The theoretical physicists says: “There’s no such thing as sound. Everything is just evolution of the quantum wave function; all the rest is irrelevant.“
To which the classical physicist replies: “Bullshit. A tree falling in a forest results in longitudinal pressure waves in the surrounding medium, so yes of course it makes a sound. Provided the forest is not in a vacuum.“
Biochemist: “Nope. Sound really is the biochemical reaction of living creatures to pressure waves. So, only if there’s a living creature around that reacts biochemically to the pressure waves resulting of the tree falling we can say there was a sound.“
Evolutionary biologist: “No no no. Sound is a biological concept; only if there’s a living creature there that reacts to the resulting pressure waves in a way that enhances this creature’s chances at survival and reproduction we can say there was a sound.“
Neurologist: “Nonsense. Sound is a representation in the brain of a stimulus in the outside world; we can only say there was a sound if there was a living creature around with a complex nervous system, able to make a mental representation of the resulting pressure waves.“
Psychologist: “Nah… Sound really is all about the feelings and emotions it evokes. So, we can only say there was a sound when the resulting pressure waves were perceived by a creature capable of having complex emotional responses.“
Philosopher: “You got it all wrong. “Sound” is an abstract symbolic representation; it’s a linguistic construct which might or might not be tethered to any objective or subjective external reality at all. The tree and the forest are irrelevant; the question is fundamentally unanswerable.“
Zen Buddhist: “The forest, the tree, falling, the perception of falling… It’s all just manifestations of the one undivided consciousness. The value of the question doesn’t lie in answering it; it lies in pondering it.“
Hollywood screen writer: “Oh yes it makes a sound. A thunderous sound! Vacuum or no vacuum. And the sound has a very deep bass so you’ll feel it right in your gut when you watch my movie in a theatre near you.“
Theist: “God hears everything, so of course it makes a sound.“
Questions:
1. Which of the answers resonate most with you? Why?
2. I think each of the answers is valid and useful within its own frame of reference, and that a lot of confusion and frustration occurs when different frames of reference are used interchangably within one discussion. What do you think?