What does a tree sound like when it falls in a forest if no one is there to hear it?

Answer 1

Paraphrasing a deep philosophical question:

If you ask a question and there is no one there to answer it, is it still a question?

"If a man speaks in the middle of a forest, and there is no woman there to hear him, is he still wrong?
-- A comedian

When a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it then there is no sound, only air (sound) waves, as sound needs a receptor such as an ear or a recorder.

This is a philosophical answer and doesn't contradict science.

Those "scientists" who say there is no difference, if someone is there or not, are missing the point.

Answer 2

The same thing it sounds like when there is someone to hear it: a tree falling in a forest!

Answer 3

This question has a strong philosophical drag for the mind. It makes one think, imagine, wonder and also feel sentimentally about what happened – all the elements of a good philosophical question.

There is no such thing as sound, or light or sense of taste if there is no one to perceive them as such. Things have their independent nature only we with own senses perceive them the way we know them - the things of reality the way they look because we do to see them. If there is no one around to witness an event in nature than that event can also be perceived through indirect means of observation, and then that will be defined in terms of what is most probable thing that has actually happened.

The tree has fallen, this is the fact known later by other means of observation, but since the sound has not been capture by your ears, or the effects of the vibration caused by the falling tree has not been registered into your system of observation through perception, therefore the event is imaginary and observation can be subjective.

You might have known about the tree falling in the forest though other sources as for example when you next day went to the forest and you saw the tree down. Then you might realistically have imagined what would that have sounded like based upon you previous aural experience of such events. In that case the falling of the tree sound almost exactly like any tree falling.

It is also like that it would echo in your ears subjectively. To you it may sound like a sob, a scream, a crash, or even an entire tragic event that you observed somewhere happening. Subjective observations can be highly imaginative in nature; they bring in emotional arousal to colour or even command or sense factual reality. They add sentimental values to all things we observe in reality.

Answer 4

It sounds pretty loud to all the fauna hiding in the undergrowth, the more active of which scurry out of the way before it hits the ground.

Just because there are no humans around to go 'Wow, a tree fell down,' doesn't mean that the sound didn't get heard.

Answer 5

To say that no one knows is simply absurd. Even scientists, after studying an event, and a reaction is proven to happen, claim it to be more than theory. Humans have seen and heard that when a tree falls it makes a specific noise, and IT DOES make a noise!!! So, logic would tell one that if it fell in the forest, it would probably, more than likely, make the same sound!!! If scientists and doctors feel they can make decisions based on patterns, then why can't we about a stupid tree!!! Doctors gamble with people's well-being all the time! And we're teaching our children science that is basically based on assumptions: If something happens so many times, then it is assumed that is a constant. So why can't we finally put this stupid question about a tree to rest?!!!!

Answer 6

I assume the tree that falls when noone hears it is the same sound as a tree of similar size that falls in a similar environment - and IS heard.

Answer 7

Like a tree that falls when there is no one to hear it

Answer 8

IT IS A TERRIBLE CRASH AND RIPPING SOUND BUT THEN FINALLY A THUMPING SOUND BUT WHAT YOU DID NOT EXPECT TO HEAR AS THE CREATURES RUN FROM THE NOISE THAT AFTER A WHILE THEY COME TOO SEE WHAT ALL THE NOISE WAS BUT REALISE THAT THE DEATH OF TREE BRINGS NEW LIFE TO OTHERS FOR THE TREE NOW FEEDS THE NOURISES THE GROUND AND GRASS AND OTHER CREATURES BUT IN THE SAME THE TREE BEARED OUR SAVIOR THOUGH HE DIED ON THE TREE HE LIVED AGAIN IN HEAVEN SO AS THE TREE THAT FELL AND BROUGHT NEW LIFE AS IT FELL THTA IS WHY THAT IS BEAUTIFULL SOUND TO ALL AROUND AMEN LOWLY SERVANT REY

Answer 9

If nobdy is there to hear it then there is no sound, as sound is only air movments in the inner ear but no ear no sound.

So a tree falling in the middle of a forest with no one there sounds like this " "

Just my opionion but that is what philosophy is!

Answer 10

It sounds the same. Sound is little more than moving air. Sound always behaves in the same manner governed by the laws of physics. So unless the basic laws of physics change when no one is there to listen, the noise is the same. You can leave recording equipment there to prove this.