NationStates Jolt Archive

If a Tree falls in the forest and no ones around to hear it,


do the other trees laugh at it?

I think a better question is, are the squirrels still surprised?

And yes, yes they do laugh at it, because trees are very cruel things.

Trees don't have time to worry or care about a fallen breathren, they are too busy growing.

But the squirrels and birds laugh at it, they're always laughing at everything...

Trees laughing...Now you've given me nightmares.
Great. Thanks. A lot.

Haent you peaple seen Family Guy?! of Course they do! and they never shut up!

Ecstasy is illegal you know...

A better question is:
If a tree falls in a forest and crushes the idiot hugging it, does anybody really care?

DO NOT INSULT THE TREES!!! IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE SECOND "LORD OF THE RINGS" MOVIE YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PISS OFF THE TREES!!!


- :p :p

DO NOT INSULT THE TREES!!! IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE SECOND "LORD OF THE RINGS" MOVIE YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PISS OFF THE TREES!!!


- :p :p

Damn those trees are cool :)

If a tree falls on a mime, does he make a sound?

If a tree falls on a mime, does he make a sound? :confused:

:mad:

:sniper:

DO NOT INSULT THE TREES!!! IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE SECOND "LORD OF THE RINGS" MOVIE YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PISS OFF THE TREES!!!


- :p :p

Actually I think you'd be fine. Since they take so long to reach any sort of decision, as long as you don't decide to stay there for say, more than a week, you could easily escape.

:confused:

:mad:

:sniper:

I hope that gun has a silencer on it! :D

Actually I think you'd be fine. Since they take so long to reach any sort of decision, as long as you don't decide to stay there for say, more than a week, you could easily escape.
Most of the trees I've known were pretty decisive.
Of course the desicion was just to stand in one place and grow leaves, but it was a desicion.

If a Tree falls in the forest and no ones around to hear it,


do the other trees laugh at it?


here's one for you

If a tree falls in the woods, would anyone shut the fuck up about it?

if a tree falls and then gets into a fight with the tree that triped it does it win the fight?

"If a tree fell in the forest and no one was around to hear it, would it make a sound?"

If no one was around how the hell do you know it fell over?

Ecstasy is illegal you know...
It is??

Oh! Oh! I've got one! If a person wants to get his post count up, and he makes a worthless post, do the other people flame him?

Oh! Oh! I've got one! If a person wants to get his post count up, and he makes a worthless post, do the other people flame him?

That's not rhetorical. The answer is clearly yes :D

:confused:

:mad:

:sniper:

LMAO

please, someone own up to posting that under an alias. It's just too funny to be true.

LMAO

please, someone own up to posting that under an alias. It's just too funny to be true.http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/huh.sml.gif

http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/jpshakehead.sml.gif

http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/huh.sml.gif

http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/jpshakehead.sml.gif

Ahhh!!!! :eek: a real Mime!!!!

*flees in terror*
*hides behind tree-beard*

i think the question nobody's asking is if a tree falls in the forest do the squirrels grab their nuts and run?

it only takes 1 tree to fall in the forest
then everybody posts about it

Ahhh!!!! :eek: a real Mime!!!!

*flees in terror*
*hides behind tree-beard*

http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/abovelol.sml.gif




http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/fingerscrossedicon.gif

http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/abovelol.sml.gif

Kill It!!!! :mp5: OMG it's EVIL! it must be destroyed

http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/fingerscrossedicon.gif

oh... sarcasm... I knew that. right um... LOOK! a distraction! *runs and hides in shame*

serious question though - I checked your past posts, and there's some bizzarely complex smiley combos in there that I don't think the server is showing properly anymore, can you show me what they're supposed to look like?

Oh yeah... and um... trees are cool. See! I'm still on topic!

Because I'm bored at 4 am:

"If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

The answer is no. There is a perfectly sane explanation for this, but I'm not tellin'!

serious question though - I checked your past posts, and there's some bizzarely complex smiley combos in there that I don't think the server is showing properly anymore, can you show me what they're supposed to look like? The following errors occurred when this message was submitted:
You have included too many images in your signature or in your previous post. Please go back and correct the problem and then continue again.

