2007-03-05 15:24:11 · 31 answers · asked by nipper 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Very "original".
This question must have been asked several millions of times, in books, in newspapers, on quiz shows, at the pub, etc. etc. etc.
Boring.
Superfluous.
Unnecessary.
Repetitive.
Subjectively - "no".
Objectively - "yes"
Where do you want to place your philosophical stance?
2007-03-05 15:34:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you think of 'noise' as being a sensation we perceive in our brains caused by air vibrating our ears then it can only exist if someone 'hears' it.
So if no-one is in the forest when the tree falls there is no noise as the sound cannot exist without the necessary transmitters (ears) and receptors (brains).
However I'm sure all the little woodland creatures would be well within earshot and hear the crash!
You can take this argument further, if you are not too worried about hanging on to your sanity, and consider whether anything exists if it cannot be seen, heard, touched, smelt or tasted.
In fact everyone you have never met or contacted doesn't exist to you and conversely you do not exist to them.
Is this for real?
2007-03-05 21:39:38 · answer #2 · answered by DogDoc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look up the definition of "sound". Since there is nothing present to decipher the vibrations in the air, then that's all the tree does. It causes silent air vibrations. It takes some sort of medium to receive these fluctuations in air movement to create "sound".
And, as it happens so often on this site, questions like these bring out the scholars from the the trailer park.
2007-03-06 06:28:09 · answer #3 · answered by lisa s 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In common use the word noise means unwanted sound or noise pollution, and i don't think we really have a choice in the matter of the tree falling. but i belive that if a full grown tree fall in the middle of a forest will make a SOUND.
2007-03-05 15:31:47 · answer #4 · answered by robbiecanadian 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Yes it does. A falling tree always has made noise and they always will be making noise whether anyone is around to hear it or not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For crying out loud the only place you can see where it wouldn't make any noise is the moon. There is no air there to vibrate. Here on planet earth we have an atmosphere.
So if a wave crashes against the cliff and there is no one there to hear it...does it make a noise? What do you think?
2007-03-06 01:32:34 · answer #5 · answered by the old dog 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Depends on your defination of noise. If you need a person or animal to "hear" the noise of the tree fall then yes.
If no human or animal is around to hear the sound of the tree fall.. then maybe no.
2007-03-05 15:39:26 · answer #6 · answered by Narky 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It would create sound waves, in doing so, it would make a noise.
If you believe that non-witnessed or unheard sound waves are not "noise" - then it wouldn't.
But imagine putting a video camera in the woods and while recording, on its own, a tree falls. No one needs to be there, yet the noise it makes can be verified at some other time and place.
2007-03-05 16:41:26 · answer #7 · answered by Daniel J 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I think the real question is:
If a tree falls in the middle of a forest, and there's no one to hear it, does it effect the sound of one hand clapping?
2007-03-05 19:20:02 · answer #8 · answered by The Garden of Fragile Egos 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
scientificlly, yes. a tree falling would vibrate the air, causing what can be known as sound.
philosophically and sematicly, no. "noise" must be heard by someone or something in order to be interpreted as such.
2007-03-05 15:36:21 · answer #9 · answered by hobo 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A fundamental knowledge of physics would say yes. If you are going with a whole the world exists around mankind theory then no, but then again there is no actual evidence to support that theory. The question you are really asking is does the world revolve around you?
2007-03-05 15:29:15 · answer #10 · answered by SR13 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