Final answer:
Trees have different persistence conditions than a lump of matter because they are living organisms that go through growth and developmental changes while maintaining their identity, unlike non-living matter which remains the same unless acted upon by external forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
The persistence conditions of a tree compared to a lump of matter, such as an inanimate object, differ significantly due to the nature of living organisms. A tree is a complex living system that undergoes growth, development, and changes throughout its life cycle. Beginning as a seed, it absorbs nutrients and water, primarily from the air and the soil, allowing it to grow and increase in mass.
Unlike a non-living lump of matter, a tree's identity remains the same despite these profound changes because it maintains its organizational structure and genetic identity. The concept of identity and change in living organisms is intriguing; an acorn over time becomes an oak tree, yet it is considered the same 'object' despite its radical transformation. This is linked to the idea of persistence, which questions whether things continue to exist unchanged when not being observed.
On the other hand, a non-living lump of matter does not grow or develop; it remains essentially the same unless external forces or processes change it. Moreover, persistence of non-living matter is generally considered in terms of its continued existence in the same state over time, unless acted upon by an external force, such as the disturbance of atoms when a tree falls, which physicists would describe as sound.