If a tree falls...?

Question

if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound. Why is this considerd a philoshophical question. of course i makes a sound why wouldnt it make a sound.

some of you say that it doesnt make a sound.Give me one good reason why a redwood tree wood fall on the ground and not make one sound. You may not here the damn tree fall but it doesnt mean it doesnt make a sound. It like saying that sumone dies and no one knows about it did that person die. Of course it did. This is just a mind teaser that makes people go around in circle or maybe relax lyke da first answer from this guy. I not hooked up on religion or science its just so simle that people think it has to be complicated

Answer 1

Westerners don't get this question at all. It is meant as an aid to meditation. It's not a scientific question in the classical sense. There is no right/wrong, yes/no answer.
Your supposed to simply close your eyes and meditate on the question, see where it takes you. If you do this with an open mind and without judgment, the question will help you focus and relax your mind, and open it to new possibilities. That's all it's meant to do.
Westerners are not comfortable with this kind of question because we've been raised and educated to think there is one right answer to everything, and that every question must come to a resolution.

Answer 2

You say off course it makes a sound because your knowledge and way of thinking does not permit you to even consider the possibility that something can fall without causing waves of sounds, thus making a sound. And I would agree with you.
But, you can never be sure if you weren't there. It might have not created a sound, you cannot really tell. You can only imagine that according to the laws of nature it should have made a sound. So, it is a philosophical question, which suggest that the natural law does not have to be universal, does not have to be fulfilled always and that you should not easily accept something you cannot verify by your senses.
It also could be that the notion of sound has a meaning only when there is a transmitter and a receiver and that without receiver you may not refer to a sound.
Or, as somebody already suggested, it could be just a nice thought, an image to think about and concentrate to yourself and the reactions produced not by your senses

Answer 3

It' an ancient question that was devised before it could be proved that a tree makes a sound when it hits the ground, regardless of whether it is heard or not & whether there is a person present or not.

If you were to put sound recorders in all forests, it would be solved beyond doubt of whether the tree makes a sound without human presence.

Answer 4

Sound is created when the vibrations hit the ear drum, so scientifically speaking, it doesn't. But here is a REAL Philisophical question? If a fat girl falls in the woods and nobod'ys around to here it, do the trees still laugh?

Answer 5

The tree makes a noise as it crashes on the ground. The law of cause and effect can't decide to be inconsistent here and there. If no one hears it, so what? It is like saying the dark side of the moon isn't, because no one sees it.

Answer 6

You're honestly getting it wrong.

Sound AS percepttual, subjective experience REQUIRES a subject. It is that simple. No there is no qualia without a cognizant, living perceiver to perceive the qualia.

If you want to call sound a wavelength, fine. But you're missing the point if you reduce it to physics.

It is a very simple point. Just accept it, there's no sound-experience without someone to experience it.

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and OMGwtf at all these wrong answers always on this question.
It's clear no one studies philosophy. This is such a simple point.
It's NOT a zen koan, there is one right answer.

Answer 7

it would make no sound in the collective human record so it could possibly not exist. while science tells us theoretically it would make a sound because of our observation of trees falling always comes complete with sound it doesn't necessarily mean there is sound at every tree falling. your logic is faulty. we as humans use science and religion to explain things. neither has evidence that could be considered "fact". you can disprove anything using either. perhaps when we aren't looking angels come down and aid the tree into a gentle soundless collapse. omg im preaching angel wisdom now -- something is wrong in the balance of the universe. i am going to go make meatloaf now -- goodnight.

Answer 8

I suppose it's because when someone is to far away to hear an event happen there is speculation that the event did indeed create sound.

Nut, see it this way. If you are home alone and you hollar when you stub your toe, did you make a sound if no one else heard it?

Answer 9

Set up a tape recorder and come back after the tree has fallen: did you get a recording?

Answer 10

Of course it makes a sound, its just a question to make you think and debate with others.