If a tree falls and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Question

If a tree falls and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Answer 1

The Philosophical answer is no.. because how would you know if you were not there to witness the action.

But we all know that if a tree falls it will make a sound...

Answer 2

It makes a sound. Nobody is hears the sound...but it makes a sound.

Answer 3

i always thought this was the dumbest question. no offense to you. but yes it makes a sound. its not gonna be a silent tree falling. just no one heard the sound.

Answer 4

It lets out a little bark.

Answer 5

of course it does you pleb,your just not there to hear it,who are you HOMER SIMPSON

Answer 6

Yes it does make a sound but no1 was there so no 1 heard the sound.But yes it does make sound.

Answer 7

well, many of these people are being neglectful to fully realize the capability of ones self to determine reality. What we see and what we know determines what we perceive. One would say that the tree does make a sound because that is common knowledge from first or second-hand knowledge. But to really establish the true answer we must not perceive. If somebody walked into this world for the first time they would assumed somethings just happened to make it is the way now, but look closer and we can only know what it is we see. If you walk into a forest and there is a fallen tree then it is assumed but not known if the tree made a sound. So because there is no proof, that leaves reasonable doubt and therefore I do not believe that a tree makes a sound when it falls and nobody is around because we can only establish what we experience and we did not see or hear it fall.

Answer 8

it still makes the sound, but no one is around to hear that sound.

Answer 9

There is actually some science behind this and the theory is that "information" (in this case, sound, but anything really) doesn't exist until someone processes it. "Down the rabbit hole" is a DVD where they did an experiment to prove this.

A random number generator was used to produce a series of 1's and 0's. Then convereted to sound and recorded onto tape where 1's would be heard in the left ear and 0's  heard in the right ear while wearing head phones.  After being converted to sound, but before anyone heard them, the tape was given to Buddhist monks to meditate upon. They were told to concentrate on the tape having more left ear sounds than right.

Statistics would tell you that it would roughly be half left and half right, but after listening to the tape, there did in fact have much more left ear sounds than right.

Which bring up 2 points.

1. The sounds on the tape didn't exist until someone heard them

2. Our concept of time is incorrect, because these monks were able to influence something that already happened.

I highly recommend this DVD. It is very interesting.

Answer 10

several

Answer 11

Yea. But no one hears it. But it still would make a sound. Use logic?

Answer 12

no because the tree had been practicing to be a mime

Answer 13

of course!

it doesn't silent itself just because no one's around to hear it

Answer 14

Yes, it produces the necessary viberations for sound, but scientifically there is no sound if no ones ear is present to translate the viberations in to sound. Sound is not matter, it is simply human perception of viberations.

Answer 15

Isn't this one of those philosophical questions? It's suppose to clear your mind of all thought.

But to be literal yes.

Answer 16

It's an unanswerable, meaningless question because, as far as we know, to be is to be perceived. Esse est principi. Statements have meaning only if they are empirically verifiable.

Answer 17

Yes. The things around us would be very impressive if they only made sounds when humans were around to hear it.

Answer 18

Yes. That's my opinion.

Answer 19

Of course... it's just that no one hears it. =]

Answer 20

Yes.

Answer 21

yeah it does id say when it hits the ground there would have to be some sound

Answer 22

depends on your definition of sound. if you think of sound as the noise in your head....then no.

if you think of sound as tiny vibrations in the air(or other mediums) then it makes sound....

Answer 23

why not.

Answer 24

Yes

Answer 25

No because someone has to hear it in order for it to be call a sound. Also it have to have sound waves.

Answer 26

Erm yeah :/

Depends what surface tbf' =]]]

Hope this helps! O:

-x-

Answer 27

for a sound to exist it must be a part of my experience. if the sound of a tree falling is not part of my experience, then it does not exist. the tree doesn't even exist. nothing outside of my own experience exists. all that exists, is my own experience, right now.

Answer 28

Absolutely!

Answer 29

yes.  By the way; I have been in the vicinity when a tree falls and it is loud!

Answer 30

A sound is what you hear...

...if noone hears it then there is not a sound!