a weird question
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if a tree falls in a forest when no one is around, does it make a sound?
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mai copy me.
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where gotOriginally posted by FireIce:mai copy me. -
it makes a sound but nobody hears.
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well actually wrongOriginally posted by sEphIrOth:it makes a sound but nobody hears. -
actually the tree didn't fall. It just lay down to rest
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if i fart in a lift but no one is inside....
does it smells? -
The possibility of unperceived existence
Can something exist without being perceived? - eg."Sound is only sound if a person hears it"
The most immediate philosophical topic that the riddle introduces, involves the existence of the tree (and its sound) outside of human perception. If no one is around to see, hear, touch or smell the tree, how could its existence occur? What is it to say that it exists when such an existence avoids all knowing? George Berkeley in the 18th century developed subjective idealism, a metaphysical theory to respond to these questions, coined famously as "to be is to be perceived". Today metaphysicians are split. According to substance theory, a substance is distinct from its properties. According to bundle theory, an object is merely its sense data.
source:wikipedia
so if a man shouts in a forest but no one hears, he doesnt shout?
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rubbishOriginally posted by sEphIrOth:The possibility of unperceived existence
Can something exist without being perceived? - eg."Sound is only sound if a person hears it"
The most immediate philosophical topic that the riddle introduces, involves the existence of the tree (and its sound) outside of human perception. If no one is around to see, hear, touch or smell the tree, how could its existence occur? What is it to say that it exists when such an existence avoids all knowing? George Berkeley in the 18th century developed subjective idealism, a metaphysical theory to respond to these questions, coined famously as "to be is to be perceived". Today metaphysicians are split. According to substance theory, a substance is distinct from its properties. According to bundle theory, an object is merely its sense data.
source:wikipedia
so if a man shouts in a forest but no one hears, he doesnt shout? -
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how the hell u remember all these?Originally posted by FireIce:
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i find it pretty weird the ans is no. since i stated my question....someone causes a sound in a scientific way already is a sound regardless of being perceived by others
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define sound first. what is sound?Originally posted by sEphIrOth:i find it pretty weird the ans is no. since i stated my question....someone causes a sound in a scientific way already is a soud regardless of being perceived by others
if sound is what you hear, then the answer is no, as sound is processed by the human brain.
what is produced is simply sound waves, not sound. thus the answer is no.
there is an argument for yes, but i can't remember it.
btw, fireice, i was not a member in 2002. -
if sound is what we hear then no. if it is produced, how can sound waves not be sound? light rays not light? its the philosophical error of not looking over the other sideOriginally posted by unclebutcher:define sound first. what is sound?
if sound is what you hear, then the answer is no, as sound is processed by the human brain.
what is produced is simply sound waves, not sound. thus the answer is no.
there is an argument for yes, but i can't remember it.
btw, fireice, i was not a member in 2002. -
sound waves is not sound. it is simply a wave.Originally posted by sEphIrOth:if sound is what we hear then no. if it is produced, how can sound waves not be sound? light rays not light? its the philosophical error of not looking over the other side -
wow... FI... you are already so chim five years ago liao...Originally posted by FireIce: -
Originally posted by unclebutcher:
It is like trying to find the answer dividing a value over 0.
sound waves is [b]not sound. it is simply a wave.[/b]
According to Longman's Dictionary, sound means that something that you hear, or what can be heard.
Note the word "you" stated in the dictionary.
The scenario relating to "if a tree falls in the forest and "you" are not there, is there a sound?" is similar to this scenario of "how to divide a certain number of apples to 0 persons".
Sound waves are produced but no one is there to detect the sound.
If the person is deaf, he can't hear a single sound.
Similarly, the apples are there but there is nobody to divide upon. Does it mean that the answer is the same as before?
Is nobody actually a somebody and is nothing even a single thing? -
Originally posted by FireIce:
i wish i could have ur brain, can rmb things u posted 5 yrs ago
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wah..see the answersOriginally posted by unclebutcher:if a tree falls in a forest when no one is around, does it make a sound? ..so chim! -
it makes a sound
juz that we dun hear it? -
The definition of sound is kinetic energy causing the molecules in the air to vibrate, compressing and releasing, creating a wave. This wave would hit a sound receptor, in this case our eardrum. The ear drum would cause liquid in the cochlear to vibrate, which causes hairs in our cochlear to vibrate. These signals would be sent as electrical pulses to our brain, which translates it as sounds.Originally posted by unclebutcher:if a tree falls in a forest when no one is around, does it make a sound?
So it creates sound energy (vibrating air molecules) but no one hears them.
Ok, I put it to you this way. Say you're indoor, in a room with no view outside. I can see the moon, I say the moon exists. You can't see the moon, so you say the moon doesn't exist?
Say a tree falls in the forest, but you're not there to see or hear it, does it fall? -
omg chillOriginally posted by FireIce:
and i like the fart one HEHE -
quite simple to me actually, no needa think so much
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hiaya, the tree fall, does it concern you? No right? so dun need know if fall or not wad.
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No it doesn't, cos nobody's around to hear it and the tree will not complain even if it feels pain.Originally posted by unclebutcher:if a tree falls in a forest when no one is around, does it make a sound?
