Pondering Question

MGunnin · #1 07-11-2004, 07:31 PM

A tree falls to the ground in the forest and nobody hears it (not a animal, human, anything). Does it make a sound and why?

SniperDevil · #2 07-11-2004, 07:34 PM

IMHO, technically yes, as sound is simply a definition, not a sense or feeling as perceived to a living creature. To hear is not the same as making a sound.

Vortex-Steve · #3 07-11-2004, 07:43 PM

Of course it makes a sound

Just because no one is around the laws of physics don't change.

xyzulu · #4 07-11-2004, 07:47 PM

The CIA had a satellite pointed at the area... they picked up the sound......

Rob83 · #5 07-11-2004, 08:04 PM

yes it does make a sound.

Sasan · #6 07-11-2004, 08:59 PM

Of course it makes a sound. Its just like saying: A bomb exploded in the middle of the desert, no one was around to see\hear it, did the bomb really do any destruction?

MGunnin · #7 07-11-2004, 09:02 PM

Then how would you define sound? Is sound defined as someone or something receiving the transmission of the sound waves? I have heard the arguement that there has to be a receiver and a transmitter to have sound. I am not saying it doesn't make a sound, just for the sake of discussion ;D.

Rob83 · #8 07-11-2004, 11:33 PM

our ear drums take the sound waves and converts it to what we hear. Just because we aren't there to convert the sound waves into sound for our ears, doesn't mean there won't be sound.

Trifolic · #9 07-12-2004, 12:29 AM

There is no spoon...

RajanUrs · #10 07-12-2004, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Then how would you define sound? Is sound defined as someone or something receiving the transmission of the sound waves? I have heard the arguement that there has to be a receiver and a transmitter to have sound. I am not saying it doesn't make a sound, just for the sake of discussion ;D.

what tree ? where tree ? i see no tree

JayC · #11 07-12-2004, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rob83
our ear drums take the sound waves and converts it to what we hear. Just because we aren't there to convert the sound waves into sound for our ears, doesn't mean there won't be sound.

Exactly. It creates sound waves, so it has "created sound." To say it hasn't unless someone is there to hear the sound is the same as saying that if that tree falls and no one sees it happen, it hasn't fallen yet until someone does. And if it rots away or is buried in an avalanche before someone has seen it, the tree was never even there.

**the_pm** · #12 07-12-2004, 01:35 AM

No, it does not make a sound. A tree falling in the woods causes air to compress into waves. This can only be considered sound if there is something to interpret these waves as such. If I wave my hand slowly in the air, it is doing the same thing as that tree, but you'd say that I was not making a sound because your ears do not interpret the compressed air waves as sound (the air is not being compressed at a great enough rate).

The absense of sound is defined by the interpreter. Therefore, in the absense of an interpreter, there is no way to define the resulting waves from the tree as sound.

There's your answer.

Keep in mind I've been binge drinking most of the weekend...

SniperDevil · #13 07-12-2004, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by the_pm
No, it does not make a sound. A tree falling in the woods causes air to compress into waves. This can only be considered sound if there is something to interpret these waves as such. If I wave my hand slowly in the air, it is doing the same thing as that tree, but you'd say that I was not making a sound because your ears do not interpret the compressed air waves as sound (the air is not being compressed at a great enough rate).

The absense of sound is defined by the interpreter. Therefore, in the absense of an interpreter, there is no way to define the resulting waves from the tree as sound.

Au contraire. The sound waves are travelling through something. Unless this supposed tree is in Mars, there is an atmosphere you know, and the sound waves do travel through the air. You don't need an interpreter to define sound, you only need one to detect it.

ChaosHosting · #14 07-12-2004, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vortex-Steve
Of course it makes a sound Just because no one is around the laws of physics don't change.

What he said

-Greg

JayC · #15 07-12-2004, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by the_pm
If I wave my hand slowly in the air, it is doing the same thing as that tree, but you'd say that I was not making a sound because your ears do not interpret the compressed air waves as sound (the air is not being compressed at a great enough rate).

I wouldn't say you were making no sound, because that would be wrong. I'd say that I don't hear anything -- meaning that you were making no sound that I could hear.

Does a "dog whistle" make a sound? Of course, but you and I can't hear it.

Quote:

The absense of sound is defined by the interpreter.

Hmmm. So you, as an interpreter, believe that I'd make no sound if I yelled out my window right now, because you wouldn't hear anything?

Quote:

Keep in mind I've been binge drinking most of the weekend...

Obviously.