A tree in an empty forest…

“If a tree falls in an empty forest, does it make a sound?”

Sound is defined as vibrations that travel through a medium, such as air, and can be heard when they reach an ear. Therefore, vibrations outside of the frequency range that can be heard by an ear do not make a sound. Without an ear, sound has no meaning; it exists as unperceived vibrations.

Sound requires a medium and cannot exist in a vacuum. Life is also a prerequisite to sound.

Therefore, when a forest is empty, a falling tree creates vibrations, but does not make a meaningful sound, without an ear to perceive them.

Now if you’re actually just having the philosophical debate about whether things exist in reality outside of your own perception of them (i.e. does that tree in the forest exist if you don’t perceive it?), it may be time to confront your ego. Existence is proof of other - a lesson of self-actualization.

Disagree? Something to add? Please comment below and share!

Love Always Wins,