Of course. It still creates the sound waves, even if no one receives them. It's the same concept as something getting lost in the mail. The letter was still created, it's just that no one received it. A tree doesn't need permission from a human (or other animal) to make a noise.
No, it creates a wave through the air but that wave isn't a sound. You need someone to hear it so that their brain can interpret the stimuli before it is actually a sound.
No, it creates a wave through the air but that wave isn't a sound. You need someone to hear it so that their brain can interpret the stimuli before it is actually a sound.
What about insects? They would still hear it, even if no human does. How this question is answered depends on whether or not humans are the only ones included. If so, then this could become a discussion on the arrogance of humans...thinking that unless we experience something it isn't important. If not, then that's just science.
If a woman yells in the woods, and no man hears her, is she still wrong?
If so, then this could become a discussion on the arrogance of humans
It's not exactly arrogance, it's more like only paying attention to the stuff worth noticing. If you can't tell something happened it really makes no difference that it happened. The tree didn't make a sound because the act of falling had no significance to anyone.
What about insects? They would still hear it, even if no human does.
Perhaps but then again several hundred insects aren't of any particularly importance either. For them there was a sound, but for those people concerned there wasn't.
t's not exactly arrogance, it's more like only paying attention to the stuff worth noticing.
You could say that. I feel though that most of the people that only pay attention to "stuff worth noticing" are usually slightly arrogant though. In my experience at least.
Perhaps but then again several hundred insects aren't of any particularly importance either.
Not to us, but again, humans in general seem to believe that they're better than every other species. Sure they may not have a large role in our human dominated environment, but essentially we're all pretty much equal. The way I see it is that every species could have become dominant, but we just got lucky and happened to be the species that developed the advanced brain. We shouldn't act like we did something special to earn it.
I have a similar question. If a person is born without any senses at all does the world exist?
It does to us, but what about this person? They wouldn't have a clue about anything at all because their brain has no way to connect and interpret anything of the world. You surely can't fault that person for being arrogant, they're only working with what they were given, albeit not very much.
It's they same concept. Maybe the insects noticed the tree falling but what about any of the meteors that crash into Jupiter over the course of their lifetime? They don't know it happened so why would they care? Are these insects being arrogant because they don't care it happened?
There's no arrogance with concerning yourself with only what has significance to you, it's actually the norm.
Who cares, but to cricket, Cricket- Hory Sheet Thees why I reave Tokyo, lol asia at one point thought the cricket was good luck, maybe still do idk, but yes the tree makes a sound it doesnt matter if anyone is around, if it is material, then sound will come off of it, also, new question, what made the tree fall
It's they same concept. Maybe the insects noticed the tree falling but what about any of the meteors that crash into Jupiter over the course of their lifetime? They don't know it happened so why would they care? Are these insects being arrogant because they don't care it happened?
Good point. I think it's probably a bit different, since we're all here on Earth together though. I can see where you're coming from though, and it makes sense.
Good point. I think it's probably a bit different, since we're all here on Earth together though. I can see where you're coming from though, and it makes sense.
Cool, it's nice to know you can get through to people in these debates, most of the time it's not very apparent
I sort of figure that was the underlying concept to this question that allowed it survive so long. It's much deeper than it seems at first glance.
This is an ancient thread that you've revived, friend.
anywho... here are my thoughts on the subject matter.
A large part of what science does is search for and acknowledge patterns, processes, and phenomena and describe those things in written/spoken language. Even tho the label of the phenomena as sound is a human construct, it does not mean that if there isn't a human around to acknowledge it that the phenomena defined as sound does not still exist and thus a tree that falls in the woods without anyone around to hear it, does make the phenomena of sound even tho there isn't anyone around to identify it as such.
Some people give the thought of everything is an idea, and that if no-one is around to acknowledge said idea that concept no longer exists. I don't see science as the creation of ideas... I see it as the acknowledgement of(and acknowledge new (or new ways to manipulate the old (which is in a way acknowledging new))) concepts, processes, and phenomena that exist whether we do or not.
