From a scientific standpoint, it depends whether you consider sound to be the actual sound waves or only the perception of those waves by an ear. For the first, a definite yes. For the second, no (unless forest critters don't count as someone).

Philosophically, there are many ways to answer. Personally, I see it as a metaphor for karma. Whatever someone or something does, it has results - even if no one observes it. Sound would be symbolic of the karmic results.

It goes back to the moral question - "If I don't get caught, is it still wrong to do ______?" Well, if someone is asking themselves that question, the answer is likely to be "yes."

Another parallel can be seen in a commonly used example from Chaos Theory - the "Butterfly Effect" - whereby the actions of a simple butterfly can (hypothetically) effect global weather patterns.

Of course, this question is a Zen koan, and as such it is important not to take it too literally. The main purpose of such koans is not that we must figure out the "right" answer, but rather that we open our minds in the process.

No. Only if there are ears to hear the sound. The fall creates vibrations not sound. The tymphanic membrane transfers these vibrations to the middle ear which registers what we know as sound. Without the ear, there is no sound.

yes. physics has proven it. A tree has massive potential energy, and it's fall converts it into kinetic energy. When the tree comes into contact with anything, say, the ground, that item is forced to absorb the energy of the impact, releasing heat and sound from friction and impact.

No it doesn't make a sound....it makes pressure waves in the air sure, but until those waves hit an ear and is converted into sound by the brain they will merely remain pressure waves. When someone sneeks up on you, you say, man you didn't even make a sound!! Well of course they didn't make a sound because the pressure waves never made it to your ear.

I've been told that technically it doesn't. My understanding is that the sound waves must bounce off the ear drum to truly produce a sound.

yes. the universe does not give a crap about our existence. the laws are followed regardless of our approval or observation. before man discovered that the world was round... it was still round.

If sound is propagated waves of mechanical vibrations moving through air then yes, it does.

does it? do the birds chirp if men are not there to listen? does the wolf howl at the moon just to scare people? what would be the difference if humans are there or not? this riddle is actually meant to ask, would the world care if humans were gone or not? the truth. no if we disappeared the world would keep revolving. so to answer your question, yes the tree makes a sound but it makes no difference if we hear it or not.

A sound is defined as physical vibrations transmitted through a medium. Under that definition, anything that causes such vibrations makes a sound, whether or not someone is present to perceive it.

A "noise," on the other hand, is a subjective concept that requires someone to perceive it in order to judge it as noise or something else (such as music).

That's the way I view this particular conundrum. However, I hold that there is an objective reality that exists whether or not we accede to it. That is by no means a universal belief.

Does changing the words around in a sentence, even though it says the same thing, make it no longer a duplicate?