Up@dawn 2.0

Friday, February 15, 2013

(16-1) Trees and Sounds

February 14, 2013
In group 1 we discussed George Berkeley and the age old question if a tree falls in a forest and nobody's around to hear it does it make a sound? According to Berkeley if anything that stops being observed ceases to exist. When we discusses the subject we had to define sound. Is it the interpretation of compressed air waves or the compressed air wave themselves? Dr. Oliver said that he saw it as that we are all in our own little bubble of reality watching on our own individual screen and someone is looking through their own. We decided this was really a complicated answer to a simple question. So leave your comments down below and tell us what you think of the questions discussed in group 1.

8 comments:

  1. I think the simplest answer is the best answer. just because you don't hear it, see it, or feel it it doesnt mean that something isn't there. Just because one person's lense is faulty doesn't mean that a sensation is dead altogether. So yes, the tree did make a sound.

    DQ: If something were not to be observed and thus cease to exist, how could it still continue its purpose?

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    Replies
    1. Alison Bates9:09 AM CST

      It seems like I missed an interesting discussion, albiet, a challenging one. I think I agree with you, Sean. If we were to assume that just because we aren't able to feel something directly or to witness something, doesn't mean it's incapable of occurring.

      Delete
    2. I also agree with Saun, and Alison make an excellent point.It seems with today's technology being as it is. Everything is being recorded, so almost nothing is not being observed.

      Delete
  2. video response!

    http://youtu.be/MDWyTCVdBEI

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sean I agree with you as well, that just because we aren't around to experience a things existence, does not make it cease to exist. Also , I very much like what your DQ brings up about purpose. If a thing ceases to exist by our not experiencing it personally, it ceases to fulfill its purpose. All things must have a purpose to fulfill under this argument, which is an empowering thought. I'm not raising a question about that, just pointing out that it is an awe inspiring thing to wrap you head around, that in this infinite universe, all things serve one form of purpose or another.

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  4. Kaitlyn Bennett11:49 AM CST

    i floated into this group on Thursday and after being asked a random tattoo question, decided that i also believe that the tree makes a noise whether we are there to experience it or not. i also brought up this point, and i guess we can call it a DQ. if a deaf individual is standing by the tree and the tree falls, just because he/she cant hear it does it still make a sound? because technically the sound was still experienced by someone they just couldn't hear and interpret it.

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  5. I don't see how this is philosophy, seems like we are just over thinking things. We are no longer seeking out knowledge.... we're losing ourselves.

    and no Andrew, I will not watch your video

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  6. Jade Underland (16-4)2:36 PM CST

    I don't really understand why it matters at all ...

    16-4's topics seem repetitive but we can't become intolerant of acceptance, right?!

    ReplyDelete

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