Images include use of smilies, the vB code [img] tag and HTML <img> tags. The use of these is all subject to them being enabled by the administrator. :(

Because I'm bored at 4 am:

"If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

The answer is no. There is a perfectly sane explanation for this, but I'm not tellin'!

Because it is just a vibration in the air until interpreted by an ear. Ha! I spoiled it.

p.s. Mime: is there somewhere on the web I can paste your posts to see them?

Here's the REAL question:

If a tree falls in the forest, and it hits a mime, does anyone care?

Excuse me for changing the subject (a little):

Back to the earlier question "If a tree falls down and hits a mime, does he make a sound?", my answer is this:

I would imagine he would, something along the lines of "splat".

Here's the REAL question:

If a tree falls in the forest, and it hits a mime, does anyone care?

I think they'd be too busy laughing

Excuse me for changing the subject (a little):

Back to the earlier question "If a tree falls down and hits a mime, does he make a sound?", my answer is this:

I would imagine he would, something along the lines of "splat".

But what if noeone's there to hear it?

Excuse me for changing the subject (a little):

Back to the earlier question "If a tree falls down and hits a mime, does he make a sound?", my answer is this:

I would imagine he would, something along the lines of "splat".

I believe he wouldn't be able to help but say "FU......................"

Here's the REAL question:

If a tree falls in the forest, and it hits a mime, does anyone care?
Ofcourse we care....a Mime is a terrible thing to waste

I believe he wouldn't be able to help but say "FU......................"
"............Cough."

Ofcourse we care....a Mime is a terrible thing to waste
hehe, Robin Hood: Men in Thights... you gotta love it

Falling trees always make sound, even if there's no one to hear it. All you need for sound is an object vibrating (for instance, leaves brushing against eachother) and a surrounding material to resonate to the vibration.

If there was a forest in space and a tree would fall, then it would not make a sound, but since all trees are within the atmosphere, all trees make sounds when they fall in a forest

hehe, Robin Hood: Men in Thights... you gotta love it

Falling trees always make sound, even if there's no one to hear it. All you need for sound is an object vibrating (for instance, leaves brushing against eachother) and a surrounding material to resonate to the vibration.

If there was a forest in space and a tree would fall, then it would not make a sound, but since all trees are within the atmosphere, all trees make sounds when they fall in a forest

Depends on how you define sound now doesn't it? is sound something we perceive, or a vibration?

with the latter it does make a sound (as you said).
with the former it does not.

BUT - even if you go with the latter - can you proove it made a sound without observing it? I think not.

sound is there whether you hear it or not.

-20 Hz vibrations of air is sound, but we do not perceive it because the human ear is incapable of picking up those sounds.
And trees do not grow fallen down in a forest and therefor there must have been a movement and therefor a sound.

And if a tree falls down on another tree, does it hurt it?

sound is there whether you hear it or not.

-20 Hz vibrations of air is sound, but we do not perceive it because the human ear is incapable of picking up those sounds.
And trees do not grow fallen down in a forest and therefor there must have been a movement and therefor a sound.

proof by induction is not really proof - just a valid assumption.
e.g. the sun rose today, and it rose yesterday, and every day for recorded history. thus, induction tells us, it will rise tomorrow. One day the sun will explode, and it will not rise. Thus induction is not conclusive (though you should always act like it is, cause otherwise you'd be a crazy nut like me)

Can you proove that there has never been a tree that fell soundlessly? no you cannot, a negative cannot be proven. thus you cannot proove that this particular tree made a sound. e.g. what if the sound was destroyed by its negative before it could exist? (yes, negative sound exists... kinda... it's still positive sound... but if it's a perfect opposite then the 2 waves cancel)

Surely it's not a sound if nobody hears it. It's just a vibration of the air. It's only a sound if it's picked up by the ear. Like with the 20Htz thing, we could say "it makes no sound" therefore it's not a sound but a mere vibration of air particles. :headbang:

Thats how I see it anyway.

Surely it's not a sound if nobody hears it. It's just a vibration of the air. It's only a sound if it's picked up by the ear. Like with the 20Htz thing, we could say "it makes no sound" therefore it's not a sound but a mere vibration of air particles. :headbang:

Thats how I see it anyway.

