Is Time Travel Possible?

[Rylan]

Interesting shmenguin. I see that view as a book in one way but a TV show in another. It depends on if time is collapse able or not. If it is than its a book where the outside universe can pick any point on in the collapsed time frame. If time is not collapseable than it is a show. The outside universe may pick up where the "show" currently is and continue until the loop happens again.

[Pucks_and_Pols]

To me, time and space are directly connected.
Imagine a chair in an empty hallway.
You can sit in that chair, which locates a certain space in the universe you are in, at that particular time. Nobody else can then occupy that chair in that same space-time. They can be in the same hallway, and share some time in vicinity to you, but only you are in that chair occupying the space-time in question.
That is the meaning of existence as far as I can tell. A sentient being (a collection of atoms collected together and perceiving consciousness) that you define as yourself occupies a certain point of time and space in the universe that is unique to you; and nobody or nothing else can occupy that same point on the grid of space and time.
As far as I can tell, you are relatively free to move around and control the space you occupy, so that is the variable on the grid. Time meanwhile moves in a (relatively) logical, linear pattern that is much more inflexible. You can stay sitting in that chair as long as you like (within your mortal limitations) but time will continue to move and flow around you, unbending and constant.
From the reality in which we seem to be bound and cast, the ability to move through time (the constant) would be equivalent to a 2 dimensional object figuring out how to exist in a 3 dimensional world. It is almost impossible for us in our reality to understand what time travel would really mean. We can theorize and contemplate it, but I doubt we can actually grasp it beyond a very rudimentary level.
As I’ve said before, the closest we could get to “time travel” would be finding away to approach the speed of light, therefore slowing down time. But this would be more like "skipping" time than really traveling through it.
The same can be said about the parallel universe theory. As far as I can tell, and I am not dismissing the concept of their being a multitude of possible universes, but again from my own understanding, you can only occupy one point in space and time, not an infinite amount of possible spaces in an infinite amount of times.
This is my very basic understanding of space and time and how they define our existence. Its far from perfect, but it is what I have worked out so far. At this time…
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[Kraftster]

let's say that determinism is the ultimate truth - that everything that occurs in the universe is merely a result of the events that preceded this. that there is no randomness. there is no free will. you're just acting out a part in a play. i know most people don't agree with this (many absolutely hate this notion), but we're taking a leap here and pretending like this is an established truth. go with it for a sec...

what does this do to the concept of time? if something has a beginning, middle and end that has already been written, doesn't that mean that everything has either already occurred or is constantly occurring at the same time? if you were somehow on the outside of the universe looking in (again, go with it for a sec...), you would be looking at a book that you could flip through in any order at any pace you want - not a live TV feed that reveals itself only with time elapsing.

Where do you jump from determinism to all time has already been written, as opposed to is being written. Just because the script can be known if one can account for all variables would not necessarily mean that it has already actually been written. When you set up a series of dominoes and tap that first domino, you know what the result will be, but it still has to play out. I am not saying that what you have suggested is not true, but I think either is equally possible/plausible.

[shmenguin]

let's say that determinism is the ultimate truth - that everything that occurs in the universe is merely a result of the events that preceded this. that there is no randomness. there is no free will. you're just acting out a part in a play. i know most people don't agree with this (many absolutely hate this notion), but we're taking a leap here and pretending like this is an established truth. go with it for a sec...

what does this do to the concept of time? if something has a beginning, middle and end that has already been written, doesn't that mean that everything has either already occurred or is constantly occurring at the same time? if you were somehow on the outside of the universe looking in (again, go with it for a sec...), you would be looking at a book that you could flip through in any order at any pace you want - not a live TV feed that reveals itself only with time elapsing.

Where do you jump from determinism to all time has already been written, as opposed to is being written. Just because the script can be known if one can account for all variables would not necessarily mean that it has already actually been written. When you set up a series of dominoes and tap that first domino, you know what the result will be, but it still has to play out. I am not saying that what you have suggested is not true, but I think either is equally possible/plausible.

i admit they are both possible. why do i skew towards my explanation? i believe that the instant the universe began was when our paths were determined. so how much is actually "being written" if all the factors that determine the course of the universe have already been established and have already transpired? if you had the capacity to process all the data that currently resides in the universe, you could exactly predict what will happen from now until the end. so in that sense, nothing is being written. the future is sitting there - we just aren't advanced enough to be able to see it.

[no name]

If you go back in time would you want to visit history? A event alterning decision you made. Or just relive your favorite time in your life.

I would want to change schools i went to and see how things played out.

[Gaucho]

Determinism is not about everything being predetermined.

[Pucks_and_Pols]

If you go back in time would you want to visit history? A event alterning decision you made. Or just relive your favorite time in your life.

I would want to change schools i went to and see how things played out.

As a Penguin fan that answer is obvious: STOP THE NASLUND TRADE!!!

[Froggy]

Yeah, but if we had Naslund in his prime, would we have gotten to the point where we were bad enough to get all those early draft picks?

Maybe someone from the future came back and got us to deal him away, because they knew we'd have missed out on Crosby, Geno, Fleury, etc

[Rylan]

The world may never know

[canaan]

The world may never know

or will they?

twighlightzone.jpg

[no name]

What fun event in your live would you want to re-live...

I can;t think of anything... I must of had a boring life???

[canaan]

id go back in time and re-think the use of "must of" if i were you

[Rylan]

id go back in time and re-think the use of "must of" if i were you :)

lol well played.

[Froggy]

a bunch of non family board stuff...maybe go back to some hockey games in high school.

If I were to go back and fix stuff, too many to list

[Idoit40fans]

Lots of face punching that should have happened. Looking back, there were a lot of times when there would have been no major consequence but I'd feel like a better human being for having done it.

[Pucks_and_Pols]

Yeah, but if we had Naslund in his prime, would we have gotten to the point where we were bad enough to get all those early draft picks?

Maybe someone from the future came back and got us to deal him away, because they knew we'd have missed out on Crosby, Geno, Fleury, etc

Ideal world: Naslund turns into the player he did in Vancouver, helps put us over the top and we win another cup in the late 90s / early 2000s with Jagr, then gets dealt along with Kovalev for a better return package than what we got from the Rangers in 2003, still keeping us on track to draft MAF, Geno, and Crosby.

[SolidSnake]

Sure it is, we just need to find a Stargate

[canaan]

Sure it is, we just need to find a Stargate

ill call richard dean anderson.

[tifosi77]

Probability-wise, the chances of your routine actions having a sizable mark on history is unlikely.

But that's the entire point of this bit of chaos theory; that the events we observe are nothing more than the sum total of an incalculable number of so-called routine actions throughout the universe and across the passage of time.

[SolidSnake]

Sure it is, we just need to find a Stargate

ill call richard dean anderson.

Don't forget James Spader from the movie and my boy Kurt Russell