Does a tree exist if no one is there to observe it?

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The discussion centers on the philosophical and quantum mechanics implications of the question, "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?" Participants assert that the tree exists independently of observation, countering claims that wave functions collapse only in the presence of observers. The conversation highlights the principle of deferred measurement in quantum mechanics, which suggests that observations can be delayed without affecting the system's evolution. Additionally, the role of environmental decoherence is discussed, emphasizing that while it explains the appearance of wave function collapse, it does not resolve the measurement problem in quantum mechanics.

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  • #121
DaveC426913 said:
This is completely false. Why would you say such a thing?

Are you saying that when the tree hits the ground, the air around the tree is not moved? Does it not propagate these movements in a spherical front radiating out from the tree at the speed of sound?

I am not at all saying that. If I did I would accept the notion of a mind-independent structured world.
 
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  • #122
This one isn't philosophy either. Dave is right, the riddle is a silly one that reduces to an argument over the definition of "sound". If a "sound" is a pressure wave, then yes, it exists whether anyone/thing hears it or not. If "sound" is what is detected by our ears, then it doesn't. The line of discussion about whether anything exists independent of the mind is just overzealous Matrix fandom.

Thread locked.
 

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