Thread: If a tree falls in the forest..you're gonna hate this one.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Similar, but not exactly the same. :-)

If two problems share the exact same Hilbert space and Hamiltonian, are they the same problem, or different ones?

I think the silliness and arrogance of these types of questions is easily evaluated by simply taking it one step further . . .

If I personally don't hear something than it couldn't have possibly existed. Because the entire world evolves around me.

I think the better question is "What other things happen in the universe that we are blind to simply because of our self-centered view of reality?"

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

If I personally don't hear something than it couldn't have possibly existed. Because the entire world evolves around me.

I'm gonna go ahead and coin the phrase "Darwinian slip".

Edit: ...or not. Darn you, Google.

Interesting ideas about "proving" something (regarding the sunlight). I know that most people feel that our direct observation of something is proof enough that it exists, but you could always be a brain in a jar in the far future, being tricked into believing that whatever you're experiencing is real. If so, I wish they'd trick me up a minty Wonderedge or two...

Originally Posted by ChrisL

Perhaps this is too literal, but "hearing" is an auditory response to sound waves. I would say the falling of the tree creates sound waves irregardless of anyone or anything such as an animal, insect or even a tape recorder being around to "hear" them. "Hearing" is a perception of frequencies. If no one or nothing is around to perceive the sound waves, the sound waves still exist.

If a rocket still visible but leaving the earth's atmosphere explodes, it's a silent display to those watching it since it's beyond their auditory perception. Was it heard? No. Did it create sound waves? Yes.

I'm still stuck on the sound of one hand clapping, myself.

Chris L

Yep, thats my reasoning as well!

And the sound of one hand clapping is "cl"

I think you can have a fairly solid running hypothesis that when a tree falls and you are not present it makes a sound. You can only base this truth on the face that when you are present, the tree makes a sound, and there is nothing to suggest this would stop happening becuase you were not there.

You guys have it all wrong.


You aren't seeing the forest for the trees....




As far as SHrondinger's cat. Perhaps the tree is the same. Until observed, the tree is both standing and has fallen.

Billyjeff2, if something is not heard then it does not make a noise (or a sound)

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

the entire world evolves around me

oh great another evolutionist

Evolution is proven ......

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Billyjeff2, if something is not heard then it does not make a noise (or a sound)

the truest statement for this thread.
The question has two answers:
Global answer:there is sound because the laws of Physics dictate that.
Local answer:there is no sound because if one is not there one can't experience the sound waves.