Baloney. Sound is energy. Energy is given off as a result of the tree falling. Some of that energy is in the form of sound waves. They do not need a human or hearing witness to "exist."
Your consciousness seemingly did not include an understanding of basic physics. Therefore, you are not as conscious as I am. Do you exist?
What does it matter if you exist? If you do not exist, but your body is living, may we forbid you any food or water, even by natural means?
Baloney. Sound is energy. Energy is given off as a result of the tree falling. Some of that energy is in the form of sound waves. They do not need a human or hearing witness to "exist."
I agree hocndoc, the sound waves do exist, but does the sound? Certainly a deaf person can stand there with an instrument and measure the changes in air pressure that occur when the tree falls down. But the deaf person did not hear a thing.
The point is this: yes, things exist apart from our human perceptions. But can things exist apart from the perceptions of any conscious rational being, human or something else?