How is "if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, doe

Question: How is "if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound" a good riddle!?

I think it is ridiculous, of course it makes a sound!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It's not so much a riddle as it is a question of reality!. If no one can see/touch/taste/hear/experience something, is it real!? How can you tell!? How do you know!? This is why many people question if God really exists or not!. I think it is a wonderful question that, when thought of without restriction, can create a slew of other excellent questions to make people think!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Our societies are based on proof!. If no ones around to hear it, then there's no one to verify its sound-making capabilities, sure it makes physical sense that it might make a sound, but who's really to know!? And to expand a little, if no ones around to hear it fall, then no one saw it fall either (unless you were deaf and watched it) then there would be no way to say weather it fell or it might have grown that way!. This is an ongoing philosophical debate, things we seem to know could possibly have no bearing other than we "believe" it happened, no one saw it, no one herd it, so it might be true, but then again, no one "really" knows!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

dont' be so sure of yourself!. first off, how do you know it makes a sound, if you wern't around!.

second off!. it depends on how one defines "sound"!. it can be taken to mean two different things!. a physical "sound" which would just be the vibration of air molecules that we've all learned about in 8th grade science!. second way of defining sound would be the actual auditory impression on a conscious organism's eardrum!.

in the case of this riddle, i believe the tree produces the former but not the latter!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

First of all there are TWO different questions here!. I prefer if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it does it make a NOISE!. Noise being a human reaction the answer is "of course not!" As for sound, what is sound!? Does a sound have an external existence!? Or is sound a human determination (like "noise"!?) if you measure a sound, does that mean you heard it!? Or is a "sound wave" different from a sound!?

I have an easier way for you to think about it!. Can you "see" ultraviolet!? Have you ever seen an ultra-violet image!? If you think these questions only have one answer then you don't really understand them!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

It's a philosophical question, and it does puzzle the mind!. It's like an exercise for the mind, the more you use it the stronger it gets!.
you could argue any position on this and be "right" - just depends on the angle of view you take!.
the points above are all correct as well!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, "sounds" are just waves interpreted a certain way by our brains when our eardrums vibrate a certain way!. If no one is around to hear the tree fall, there are just waves, and no brain to perceive the "sound"!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

much of society could not hear the screams, or smell the burning flesh of 6 million Jews burning in the ovens, people have selective values!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yeah but people always seem to miss the point!. It's about the significance of things that don't affect any other things!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Dumbest riddle I've ever heardWww@QuestionHome@Com

In other words, if no one is there to witness something, is it real!? It's a good question, I think!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

U read too much of David Eddings!. Page 197 Book 4 Mallorean, Polgara give u the answerWww@QuestionHome@Com