A Thinking

[mig]

StLBob posted some things to think about.

To expand on one of them

Can there be a sound when there's nobody around to hear it?.

 

[sch00lteacher]

StLBob posted some things to think about.

To expand on one of them

Can there be a sound when there's nobody around to hear it?.

Supposedly not.

The old tree falling in the forrest deal.

I had a big fight with my philosophy professor about this one.

 

[digger51]

Is it really a posting if no one reads it ??

 

[scylis]

i don't know. ask KR1. i bet he knows all about that.


no no, no!! don't! don't!!! DON'T DO IT!!!!

oh god, somebody beat the fuck out of me for even suggesting it!

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Isn't the explanation something like there are the vibrations that have the potential to be sound, but can only be actual sound when interpretted by something with the ability to hear?

 

[scylis]

if a tree falls on a mime, and nobody's around, does anybody care?

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Hey hey hey, a mime is a terrible thing to waste.

 

[sch00lteacher]

Isn't the explanation something like there are the vibrations that have the potential to be sound, but can only be actual sound when interpretted by something with the ability to hear?

Yeah that sounds about right. I always wanted to argue that there had to be some sort of bug or animal around to hear it. Didn't work.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Yeah that sounds about right. I always wanted to argue that there had to be some sort of bug or animal around to hear it. Didn't work.

The source I had to answer the question for stated it "Nothing around to hear it" so he got out of that one. I tried the metaphysical argument (IE: In some religions there are spirits in the very trees, and they could hear it) but all that got me was a glare and a comment about Theology being next period

 

[scylis]

i always go with "a sound is a vibration, yes, but it's the same if there's something there that can "hear" it or not. sound is not the interperitation the brain gives to the signals that the ear sends to it, but the vibration itself."

and the teacher would just stare at me whenever i used it. i would love to say "hah! bet you didn't expect someone to pull THAT one out of their ass, did you?!? you were expecting some average gimp with an average IQ to pull out the arguement 'well, there MUST be something around to hear it!', not some genious that can actually THINK, wern't you?" i never say that, though, b/c that would be flaunting the obvious, and people who do that really piss me off.

there's nothing like stumping a teacher, i tell you!

 

[Guest]

StLBob posted some things to think about.

To expand on one of them

Can there be a sound when there's nobody around to hear it?.

mig,

Please don't let this be a trick question. I don't think I can handle that this morning.

Yes, as far as I'm concerned, there is always sound, even though we are not around to here it. People breathe, their hearts beat, the birds sing, the frogs croak, the sun sizzles as it hits the ocean on it's final journey of the day. Dogs bark, earthworms crawl and move the dirt, mountains erupt, winds howl, thunder bangs, lightening strikes causing particles to move helter shelter. Just because we aren't around doesn't mean sound stops.

Vibrations are all around us, they bang into each other trying to be heard through all of the other noise that's trying to make a point. Silence is not always silent either. When we are silent and not speaking, others are. Legs are moving, arms are flailing, eyes are blinking. Maybe some of those things don't make noises that we can readily hear, but they displace air, which in turn causes some kind of movement in the world. Think about that for a moment, if you will....when we exhale or when we blink our eyes, it really does have an effect on the universe.

Oh my god, I think I'm over my head here. My brain is starting to go into overdrive. I've got to get out of here. lol

After all of this, please have a wonderful Saturday.

Enchanted

 

[Curtis71]

If I am in the woods and I speak out loud and my ex-wife isn't there to hear me.......am I still wrong?

 

[morninggirl5]

If I am in the woods and I speak out loud and my ex-wife isn't there to hear me.......am I still wrong?

Yes, just on general principle.

 

[estevie]

If I am in the woods and I speak out loud and my ex-wife isn't there to hear me.......am I still wrong?

LOL

 

[KillerMuffin]

Is sound the cause or the effect?

Is sound the wave or the auditory sensation?

I think that depends on where you think.

In my world a sound wave is sound. It exists independently of others. Why? There is sound with a sound wave. There is no sound without a sound wave. Therefore the wave causes the vibration that creates auditory sensation. The sound is inherent in the wave, it is not inherent in the ear drum.

It's one of those things that you can argue to death simply because you've got the ability to convert a basic physical principle into one of perception. Is it green in the dark?

 

[JazzManJim]

In my world a sound wave is sound. It exists independently of others. Why? There is sound with a sound wave. There is no sound without a sound wave. Therefore the wave causes the vibration that creates auditory sensation. The sound is inherent in the wave, it is not inherent in the ear drum.

It's one of those things that you can argue to death simply because you've got the ability to convert a basic physical principle into one of perception. Is it green in the dark?

Well, according to the world of Science, the answer is "Yes".

A sound is a sound, regardless of if there's an observer or not. There's a wave with a wavelength and frequency and that's all you need.

Now, what type of sound it is, it's wavelength and frequency and where it's moving, that's decided at the time of observation. But that's the wacky Quantum Physics stuff.