Re:Paradox-free time travel is theoretically possible
by JoeAltmaier on Monday January 25, 2021 @08:14AM
(#25902747)
Answer: I have a time machine. If that means anything, it means I can go back to yesterday and decide not to go to the store. Otherwise what is it? Some kind of television into the past?
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:Paradox-free time travel is theoretically possible
by tsimionescu on Monday January 25, 2021 @11:03AM
(#25904727)
It is a loop between the present and the past. You keep talking though about deciding to do things, and in this paradigm, there is no such thing. I am not 'deciding' to write this post, it is simply a consequence of the evolution of the universe and my life so far. I may feel like I am free to write it or not, but that is only an illusion.
Just as much, if you have a time machine, and go to the past, you will do exactly what you had already done in the past. It is not something you have a choice on, it is simply a consequence of the universe so far. The same would be true if you went to the future - all your future actions were decided the moment you were born, the moment the Earth formed, the moment the universe was formed. There is no choice.
Re:Paradox-free time travel is theoretically possible
by JoeAltmaier on Monday January 25, 2021 @12:51PM
(#25906299)
Ah. Then I decide to disbelieve in the deterministic model of the universe proposed. And I cannot be faulted for that, because its a consequence of the evolution of the universe. So we're done here.
Re:Paradox-free time travel is theoretically possible
by tsimionescu on Tuesday January 26, 2021 @03:29AM
(#25913665)
Agreed! I said from the start - I'm not claiming that this is how reality works. I'm just pointing out that it is self-consistent and that it does solve the paradox.
I myself can't entirely believe this notion of a fully deterministic universe. Especially one that doesn't even involve randomness (though randomness by itself wouldn't bring in any possibility of choice).