The Tree-Fall

So, the age-old question: If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it does it still make a sound???

I think the philosopher David Hume would love this riddle since he was known as “The Scottish Skeptic” and he is not a big believer in cause and effect, as we all understand it.

Using Hume’s theory on cause and effect, I looked at this riddle. If we take for granted that the future will resemble the past, then we can assume that someone being there to hear does not determine whether or not a falling tree makes a sound. It will make a sound, because it always has in the past.

Looking at this logically, if

tree-fall #1, positive sound
tree-fall #2, positive sound
tree-fall #3, positive sound
tree-fall #50, positive sound
tree-fall #5001, positive sound

Is it therefore reasonable to assume that the falling tree will always make a sound? Whether or not there is ever a quiet tree fall does not negate the fact that I am justified in theorizing that all tree falls will make a sound.

There. Done. I want to hear no more about this subject.

chat soon.

xoxo