• Question: If a tree in a forest falls, and no one is around, does it make a sound?

    Asked by freddo to Akshat, Diana, Gemma, Judith on 22 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Gemma Sharp

      Gemma Sharp answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi Frederick Beak, I like a good philosophical question on a Tuesday night 🙂

      I think it does still make a noise, but I also think that something will always be around to hear it. Forests are pretty highly populated by other species!

    • Photo: Judith McCann

      Judith McCann answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      It depends on how you define sound. Either by a sound wave travelling through the air or if it is only sound when it is detected by an ear…

      I think it makes a noise, but debatable 😀

    • Photo: Akshat Rathi

      Akshat Rathi answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      You are asking the question ‘Does the unobserved world operate the same as the observed world?’. And in that sense, there is no doubt that a falling tree will make a sound even if no one is around. When we do our experiments we believe that even though we are not observing it something is happening.

      So, I don’t think there is room for debate there Judith. 😉

Comments