If a Tree Falls in a Forest in Which There is Nobody There to Hear, Does it Make a Sound?

 

IF A TREE FALLS IN A FOREST IN WHICH THERE IS NOBODY THERE TO HEAR IT, DOES IT MAKE A SOUND?

 

Ever since I was little, discussions concerning this question have frequented my household and, I am sure, many others. At its core, this question is extremely simple, is a sound still made if nobody hears it? The answer should rely on the definition of sound, which, according to Merriam Webster, is a particular auditory impression. But, there is also a second definition right below the first, the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing. So, it is not as simple as it seems, as many debate of the very meaning of the wording of the question. As simple as this question is, it has become a heated topic both online, and between friends.

After thoroughly thinking this through for the first time, I came up with nothing. It was impossible to make up my mind. Before this, I tended to remain neutral on topics as this, outrageously disputable, yet having no apparent immediate connotations. But, after my thorough investigation of the real life implications of this question, I found that inquiries such as these can define a person.

 

After much thought, I finally came to a conclusion, not about my own opinion, but about those who do have one. The same people who think that the tree does not make a sound, are those who find the question irrelevant, those who fail to understand the diverse ways in which real world problems can present themselves. If the tree does not make a sound, the countless good deeds and acts which go unnoticed by many, which can create the foundation for more famous  ideas and acts of wisdom, don’t matter. The sound wasn’t made if nobody heard it. Thus those ignorant to this, also don’t understand the meaning of the problem, how it takes many people’s unnoticed contributions to create a fantastic idea.

 

Those who say yes, the tree does make a sound, are validating all the had work put in by those who aren’t famous yet contribute invaluable work to our society. Those who are humble and display their greatness by only their actions, can catch the attention of many who take the time to notice, the people who think that if a tree falls and nobody is there to here it, it makes a sound.

 

To conclude, after injecting a deeply philosophical standpoint into what one may have though an innocent question, there is only one correct answer to the “If a tree falls” question. Yes, it makes a sound.