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The stupidity and lack of intelligence on the most basic functions of physics and human anatomy displayed in this thread are why Mac users get labeled as retarded children.
 
Too many people are confusing interpretation with physics.
The sound wave (a.k.a the "noise") exists regardless of the presence of a person.
That is like saying the "noise" from head-banger music is still there even if no one tuned into that particular radio station--at all.




Michael
 
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnvM_YAwX4I
 
The stupidity and lack of intelligence on the most basic functions of physics and human anatomy displayed in this thread are why Mac users get labeled as retarded children.

Because quantum theory counts as basic physics :rolleyes: Why don't you enlighten us with your opinion/answer then?
 
No, but you could still feel it. ;)
It's still a sound wave. A sound wave is nothing more than a pressure wave created in a medium (air, water or solid).

Too many people are confusing interpretation with physics.
The sound wave (a.k.a the "noise") exists regardless of the presence of a person.

Drop a recording device in the forest can come back a few days later.
If a tree fell nearby, the sound it created would be captured.
No one was physically there at the time of the recording but a sound wave is still generated.


I agree with you and that's what I've been saying as well. However, the point people are trying to make is - if there is nothing to interpret sound, the sound doesn't exist - period. Which in my opinion, is not the case.

If you really want a brain bender - what is space? What is beyond space?
 
Drop a recording device in the forest can come back a few days later.
If a tree fell nearby, the sound it created would be captured.
No one was physically there at the time of the recording but a sound wave is still generated.

A recording device is essentially an ear. it's picking up the sound waves and recording them. When you play it back the same waves come out of your speaker and ViBraTe your ear drum. That vibration is what you are hearing. And if you didn't have that vibration device inside your ear (aka ear drum) the sound waves would pass right by you and you wouldn't even know they were there.
 
Example.

A deaf person and a person that can hear are standing in front of a tree that falls away from them.

Did that tree make a sound ?

You are confused. When the tree falls it emits sound waves. Those sound waves travel through the air and eventually reach the 2 people. The able hearing person's eardrum starts vibrating as the waves pass by them. That vibration is what is being heard. But to the deaf guy, there is no sound. And only because his vibration mechanism is not functioning properly.

Look at it this way...If you were in a wide open field and there was 1 giant standing by itself, a 1/2 a mile away. You watch that tree fall. When it falls you hear NOTHING for a few seconds. You see the tree falling, but it's silent. Why? Because the waves generated have to travel across the field until they reach your eardrum. Once those waves pass over you, you "hear" the vibrations from within your ear. If you wern't standing there to receive and process those waves, they would just keep traveling silently through the air. And I am not sure how far those waves travel, but there is a spot where you could still see and watch the tree fall, but be far enough away that the sound waves never reach your ear. Therfore, you would have watched a giant tree fall, but not hear a single thing.
 
Not sure about Siri, I don't have an iPhone 4S (only a 4).

If the tree falls and you are not there to hear it, but you have a microphone set up to record the sound. The sound is then transmitted to your computer and you listen to it (not necessarily right after it fell... could be the next day). Then it certainly did make a sound.

Side question: does dust make a sound when it falls?

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You are confused. When the tree falls it emits sound waves. Those sound waves travel through the air and eventually reach the 2 people. The able hearing person's eardrum starts vibrating as the waves pass by them. That vibration is what is being heard. But to the deaf guy, there is no sound. And only because his vibration mechanism is not functioning properly.

Look at it this way...If you were in a wide open field and there was 1 giant standing by itself, a 1/2 a mile away. You watch that tree fall. When it falls you hear NOTHING for a few seconds. You see the tree falling, but it's silent. Why? Because the waves generated have to travel across the field until they reach your eardrum. Once those waves pass over you, you "hear" the vibrations from within your ear. If you wern't standing there to receive and process those waves, they would just keep traveling silently through the air. And I am not sure how far those waves travel, but there is a spot where you could still see and watch the tree fall, but be far enough away that the sound waves never reach your ear. Therfore, you would have watched a giant tree fall, but not hear a single thing.

That's just speaking to the limitations of the human ear. Of course you can't hear me typing right now because you are too far away. :) I assure you it is still making a sound.

Deaf people may not be able to hear the sound, but they can feel the vibrations, which does count.
 
I can't believe this is still going.

There is more than one right answer to the question. It depends on how you interpret it.
 
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