Does a Falling Tree Make a Sound if Unheard?

[General_Sax]

But the deeper question is, with no observer (i.e. no dirt, air, etc. to absorb the wave's energy) what happens?

Isn't a wave loosely defined as energy traveling through a medium? If so, then a 'wave' without a medium isn't a wave. What happens is a good question. Would the energy be localized to the point (assuming point source)? Maybe a standing wave of sorts.

I think the deeper question posed by others in this thread is:

Is sound nothing more than a pressure wave?

 

[Pattonias]

I'm more curious to know where this forest is that has trees but is devoid of all life.

My question would be "is it possible for a tree to fall in a forest where there is no life capable of hearing it?"

Possible, but unlikely...

 

[Topher925]

I'm more curious to know where this forest is that has trees but is devoid of all life.

My question would be "is it possible for a tree to fall in a forest where there is no life capable of hearing it?"

Christmas tree on the moon.

 

[JBLFCrulez4]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS60d727A4Y&feature=channel_video_title This is my point in a short video, do with it what you will :)

 

[Evo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS60d727A4Y&feature=channel_video_title This is my point in a short video, do with it what you will :)

That was cute.

 

[Topher925]

If a tree falls on a woman, and know one is around to hear it, why is there a tree in the kitchen?

 

[Evo]

If a tree falls on a woman, and know one is around to hear it, why is there a tree in the kitchen?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sorry, until there is absolute agreement about Schrodinger's cat, I see no hope for this problem.

 

[Pythagorean]

I define sound as a perception of organisms.

Outside the context of organisms, it's just pressure fluctuations. But yes, they still happen, they just don't enter the canal, translate through the eardrum, act on the hair cells, and pass electrical signals through a giant biological network which interprets the pressure fluctuations meaningfully (traditionally, as they can be classified in terms of survival).

 

[Calrid]

I never able to find answer for my question which is similar: What is the Sound of the Single Hand?

A slap.

 

[Calrid]

Well this analogises really well to the wave function obviously.

Basically hear is a perception, sound is a modulation of frequency in air in this case but is defined by our perceptual measure of what sound is itself. If no humans existed then what would we call sound and would it exist independently of the experimenter or here the person hearing it? Probably but not as sound more as whatever some other consciousness defined as sound and there is no reason that would be identical. So what is sound?

The answer therefore is if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound.

Bohr would of said no it cannot because without a perceptual evaluation all we can say is the sound is undefined or unmeasured it is hence not a sound.

Einstein on the other hand would say yes of course it does make a sound and a sound, sound exists independent of a perception: Copenhagen interpretation is for schmucks! Hey if I am not looking at the moon it still exists right!

 

[Calrid]

Sorry, until there is absolute agreement about Schrodinger's cat, I see no hope for this problem.

Or in fact for interpretations moving from philosophy to fact.

 

[botned]

This question is a philosophical question, it is better expressed like this