell out of a tree in the middle of a forest would anyone hear if it was dead or not?

kiafazool · Jan 10, 2011

@depravo
you cant HEAR if someone died
you can only hear a relatives screaming or crying if someone died

how the heck is someone supposed to make a sound telling others they died when they are already dead?

Issac · Jan 10, 2011

Well, another view on this question would be that:
Sure, waves of compressed air would appear when that tree fell... but if NOTHING around with hearing capabilities is there, it wouldn't be sound... It would just be compressed air waves. Since we percieve those waves as sound when they hit the delicate instruments inside our ears.. but if we aren't there, it wouldn't be sound.

Anyone follow my thoughts?

Clookster · Jan 10, 2011

I doesn't make a sound.

A sound is a percaption of a ling beeing.
A colour is a perception of a living beeing.

There are only acoustic waves without a beeing that can interpret this information as sound.

There are only electromagnetic waves without a beeing that can interpret this information as colour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound

SmokeFox · Jan 11, 2011

Of course it makes a sound that probably travel trough all the galaxy, when a star dies the light will shine for a reaaaaaaaaaaaally long time, so that is what i think;

anonymourse · Jan 11, 2011

Q. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it...

A. A tree falls in the forest.

mechagouki · Jan 11, 2011

Observing an experiment changes its outcome. Under the laws of quantum mechanics until someone observed that the tree had fallen it would theoretically exist in its pre-falling state, its fallen state and at every point in the arc of its fall.

The tree falling scenario is a popular but flawed dumbing-down of the Schrödinger's cat paradox, where a supremely unfortunate feline, a container of poison, a geiger counter and a radiactive element are placed together in a sealed box. Until the box is opened to observe the results of the experiment the cat can truthfully and paradoxically be said to be alive and dead in the same instant, that is if you accept quantum law.

Bunie · Jan 11, 2011

Sound is the ears perception of vibrations. If nothings around with ears, it's TECHNICALLY just vibrations. I win. <3 Lol

Blaze163 · Jan 11, 2011

I have a question. If a mime falls in the forest and nobody's around, does anyone care?

redact · Jan 11, 2011

sound is a form of energy, if it didn't make a sound then the universe would collapse on itself and p1ngpong would be a respectable businessman

Bunie · Jan 11, 2011

sound is not a form of energy sound is caused by vibrations. Your eardrum picks up the vibrations and thats what we call sound.

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it

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