This question is usually asked with two different nouns.
The first is: If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear, does it make a sound?
The second is: If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear, does it make a noise?
The questions have philosophical elements; but in this form, it is semantics.
The first is a physical process. Sound is a form of energy and the presents of an intelligent entity with auditory sensors are not required for a sound to occur. Doest light from a sun ceases to exist because no one is seeing it?
The second is an interpretation of sound. Noise is a subjective interpretation. What is noise to one may be music to another. Heavy metal is an example of this: to one it is music to another it is noise.
The Heavy metal sounds coming from a junk yard may be noise to local neighbors but metaphorical music to the owners because that noise represents profit.
The answer to the second question is NO. Without intelligence there cannot be an interpretation of the sound.
Just a semantically inspired thought while looking for a forest through the trees. Did you hear that?
+1006 Well, the middle of nowhere is still somewhere, so that part of your question is invalid. Also, by using deductive reasoning, if you know that when a tree falls it makes noise, by logic the tree must make noise, and therefore when a tree falls and nobody is around to hear it, it does indeed make a noise.
I took this way too seriously 
+118724 I think this one is better than some of the nonsense number posts. 
Plus I like your answer.
This question is usually asked with two different nouns.
The first is: If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear, does it make a sound?
The second is: If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear, does it make a noise?
The questions have philosophical elements; but in this form, it is semantics.
The first is a physical process. Sound is a form of energy and the presents of an intelligent entity with auditory sensors are not required for a sound to occur. Doest light from a sun ceases to exist because no one is seeing it?
The second is an interpretation of sound. Noise is a subjective interpretation. What is noise to one may be music to another. Heavy metal is an example of this: to one it is music to another it is noise.
The Heavy metal sounds coming from a junk yard may be noise to local neighbors but metaphorical music to the owners because that noise represents profit.
The answer to the second question is NO. Without intelligence there cannot be an interpretation of the sound.
Just a semantically inspired thought while looking for a forest through the trees. Did you hear that?
