Ok, the way I see it is of course it has to make a sound, all objects "give off" energy in the form of sound when falling in such a manner, and it doesn't matter whether someone is there or not, it still happened. There doesn't have to be anyone watching the tree for it to fall, why should someone have to be there to hear it fall?
What I am interested in is the opinion of those who think that it does not make a sound if no one is there. I am not trying to ridicule you, just get a new viewpoint/expand my horizons because I do not understand that position.
So what do you think?
2007-02-07 11:48:01 · 14 answers · asked by Rat 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
was the tree aware of its own falling in its own treeish way? do trees have responsive awareness to "giving off" energy, having some sort of vibrational sensitivity? Were the other trees aware of it falling? (there must have been other trees if it was in a forest). If there were no people there to be aware of it did toadstools and moss ever find there way to this fallen tree so they could find a place to grow and take root? What were the birds doing? Did they know something was up? How about the squirrel who lived in this tree, or the titmouse whose hole in the ground was blocked by the tree? What about if some old lady was looking at that exact spot from google earth? Was it a tree that fell or just a satellite image that changed? Did it make any sound at all? I don't think they make google earth with sound yet; it would have been silent. Does a tree in the forest that does not fall but simply rustles its leaves in the wind make any sound if no-one is there to hear it? You can test this hypothetical scenario by trying to sneak up on the non-falling tree in the forest and listening without letting it know you are there. Oh, no wait, you can't do that, it would change all the conditions. Golly, there are just so many variables in this busy little forest, aren't there.
What about if a tree in an absolute vacuum millions of light years away from any being or object which could percieve it or be affected by it were to fall. I think that would actually be pretty quiet. But in this non-space vacuum, where does the tree have to fall to? Does it fall forever if there is no ground for it to land on.
I'm stumped. No pun intended.
2007-02-07 13:48:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say that in the usual way of thinking of things there is a sound there but why? If everything is subjective, defined by our thought of it, then there is no sound outside of the human conception of sound which includes all the physics of sound.
This kind of reasoning may seem stupid or pointless until you think of the research in physics which has shown that an observation of any object makes some, even if very slight, disturbance or effect on the object.
People don't realize how mental or subjective experience is. Ever hear two people recount the same event. Often, they say totally different things since they are focused on different aspects of the situation. Check out Wittgenstein
2007-02-07 11:54:51 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'll tackle this one . . .
I define "sound" in the context of this sentence as a perceived sensation. Therefore, if a sensation is not perceived in a manner generally described as "sound", then the sound isn't made.
An analogy is 'does everything that give off light is "visible"?'. No. The energy is released, and the potential to become something that is "visible' is present, but unless it hits an eyeball, that light has not become visible, only potentially visible.
Until energy vibrations hit an eardrum, the phenomenon that can possibly be converted to sound is just a waveform of energy, not sound.
Another proof of this theory: The same energy that is released into the ground is not perceived as sound by the recipient, but is felt as a vibration. Another example that unless the energy encounters an ear, it isn't sound.
2007-02-07 12:10:59 · answer #3 · answered by freebird 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OK, here's the technical explanation.
Sound is a perception. If there's no one to perceive a sound (that is, have sound waves go in their ears or a hearing device and then have their brain recognize a sound), then there is no sound. It only exists if there's a listener.
Now, as to whether the tree falling creates waves in the air...of course it does. It changes air pressure in a potentially perceivable way.
Think of it this way--if there's a TV show nobody watches, does it exist? The signal goes out into the TV ether...but if nobody perceives it, it might as well not exist. It DOES exist, but not in the realm of experience that gives most occurrences "reality."
Reality is perception.
2007-02-07 12:06:01 · answer #4 · answered by SlowClap 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's a zen koan, a riddle of a sort that doesn't have a logical answer, the atempts by people to rationalize the answer with theories on sound is pointless. the question is a vehicle use to make you question the transient nature of reality, which is a cornerstone in zen teaching.
the tree does and doen't make a sound at the same time. when it fell it never made a sound because it never existed, but when you were asked the question it did because at that moment the tree became real even if the tree wasn't a real tree.
2007-02-08 02:05:55 · answer #5 · answered by sisyphus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The question is asked in a 'relative' sense. To understand the real 'noise' of this question, try to consider that we hear normal sounds around us... The TV, bird call, whistle of pressure cooker etc... Where do we exactly hear it ? Ear drum seems the logical answer, unless a person is deaf... True, proper working conditions of an ear is quite essential. But, at times, when we are lost in thoughts, or even when we are in deep sleep, the ears are not plugged, and still we fail to 'hear'.. !
Also, we know noise wakes us when we are not too fast asleep. But strangely , when we travel in a crowded train with just 'squeezed-in' place to sit, we tend to fall asleep some times, and we suddenly miss the noise, and then wake up due to the jerk of silence ! Similarly, when asleep in a berth in the moving train, amidst its noise, the train halts at a desolate station and it is the silence , the stillness of the place, the deep silence that wakes us !
2007-02-07 12:01:05 · answer #6 · answered by Spiritualseeker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sound may be defined as the vibration of the eardrum in response to an external stimulus, usually vibration of the air in the immediate vicinity of the eardrum. If there is no eardrum to vibrate, by this definition, there is no sound. While the energy is still released and there is still vibration of the air, with no one to hear it, there is no sound.
I think that the answer to the question depends completely upon the definition of sound...
2007-02-07 11:59:35 · answer #7 · answered by Ben 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i'll answer this as it is pretty simple...
it DOES NOT make a sound because the tree has crushed the person standing around into the ground. thus, this person is unable to report that the tree did not make any sound.
didnt hear it coming!?!?!? get it??? get it???
2007-02-07 12:47:46 · answer #8 · answered by jkk k 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No matter how much energy is given off it is only a sound when someone hears it. Heteros understand this, it's only natural...
2007-02-07 16:54:47 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
from a NON-DUAL perspective people and tree's don't actualy exist
2016-05-13 11:15:52 · answer #10 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