So Joel and I were having a late night conversation last night (you can imagine how productive those are at 10 o'clock) and it just hit me--the whole 'tree in the forest' thing. Here's what I mean: if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there, does it make a sound? I always said, "of course it does!!!" But then I was thinking about the physics of sound (again, at 10 o'clock, mind you) and remembered that sound is made because sound waves vibrate the ear drum. So, now I've changed my mind. If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it--then no--I don't think it makes a sound. Because you have to have an ear drum to make sound--otherwise it's aimless sound waves.
Any other opinions? I'm sure many of you are more scientific than I am, so I'm curious to hear.
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6 comments:
what about animals? they have hearing, right? Collin thought of this one...=)
Sad that 10 makes it a late night conversation... 10 is when I start to do things...
Ear drums don't make the sound the just register it. The sound waves would be there, propagating through the air but if no ear drum was there to pick it up then no one would hear it. So if sound is your brain interpreting the input from your ear then there would be no sound. But all other effects of sound waves would be present.
just a sec.. my ear's are ringing...
ear drums, schmeer drums, it's 10:01 and way past my bedtime. From Dave
If an elk was present when the tree fell, then it would make a sound. However, if a giraffe were present, the sound waves would travel under its eardrums since they are so tall, and therefore, not make a sound.
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