if a tree falls down in the middle of a forest and no one or nothing is there to hear it does it make a sound?

Answer 1

Define "sound" and you have your answer.

If sound is vibrations in the air - yes, it makes a sound because the impact of the falling tree creates the vibrations.

If sound is the act of perceiving those vibrations - no it doesn't because no one or nothing is there to perceive the vibrations.

Have a nice day.

Answer 2

You must define what sound is.(You also should, technically, define all of the words, but this is the answer to your question.) If by sound you mean vibrations traveling along a material, such as the air, then yes, it does make a sound. However, if you define sound as vibrations in the air traveling to a human ear (or other way of recording a "sound," such as an instrument to be "heard" later by a human or animal) and being decrypted and sent to the brain for reasoning, it does not make a sound.

In short, if sound is defined by vibrations in the air, a falling tree in a forest (with air) does make a sound. If sound is defined as an animal/human "hearing" it, then it does not make a sound.

(This is a physics principle, think "Schrodinger's cat," is it dead or alive if no one knows?.)

Answer 3

yes. it would vibrate the air. the word "sound" has meaning to humans, so its questionable if you would want to use that word.. but if we define a sound as vibrations, then yes it does. that question was posed by an idealist (philosophical definition.. look it up on wikipedia) ... a meld of science and deterministic materialism seem to be a much more appropriate. real answers have nothing to do with humans or their "minds". mind is not all that's real, what we perceive is not all that's real... idealists are idiots lost in semantics and Wittgenstein would say their philosophy has caused a sort of mental illness.

Answer 4

According to dictionary.com a sound is : the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through air or other medium. So since sound is based on the stimulation of organs, if there are no organs there is no sound. So no it does not make a sound.

Answer 5

Of course it does. It is like asking -if a mirror breaks in a home where no one is there does it break?. The fact that no one was there when the tree fell has nothing to do with the fact that it makes a sound as it goes down.

Answer 6

This is not a physics question, but a philosophy question. But the previous people would be correct--the tree falling would make a sound whether anyone/anything can hear it.

Answer 7

Wow, that is a scarey dream and event isnt it. I would say someone was trying to tell you something in that dream, you just have to try and work it out. The stero going off in your room just confirms someone else was controlling that dream- you just have to work out what it means for your self. Normally when they come in your dream like that they are trying to give you a warning or tell you something that is about to happen, so just be very observant and careful ok.

Answer 8

sound dosn't depend on someone being there to hear it. Anyways its impossible to have no one here it. THere are always organisms around to hear it. But yes it does make a sound.

Answer 9

Of course it does. Good God! Is "philosopher" Greek for "Someone who would starve to death if they had to get a job"?

Answer 10

Im deaf...does that mean people around me cant make sounds? or is there something wrong wit my ears...?