If a tree falls down in the forest and no-one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? (experience, verse)

[davidishere]

If a tree falls down in the forest and no-one is around to hear it fall, i believe that the sound will not exist, as an interpreter is required to perceive the sound.

[Mestemia]

Huh?
When a tree falls it causes the shock waves that are called sound.
These shock waves are there whether or not there is someone there to call it a sound or not.

I have one for you:

If a man says something and there is not a women around to hear it,
Is he still wrong?

[Guitar's Cry]

If the last living thing in the Universe suddenly dies, is there a Universe?

[Fluffy]

I agree with you. Sound is how we interpret sound waves and is not inherent in them.

[Mestemia]

So a sound isn't a sound unless/until it is declared a sound?

[Fluffy]

No a sound isn't a sound unless it is experienced by something. It is in the same category of concepts as colour, sweet, smelly etc.

Unless of course you want to say that sound is equivalent to shock waves. Which might actually be more interesting.

Why do you assume that the unobserved functions in the same way as the observed (problem of induction)?

[Mestemia]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

No a sound isn't a sound unless it is experienced by something. It is in the same category of concepts as colour, sweet, smelly etc.

So my green van is not green unless someone is looking at it?
What colour is it when no one is looking at it?

[Fluffy]

Originally Posted by Mestemia

So my green van is not green unless someone is looking at it?
What colour is it when no one is looking at it?

There is no such thing as a green van. You have can only have a van which you perceive to be green.

I can show you a person who will view the exact same frequency of light as you are yet see a different colour (i.e. colour blindness). Why do you assume that you have the more accurate perception?

[Mestemia]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

There is no such thing as a green van. You have can only have a van which you perceive to be green.

I can show you a person who will view the exact same frequency of light as you are yet see a different colour (i.e. colour blindness). Why do you assume that you have the more accurate perception?

I make no assumptions at all.
The title of my van says green.
Therefore I am not making an assumption, I am merely in agreement.
However, I cannot argue whether or not my agreement is with an assumption.