If a tree falls in the woods and you are not there, does it make

steve2470

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Sat Mar-05-05 10:34 PM
Original message

If a tree falls in the woods and you are not there, does it make

a sound ? Hmmmm.....whaddya think ?

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Skink

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Sat Mar-05-05 10:38 PM
Response to Original message

1. If you're not there....

how do you know it fell?

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steve2470

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Sat Mar-05-05 10:38 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. ahh grasshoppa, good point ! nt

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shawcomm

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Sat Mar-05-05 10:40 PM
Response to Original message

3. It's still going to create sound waves.

I'm sure a few squirrels would hear it, especially if they were living in it at the time.

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Sporadicus

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Sat Mar-05-05 10:42 PM
Response to Original message

4. I Say Yes

Whether or not anyone is around to hear it, sound waves are generated when the tree falls.

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man4allcats

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Sat Mar-05-05 11:31 PM
Response to Original message

5. I love this question...

To answer it, one has to ask what sound is. If sound is the wave, then one can argue that a sound is made. My interpretation has always been that sound is not the wave itself but rather the perception of the wave. If there are no receptors present (either those belonging to a human, a squirrel or perhaps some electronic listening device), then no sound is generated. The argument actually takes on a quantum mechanical aspect. In effect, we (or the squirrel) become part of the experiment. If we or the squirrel or Schrodinger and his damn cat are present when the tree falls, then there is sound. If we all leave and the tree falls, there is no sound. Strange, isn't it?

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