Correct. SOund is a translation of that vibrating air. Until translated by an ear, it isn't sound. SO if there are no ears around, then there were no sounds.

That's not rhetorical. The answer is clearly yes :D

Well, I would hope so. I need to get my post count up. Because...I do, K?

proof by induction is not really proof - just a valid assumption.
e.g. the sun rose today, and it rose yesterday, and every day for recorded history. thus, induction tells us, it will rise tomorrow. One day the sun will explode, and it will not rise. Thus induction is not conclusive (though you should always act like it is, cause otherwise you'd be a crazy nut like me)

Can you proove that there has never been a tree that fell soundlessly? no you cannot, a negative cannot be proven. thus you cannot proove that this particular tree made a sound. e.g. what if the sound was destroyed by its negative before it could exist? (yes, negative sound exists... kinda... it's still positive sound... but if it's a perfect opposite then the 2 waves cancel)

Not true: EVERYTHING that moves inside an atmosphere (and all trees are in an atmosphere, because trees cannot live outside an atmosphere) makes that atmosphere resonate at certain frequencies. The movement of objects in atmospheres causes volumes air (or any other gas) to be compressed and decompressed. Pure science. If you don't believe it, prove me wrong. I proved trees cannot fall sounlessly. I do not have to prove there was never a tree that fell soundlessly.

Surely it's not a sound if nobody hears it. It's just a vibration of the air. It's only a sound if it's picked up by the ear. Like with the 20Htz thing, we could say "it makes no sound" therefore it's not a sound but a mere vibration of air particles.

But it is a sound. It has every aspect of being a sound (it's air that vibrates at certain frequencies: the definition of sound), with the exception that it's not heard. That's the same as saying: "I did not see or hear you enter the room, therefor you must have just appeared out of nothingness". It's all about Perception. Perception has got nothing to do with something happening (or being) or not. Perception is not always the truth. Just like the negative sound thing. You will not hear it because it is destroyed, but it'll still be there destroying the positive sound.

hi i am a tree and my friend earl fell last week and he hasent shut up since ... yea laugh all you want but would any of you think of helping me ... and the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon the little boy blue and the man in the moon ... oooh aaagh what the... boom... [adult swim] Family Guy :p

But it is a sound. It has every aspect of being a sound (it's air that vibrates at certain frequencies: the definition of sound), with the exception that it's not heard. That's the same as saying: "I did not see or hear you enter the room, therefor you must have just appeared out of nothingness". It's all about Perception. Perception has got nothing to do with something happening (or being) or not.
You're arguing apples and oranges --objective vs. subjective. One person says, "well, surely sound is subjective when it's perceived subjectively" and the other saying, "don't be ridiculous! it's objective when it's percevied objectively!"

*boing*

Hit a man with a fish, he'll have a headache for a day.
Teach him how to hit himself, he'll have a headache for a lifetime!

Is the squirrel have dead or half alive?

If a man speaks in the woods, and a woman doesn't hear him, is he still wrong?

No, the tree doesn't exist without a perceiver. If no one is around to hear it, then there is only the possibility of a tree.

No, the tree doesn't exist without a perceiver. If no one is around to hear it, then there is only the possibility of a tree.

Bullshit. The simplest answer is always correct. Which is simpler? That the tree is there whether you see it or not, or that the tree keeps popping out of and into existance because some hiker wandered by, and the tree always appears in the same place.

Bullshit. The simplest answer is always correct. Which is simpler? That the tree is there whether you see it or not, or that the tree keeps popping out of and into existance because some hiker wandered by, and the tree always appears in the same place.
Actually, Occam's razor says most often correct. And I'd think that there not being a tree would be simpler.

If a tree fell in the forest and hit Christ on his Second Coming, would he suffer penile dysfunction afterward?

Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.

That is definition 1.b. from YourDictionary.com (http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/s/s0576500.html)

I don't think I need to say much more.

Bullshit. The simplest answer is always correct. Which is simpler? That the tree is there whether you see it or not, or that the tree keeps popping out of and into existance because some hiker wandered by, and the tree always appears in the same place.
FINALLY some one with some sense

If a man speaks in the woods, and a woman doesn't hear him, is he still wrong?

haha that was on a shirt.....in Bermuda.

