Philo
If a tree falls in the forest without anyone around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Our natural response would be that yes, its impact would definitely produce vibrations that are audible to the human ear. But without a human ear to receive these vibrations, is their existence still of any significance? (In other words must we first perceive an event’s occurrence with our senses before it can be said to have occurred… I think)
Can there be no sound? Well definitely. The line of reasoning for this question would go something like this: If sounds get so soft that we cannot hear them, would their inaudibility lead us to question their existence? I would say yes - How can one vouch for a sound that he/she cannot hear? Hence the component of being heard is definitely essential. Perception would seem to matter
Yet, how much does it matter? Imagine a tree that falls and gets up at regular intervals. If many people gather around it, but one individual is just out of earshot, a sound is definitely made. Keep guiding individuals out of earshot till just one guy is left. A sound is still made. Guide the last guy out. Wouldn’t the tree continue producing the same sound despite its lack of an audience?
Hence, if we see a sound as a fixed set of vibrations, then by inductive reasoning, the isolated tree will produce the same vibrations as a tree falling within earshot of a crowd of people. Who hears it? Why, the person who tells us that the tree is falling of course ;)
(My collection of initial thoughts upon reading the question on Jang's fs!)
Our natural response would be that yes, its impact would definitely produce vibrations that are audible to the human ear. But without a human ear to receive these vibrations, is their existence still of any significance? (In other words must we first perceive an event’s occurrence with our senses before it can be said to have occurred… I think)
Can there be no sound? Well definitely. The line of reasoning for this question would go something like this: If sounds get so soft that we cannot hear them, would their inaudibility lead us to question their existence? I would say yes - How can one vouch for a sound that he/she cannot hear? Hence the component of being heard is definitely essential. Perception would seem to matter
Yet, how much does it matter? Imagine a tree that falls and gets up at regular intervals. If many people gather around it, but one individual is just out of earshot, a sound is definitely made. Keep guiding individuals out of earshot till just one guy is left. A sound is still made. Guide the last guy out. Wouldn’t the tree continue producing the same sound despite its lack of an audience?
Hence, if we see a sound as a fixed set of vibrations, then by inductive reasoning, the isolated tree will produce the same vibrations as a tree falling within earshot of a crowd of people. Who hears it? Why, the person who tells us that the tree is falling of course ;)
(My collection of initial thoughts upon reading the question on Jang's fs!)