Subjective Reality

[Lady Sidhe]

Originally posted by Troubleshooter
Quite simple really.

Reality is objective, it exists regardless of our interpretation of its existence.

A good classical example is the definition of sound. Sound requires three things.

1) source, or emitter
2) medium, through which to travel
3) receiver

The old saw about a tree falling in the forrest states that there is no sound.

If we aren't there when a tree falls it still creates the kinetic energy that is transmitted through the air. The only thing lacking is the receiver. Thusly, no sound, but we know that those waves are created because we've been there enough to know that all that is lacking is the receiver.

Edit: typo

Actually, unless the forest is completely deserted, there will be SOMETHING there to recieve the sound; a bird, an ant....

Therefore, if a tree falls in the forest, and there is no human around to hear it (the question implies that a human is the hearer), it will still make a sound, even if only because the sound waves exist independently of someone hearing them.



Sidhe