FINALLY some one with some sense

Lol. Well, I wouldn't go that far. It's unusual for me to have someone praising me, and not flaming.

It is said that something as subtle as the fluttering of a butterfly's wings can ultimately cause a typhoon on the other side of the world. :)

Lol. Well, I wouldn't go that far. It's unusual for me to have someone praising me, and not flaming.
I did say "some" which means you can even have the slightest bit :p

BTW: I am Guinness Brewers

It is said that something as subtle as the fluttering of a butterfly's wings can ultimately cause a typhoon on the other side of the world. :)
Discworld fan?

Anyway: it can add up to creating a typhoon. It being the sole reason is extremely unlikely...

Bullshit. The simplest answer is always correct. Which is simpler? That the tree is there whether you see it or not, or that the tree keeps popping out of and into existance because some hiker wandered by, and the tree always appears in the same place.

Why? What is a tree? A set of perceptions such as appearance, texture, etc. If there is no one around to perceive it, then it is simply potential.

That is definition 1.b. from YourDictionary.com (http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/s/s0576500.html)

I don't think I need to say much more.
Logical posts always get ignored.

Logical posts always get ignored.
don't you just hate it when that happens?

"If a tree falls in the forest, and no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

"Yes it does. It cries out in fear and trepidation as it nears the ground. "Hey! I'm falling! Oh Lord Christ Almighty I'm gonna hit the ground! This is going to hurt! Won't someone save me! The pain! The pain!" At this point, the tree has usually hit the ground and is now writhing back and forth in agony, crying like a big sissy. Trees are wimps."

If a tree fell in the forest and hit Christ on his Second Coming, would he suffer penile dysfunction afterward?


Also referred to as "fallen wood syndrome."

Discworld fan?

Anyway: it can add up to creating a typhoon. It being the sole reason is extremely unlikely...

It's the butterfly effect of the Chaos theory. Basically it says all science/mathematics is wrong based on the following fact:

1. Instruments are only accurate to a certain level, i.e. they can only recieve input or output to three decimals, 2.345

2. Over time, the difference in 2.345 and 2.3451 will become infinately great.

3. The flutter of the wings creates a small vortex inthe atmosphere, undetectable at the time. Overtime the vortex grows and grows...until it's a typhoon.


Hi, I'm Kyle, I have an addiction to severe weather and forecasting. (as you can tell)
In a past life, I was Arostotle.

I did say "some" which means you can even have the slightest bit :p

BTW: I am Guinness Brewers

Sorry, am I supposed to know who that is?

Oh, on the butterfly thing, yeah, it's known as the Butterfly Effect, and relates to the Chaos theory.

The real question is:
Does anyone friggen care what other people think about the "if a tree fall over..does it make a sound" debate?

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around. . .

do the sloths make a sound?

. . .you can't like own a tree man. . .

From an objective POV, it would be more accurate to say that it does sound(not "makes a sound"). Basically, yes.

From a subjective POV, no, because you cannot prove that it does. Contrary to what that other fellow was saying, this is actually the simpler conclusion, as it involves no assumption.

'How deep would the ocean be, if there wasn't any sponges?'

'What WAS the best thing before sliced bread?' :p

PS Surely, there would always be something to hear that tree fall, whether it was birds, animals etc. Or are you assuming a sound is only valid if heard by a human? ;)

I don't know if they LAUGH... ( :confused: ) but I think I do know the answer to the original question.


The answer is yes and no.
The tree would hit the ground and therefor would have to produce sound waves, but if there are no eardrums or microphones or the like around to pick up the vibrations, it will not be what we hear. It would just be shockwaves.

I think. I'm pretty certain I'm correct.

In general there is only two times a tree will make a sound while falling if no-ones there, In both cases the sound is "Yes, Got you you little bugger", these cases are when it lands on a beaver and when it lands on a lumberjack (i know that technically a lumberjack is someone but as a tree's gonna land on him he won't be someone for long)

In general there is only two times a tree will make a sound while falling if no-ones there, In both cases the sound is "Yes, Got you you little bugger", these cases are when it lands on a beaver and when it lands on a lumberjack (i know that technically a lumberjack is someone but as a tree's gonna land on him he won't be someone for long)


You're a funny little bugger arn't you :p

Come on, Opal, if your gonna quote a dictionary, do it right.

