The grandfather time paradox

Mighty mouse

Mighty mouse

Sillycon Valley
Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
86
The old 'grandfather paradox' suggests time travel is not possible as it would permit you to go back in time and kill your grandfather.
Researchers at MIT are considering computers that spend 100 years solving a problem then send the solution back in time.
It involves a type of space-time that enables time traveling with closed time-like curves, a bit like a piece of paper folded over on itself, so that opposite ends touch and create a shortcut.
The possibility is however that nature must somehow enforce causality to stop the grandfather paradox by making the probability that you won’t be born in that universe in the first place high so it will not take place.
How Time-Traveling Could Affect Quantum Computing
 
So, after the quantum processor has salad-tossed its qubits for a considerable time, the answer comes back....

"42"
 
Oh dear the time travel problem again.

So let's suppose that somehow you could travel back in time say one minute.

The problem is that in that one minute the cosmos has not been hanging about. In fact it's been quite busy. Even if you consider 'local events the Earth has rotated so your position has moved 16 miles. The planet has moved through space about 10,000 miles and the sun has nipped a fair distance along the spiral path of the galaxy.

Now where will you end up. Either the whole of creation just jumped back one minute (that will be magic not science) or your sitting in space watching the the Earth whiz along without you (well till your lungs burst).
 
Good point, TEIN, but presumably the time machines will take the galactic spin into account. Or, perhaps, the time machine zips you through the Earth a hundred years per second, and, in that time, the gravity keeps you attached to the planet.
 
If don't return to the correct point in space then you would have travelled in time but not to the time/universe before because everything in that time had your mass somewhere physically different.
 
There's nothing funny about time travel Drachir it's a deadly serious business:).

Imagine if it were possible. You would have all to be constantly watching your back for snotty little bu**ers that had come back to do for you.

There would be videos of the actual crucification* with the catholic church vying for copyright/film rights (and all other historic events)

Adam and eve would have psychoanalysts, sex therapist, priests and the like all sneaking about the garden arguing that the garden was given to them so why not the tree of knowledge. God knows where that would end.

Television would be totally different. Why watch Coronation St. when we could all watch Sodom and Gomorrah 24/7. It would be a nightmare I tell you a nightmare .




*(always liked that phrase especially the fiction part)
 
Oh dear the time travel problem again.

So let's suppose that somehow you could travel back in time say one minute.

The problem is that in that one minute the cosmos has not been hanging about. In fact it's been quite busy. Even if you consider 'local events the Earth has rotated so your position has moved 16 miles. The planet has moved through space about 10,000 miles and the sun has nipped a fair distance along the spiral path of the galaxy.

Now where will you end up. Either the whole of creation just jumped back one minute (that will be magic not science) or your sitting in space watching the the Earth whiz along without you (well till your lungs burst).
Click to expand...
The curved paper model they are referring to is in Einsteinian space time, they are not suggesting 'moving' in isolated time - that would be impossible!
 
If I go back in time then everthing should be as it was - I wont be there, folded or not, since I wasn't there the last time. I will be somewhere else entirely.

If I go back in time and everything is not as it was then forget about your grandfather worry about yesterday.

This is classic paradox stuff usually used to disprove mathmatical theories since time began. You know the one if for thing to be true then 2 must equal 3 then thing is false.

If your suggesting that the time paradox can somehow be overcome then we will need to start all over again with does

1+1=2

and work our way up from there.

However given the accepted practice of if there is an impossible paradox then the theory is defective I'll stay on "the time travel is impossible side of the fence".
 
TheEndIsNigh said:
Adam and eve would have psychoanalysts, sex therapist, priests and the like all sneaking about the garden arguing that the garden was given to them so why not the tree of knowledge. God knows where that would end.
Click to expand...

And don't get me started on Health & Safety... Some do-gooder would be bound to go back. Adam and Eve would have to wear work-wear suitable for gardening and tending all the animals, and if the apples from THAT tree are so easily eatable, then it'll definitely need a fence. And probably... a sign!! :p
 
Pteppic: How right you are.

And then who do you suppose they could prosecute for an unsafe working environment.

Not to mention prosecutions under the dangerous pets act for keeping poisonous snakes without the proper licence or suitable enclosures.
 
It would be the end of hisstory as we know it, (very) basically.
 
Yes, perhaps, but when people talk about time travel, it's always travel to the past.

Technically I think time travel to the future could be possible. All you'd need is ridiculously high speeds and a large body of mass to slingshot around. Just exactly what would happen, hypothetically, if a space ship spun around earth at, say, warp six for three or four days?
 
We're all travelling to the future; and at the far-too-fast speed of 1 second per second. (Some of us are going to travel further than others - although I expect TEIN will point out that a lot of us will be travelling to exactly the same point.)
 
Ursa major said:
We're all travelling to the future; and at the far-too-fast speed of 1 second per second. (Some of us are going to travel further than others - although I expect TEIN will point out that a lot of us will be travelling to exactly the same point.)
Click to expand...


You know what I mean, Ursa. I mean like, travelling two, three, four thousand years in an instant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
ctg The Orville - 3.03: Mortality Paradox The Orville 7
T Paradox General TV Discussion 1
Foxbat Paradox by name paradox by nature. Game Discussions 13
Young stormlord Crackpot theory: I have found Littlefinger's grandfather [spoilers] George R R Martin 5
Kai Tokyo Grandfathers General Film Discussion 0

Similar threads


Back
Top