If a tree falls in the forest.....

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nothing happens that i do not see.
if i did not see it, it did not happen.
the universe came into existence when i was born, and it will cease to exist when i die.

the only things that happen are things that i look directly at and perceive.
everyone is a product of my brain cells and if i happen to forget someone, then they cease to exist.

no trees fall if i do not see them fall. if i see a tree that is on the ground, then it popped into existence already on the ground as soon as i saw it on the ground, and after i forget i saw it, it does not exist in any way all over again.

Another win. XD

Sadly.

It was my understanding that vibrations aren't sound until they reach an ear drum that converts them into such.

Who cares? Nobody would be there to hear it, so it doesn't matter.

Thank you.

It matters because the question was asked!

I Googled "dictionary" and clicked on the following link: dictionary.com
The first definition of "sound" listed requires the vibrations to be audible. To be audible requires ears. Without ears, "sound" does not exist, only vibrations. On the other hand, the second definition would support your interpretation. It just depends on the definition of "sound."

Last edited by Rocky on 08 Aug 2010, 3:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

if a tree falls in the forest
and kills a hiker....
do the cops get involved ?

au·di·ble (ôd-bl)
adj.
That is heard or that can be heard.

Notice the "or can be heard" bit. Even if no one happened to hear it, it still could be heard, so both of those definitions equate to it making a sound.

it is impossible that alternating compressions and rarefactions of pressure can be "heard" without an ear that is connected to a wary consciousness.
"sound" is the subjective experience of the mind that perceives it.
"hearing" is in the domain of consciousness.
only "sounds" can be "heard", and all things "heard" are "sounds".

if a rock falls down a hill on venus, then it surely made ripples in the atmospheric pressure in it's vicinity , but it never made a sound because "sounds" are in the mind of a beholder.

I agree with the classical physics (Newtonian) version of events. So yes, even if someone is not there to here it, a falling tree makes sound.I have always had a problem with the quantum observer effect (so called schrodingers cat thought experiment). I believe that the quantum mechanical model only applies on an atomic or sub-atomic scale of reality, where it is correct that very strange physical events occur. On a macroscopic level, the classical explanation does just fine, so I will stick with it.

Here is a cut and paste from www.dictionary.com that I referred to earlier:


sound
1    /saʊnd/ Show Spelled[sound] Show IPA
–noun
1.
the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air or other medium.
2.
mechanical vibrations transmitted through an elastic medium, traveling in air at a speed of approximately 1087 ft. (331 m) per second at sea level.

Keep in mind, that I was talking about a hypothetical reality in which ears never evolved, so "sound" never became a reality. The original question would have been more interesting if phrased that way. I kind of went off topic by rephrasing the question, but I thought it was related, and food for thought about this subject.

I still run, as fast as I can.

If a tree falls in the forest, obviously your only choice is to take your axe and turn the fallen tree into a fort ^_^