Philosophical Puzzle an Epistemological Problem Essay Example

If a tree falls in the woods

If a tree happens to fall in the forest and no one hears the sound is a philosophical question that is very popular. This question has been asked by most of the scholars since 1700. The problem poses a rational thought which becomes an experiment which normally raises questions regardless of perception and also the observation. Thus this paper seeks to give an analysis of the problem if a tree falls in the forest and it happens that there is no one around does it makes any sound?

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The proper philosophical answer to this question aims at defining the forest as an axiom of a scenario that is imagined in a person's mind. This is always open to answering since in this context it the wood is an imagined scenario. On direct realism, the trees in the forest always look green and can produce quality timber even when human beings are absent. All the brain and ears are capable of allowing one to perceive the externally existing sounds, smells, and colors which are found in the world which usually exists independent of mind. On the aspect of the indirect realism, there are a bunch of atoms which make up a tree which falls due to the physical forces which may include gravity. The tree falls due to the effect of gravity that usually obeys the physical laws hence produces the external sound waves in the world. In this case, no actual sound qualia or real noise that is produced through a physical sound wave is normally produced when a tree falls in the forest that travels through the natural wood and interacts with the environment. If it happens that there is a person around when the tree is falling the forest, the ears of the person tend to convert the sound wave into neuronal impulses which the brain would process internally changing it into generated representation. In this case, this is the actual sound of a falling tree. On the idealist perspective, the forest and the tree are looked as dependent on minds even in the absence of all the human being's thoughts.

Philosophical puzzle an epistemological problem

This philosophical puzzle if a tree falls in the forest and it happens that there is no one around to hear it if it does produce any sound, gives detailed information on how this particular puzzle is viewed as an epistemological problem. This puzzle is capable of raising any concern about how experiences influence mind from the perspective of reality. This particular puzzle has the ability also to enlighten the human mind concerning any limitations that may be associated with any knowledge of the mind. John Locke is a popular philosopher who in this case tries to provide various ideas which bring light in solving this puzzle. He, therefore, reveals how the human mind is capable of assuming that it contains the knowledge based on the experiences. The objective and subjective understanding of this particular puzzle might be challenging as well in determining any given circumstances. The statement if a tree happens to fall in the forest and there is no one around to hear it if it does make sound is referred to an epistemological puzzle in this case which has the power to provoke someone's mind. The subjective perspective normally can hinder a mind from telling what is false and what is factual.

The Epistemology

The statement of the tree falling in the forest and no one is around to hear its sound if it does make any noise is referred to a subject that causes a person to inquire any reality that is associated with knowledge and also the observation. The problem makes that human mind go ahead in making a distinction between the objective and subjective view. This puzzle enables all human beings to differentiate between the experience and reality. In this case, it is always very common for every human being to make assumptions that every time a tree falls it always makes the sound. This particular puzzle can test whether human beings have the ability in differentiating the reality from any false ideas. This puzzle consists of two views which can be adopted and used in solving any problems that may arise. They include the empirical and rational view. On the rationale view, the puzzle can be viewed in the perspective of the human beings using logic, reasoning which in this case as opposed to the experiences. The empirical view is used by human beings in solving the puzzle which draws examples from the experiences associated with the scenario of a falling tree. In this context, their experiences about the falling tree will be very substantial in determining any facts. The epistemology is known as the study of nature and its environment which is normally in relations to the knowledge acquisition which occurs through experience. The value of the knowledge, in this case, is always necessary for responding to the epistemological puzzle. The answers that are obtained from the epistemology puzzle enables human beings to reason in a greater way. Human beings also get to question all the answers that they happen to give to the puzzle. This is due to lack of any agreements whether the tree makes any sound or not.

John Locke Answer

John Locke answers this statement referring to sound as a sensation I mind. In this case, the sound is viewed as existence kind that usually exists inside the minds and not out in forests. The sensation about the sound that exists in mind is usually caused by the quality which is out of the world. It is always very important in examining the quality outside and also the what causes the sound sensation in someone mind. In this context when a tree falls the sound passes through an air medium and as it passes through the medium, there are impact waves that are caused in the air medium.

The diagram shows what is happening when a tree is falling according to John Locke. In the act of tree falling, it normally passes through a medium. In this case, the impact created shows the waves by themselves are not sound but in this case strike a sensory apparatus hence the waves tend to cause the sensation of the sound which occurs in the brain. This sound is normally very clear inside the brain and hence what is experienced in the outside world is known as the quality which has power in causing this sensation of the sound in the human brain. If there is no one when the act of tree falling is occurring or even any hearing apparatus there are no sounds. It is factual that when a tree falls in the forest, and the people are present, there is still no sound that is heard in the forest. In this case, the sound is known to be only experienced in the brain, not in the outside world. In the outside world, the only thing experienced is the impact waves which occurs in a medium. The waves are not sound but are capable of causing sound in case they impact any hearing apparatus. Any sound is not just in the outside the world as people tend to hear it but is basically in mind. People should understand that what is normally heard outside is the sort of quality that consists of power which causes the sensation in mind. Locke makes people notice the waves impact in every different perspective in the outside world from the existence of the sound sensation. The realities are usually very different. In this case, Locke illustrates how the two entities are different. The impact waves move through the air while the sound is usually a sensation that is found in mind.

Conclusion

The epistemology usually deals with nature and how it is related to the acquisition of the knowledge. The epistemology puzzle of the tree that falls in the forest makes various human beings question much concerning their exposure to limited knowledge and also the knowledge they have. In this case, the puzzle is used in solving the empirical and rational view. People are capable of acquiring knowledge through experiences.