An oldie

**Ste** · 17th January 2008, 10:28

If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no-one there to hear it. Does it make a noise?

Answers below, with reasoning if required.

**BigP** · 17th January 2008, 16:18

Yes.
But if a man speaks and there are no women around to hear him is he still wrong?

**JonR** · 17th January 2008, 16:24

yes it will, just because no one is there to hear it, it doesnt mean it doesnt make a noise when it falls.

it makes a noise when your next to it so the only changing factor is your not there to hear it, it hasnt changed

**Karl** · 17th January 2008, 16:26

Not sure, I wasn't there, lol

**fenderguitar** · 17th January 2008, 17:37

not sure, but my wife says its my fault it fell anyway

**NealM** · 17th January 2008, 17:43

Depends on tree type and direction of fall

**parapaul** · 17th January 2008, 17:43

In the absence of measurement, there is no reality. If there's no-one there, it neither makes a sound nor doesn't make a sound.

Same as Schrodinger's cat...

**BigP** · 17th January 2008, 17:46

Originally Posted by fenderguitar

not sure, but my wife says its my fault it fell anyway

PMSL

**Dave1.8** · 17th January 2008, 17:47

Yes

**Ste** · 17th January 2008, 20:02

No.

Because 'noise' is our brains' interpretation of differing pressure waves, detected by the ear and the brain interprets these as noise.

So, if no-one is there to hear it, all it will do is create localised fluctuations in air pressure, waves that we would then 'hear' as noise, if we were there.

That's my answer and I'm sticking to it...