"The mechanical excitation of an elastic medium. Originally, sound was considered to be only that which is heard. This admitted questions such as whether or not sound was generated by trees falling where no one could hear. A more mechanistic approach avoids these questions and also allows acoustic disturbances too high in frequency (ultrasonic) to be heard or too low (infrasonic) to be classed as extensions of those events that can be heard."

They even pre-empted the question in the dictionary.


from

http://www.accessscience.com/sci-bin/freesearch

search: sound

Still, though, if sound is "id quod auditum est," then I got to go with no auricular faculties, no sound. But the birds and bees count (question, do bees have ears - sidenote, Africanized killer bees reach Oklahoma) and where is there a forest with no living varmint? I can only think of the bayou by where Tibbibu and Boojo live, cuz they went cooning all summer.

I don't know if they LAUGH... ( :confused: ) but I think I do know the answer to the original question.


The answer is yes and no.
The tree would hit the ground and therefor would have to produce sound waves, but if there are no eardrums or microphones or the like around to pick up the vibrations, it will not be what we hear. It would just be shockwaves.

I think. I'm pretty certain I'm correct.
Just think about it some more. If the tree would make a sound (and a man WOULD be around) with a frequency higher than 20000 Hz (so in audible to humans) you'd state that te tree did NOT make a sound because it is not heard. If a dog would stand beside the human, the dog WOULD hear it. The range of existing sound would be bigger if you state that sound is something picked up by ANY ear, not just human ears. So you'd have to measure EVERY range of hearing of EVERY animal alive. It would be FAR easier to just state that sound is "The mechanical excitation of an elastic medium." So sound is actually there, even when there's nothing around

Thanks to Michiganistania

If a tree fell in the wood... I'd say theyve finally finished logging in Tasmania!

(for our foreign friends Tasmania is the small Island south of the Australian continent which once a LOT of trees on it but they've basically all been cut down now!

As for the sound thing, duh of course it would. Just because I can't hear it dosn't mean it aint there! Just because I can hear it dosn't mean it is there. So in fact, it must be there see? :headbang:

you see a tree put a video recorder down tape tree falls down later play tape whats that hear noise huh?

If a tree fell in the wood... I'd say theyve finally finished logging in Tasmania!

(for our foreign friends Tasmania is the small Island south of the Australian continent which once a LOT of trees on it but they've basically all been cut down now!

As for the sound thing, duh of course it would. Just because I can't hear it dosn't mean it aint there! Just because I can hear it dosn't mean it is there. So in fact, it must be there see? :headbang:

Exactly! I mean, with those 'silent' whistles, does it 'not make a sound' if there's no animal around who can hear it? Obviously animals count, otherwise the silent whistle is a magical summoning device, because obviously it wouldn't be creating sound.

'What WAS the best thing before sliced bread?'
Why bread ofcourse...which brings another age old question up if you butter a slice of bread, tie to the back of a cat, and drop the whole thing out a window, which way up does it land....and does it taste nice

Just think about it some more. If the tree would make a sound (and a man WOULD be around) with a frequency higher than 20000 Hz (so in audible to humans) you'd state that te tree did NOT make a sound because it is not heard. If a dog would stand beside the human, the dog WOULD hear it. The range of existing sound would be bigger if you state that sound is something picked up by ANY ear, not just human ears. So you'd have to measure EVERY range of hearing of EVERY animal alive. It would be FAR easier to just state that sound is "The mechanical excitation of an elastic medium." So sound is actually there, even when there's nothing around

Thanks to Michiganistania

Eh...well...there are sounds that humans can't hear, but logical thinking scientists consider them sounds. They also still effect the human body. For instance, I can't think of what these sounds are called, but they are the ones below 20Hz. Once you get so low, the sounds can actually make you sick. The United States was actually considering developing a weapon like this to use against the Soviets, but there is no way to prevent it from effect the user either...so it never got developed.