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GeneralRe: Can a set of people push an airplane? Pin
Roger Wright28-Nov-14 19:27
professionalRoger Wright28-Nov-14 19:27 
GeneralFacebook/Disqus, referrers, cookies and politics Pin
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QuestionArticle in bold? Pin
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GeneralOriginalGriff's Time Machine Pin
Matthew Dennis26-Nov-14 12:14
sysadminMatthew Dennis26-Nov-14 12:14 
GeneralRe: OriginalGriff's Time Machine Pin
_Maxxx_26-Nov-14 14:52
professional_Maxxx_26-Nov-14 14:52 
Matthew Dennis wrote:
If you can't change anything then there is no practical use


Well, it depends whether you can bring information back to the present, doesn't it? If I could go back in time, identify a criminal, come back to current time & arrest him, that would be a practical use, Shirley?


Matthew Dennis wrote:
If you can change things, then eventually things will change so that the time machine is never created.


Depends whether you subscribe to the 'infinite universes' school of thought. In this case, although going back in time and stopping the invention of the time machine that got you there should prevent you getting there, in fact all you have done is move to a parallel universe's past, where everything up to the point you appear has been identical to the version you left. The second you arrive, the timelines split.

Practical use? Well, if you don't like the world in which you live, go back (in the parallel universe) and change something. Then live there for the rest of your life. (because returning to your own timeline would leave you where you started) or invent a time machine that crosses boundaries going back, but not going forward (in which case you are likely to meet yourself in the 'no time machine' future).

I recommend reading some of Stanislaw Lem's short stories on the subject.
PooperPig - Coming Soon

GeneralAMOD PinPopular
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GeneralA rising star Pin
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Straw Poll

Were you affected by the geomagnetic storms this past weekend?
Communication disruptions, electrified pipes, random unexplained blue-screens in Windows - the list of effects is terrifying.
  Results   482 votes