11 May
2003
11 May
'03
7:47 a.m.
If it is
running ONLY because no one knows its running AND no one knows
it exists... then its a mute point. If a tree falls in the woods...
^^^^^^^^^^ & ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Was the pun intended? The term is "moot
point" -- to be "mute" is to be
unable to speak/make sounds, which does tie into the original quote, which
IIRC is "If a tree falls in the woods, and no-one is around to hear it,
does it make a _sound_. Sound is merely a disturbance in a medium (in this
instance, air) within an audible range. The fact that the tree disturbed
"audible range"?? WHOSE audible range?? Yours? Mine? My dog? a bat?
the medium is all that matters, so the answer is
"yes..."
... Which is why I had a notebook in college which had a much more
thought-provoking quote: "If a tree falls in the woods, and no-one is
around to hear it, does anybody give a shit?" ;-)
My variation of that is: "If a tree falls in the Gallaudet campus, does it
make a sound?" (admittedly meaningless for those unfamiliar)
I agree with YOUR definition of what "sound" is. BUT,... there are some
definitions extant that define sound in terms of perception. Thus, the
"great philosophical question" devolves to NOTHING more than a question of
which definition of "sound" is used.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
Sound \Sound\, n. [OE. soun, OF. son, sun, F. son, fr. L. sonus
akin to Skr. svana sound, svan to sound, and perh. to E.
swan. Cf. Assonant, Consonant, Person, Sonata,
Sonnet, Sonorous, Swan.]
1. The peceived object occasioned by the impulse or vibration
of a material substance affecting the ear; a sensation or
perception of the mind received through the ear, and
produced by the impulse or vibration of the air or other
medium with which the ear is in contact; the effect of an
impression made on the organs of hearing by an impulse or
vibration of the air caused by a collision of bodies, or
by other means; noise; report; as, the sound of a drum;
the sound of the human voice; a horrid sound; a charming
sound; a sharp, high, or shrill sound.
The warlike sound Of trumpets loud and clarions.
--Milton.
2. The occasion of sound; the impulse or vibration which
would occasion sound to a percipient if present with
unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic
media such cause sound; as, a treatise on sound.
Note: In this sense, sounds are spoken of as audible and
inaudible.
3. Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and
nothing else.
Sense and not sound . . . must be the principle.
--Locke.