On Wed, 12 May 1999, Jeffrey J. Sable wrote:
> > "if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around,
> > does it still make a sound?"
>
> This question provides a great opening to get students to think about
> the nature of perception. The answer depends on whether you identify sound
> as the physical vibrations or the psychological experience. A slightly
> more provoking question may be: Does a dog whistle make a sound? Some
> would say it clearly does, but others would argue that humans can't hear
> it, so it doesn't. There may not be a correct answer, but it makes for a
> fun discussion.
>
As long as we're trying to come up with applications of this philosophical
discussion, it's also relevant to cognitive development.
The question takes several forms. There's "tree in the forest" version.
There's also the "if I can't see the 1.2 billion Chinese, do they really
exist?" version. Slightly more annoying (to the person listening to it)
is the "when I turn my back on you (i.e., when I cannot perceive your
presence), you cease to exist" version. In all cases, it's merely
Piagetian egocentrism at work.
Jeff
================================================ ____________________
Jeff Bartel Grad Student in Social Psyc | Manhattan >
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Dept of Psychology | x \_
www-personal.ksu.edu/~jbartel Kansas State U. | |
Syllabi page for psychology instructors: | |
www-personal.ksu.edu/~jbartel/syllabi.html | KANSAS |
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