What common-sense explanation does Thomas Reid offer regarding the tree falling in the forest?

Thomas Reid's perspective on the philosophical question of whether a tree falling in a forest produces a sound if there are no observers aligns with the argument that sound exists independently of observation. By stating "Of course, there was a sound," Reid emphasizes a common-sense understanding that physical processes, such as the falling of a tree, occur regardless of human perception. In his view, sound is a real phenomenon produced by vibrations in the air, and these vibrations exist whether or not someone is there to hear them. This stands in contrast to more skeptical interpretations that suggest reality is contingent upon observation. Reid's position supports a straightforward, empirical approach to understanding reality, asserting that the existence of an event is not dependent on the presence of an observer.