cogito ergo sum (i think therefore i am)

[tw]

Originally Posted by cowhead

hee hee I like this thread therefor it exists.

Eventually that hypothesis might answer this question: if a tree fell in the woods, would it make a sound. It's easier to read Descartes' book. Summer. Sun. Beach chair. I like that logic better.

[Troubleshooter]

The tree falling in the forrest analogy is a great one actually. It covers so many issues in philosophy, science and semantics in a short question.

If a tree falls in the forrest and no one is there to hear it, is there any sound?

1) If no one is there to hear it, is there any proof it fell in the first place?

2) Taking for granted that it fell, we know that enough trees have fallen to allow it to be taken as a law that one object impacting another causes sound waves to be produced.

3) The strict definition of sound requires a transmitter, a medium, and a receiver, so if no one, no one capable of hearing, is there to hear it then there is strictly speaking, no sound.

4) and so on as we parse the various ethical considerations when defining the proposals, facts, requirements, etc.