Time Travel

[Dave~]

We've seen all the different movies, heard the stories, and probably even imagined time travel.

Do you think time travel is possible? If possible, is it one directional or multi-directional? (That is, can we go backwards, forwards, or both?)

• If it is possible, then time is a continuum as stated in the theory of the space/time continuum.
• If it is not possible, then time is linear with only our memory serving to know what the past is and we're always moving forward in time.

What's your view on time travel?

[James Lewitzke]

My view on Time Travel is slightly different. I believe that sometime in the future (waaaay future) mankind will invent a something like a "time observant" machine.

This invention will basically be like a "bubble in time" where we will be able to view past events and what has occurred throughout history, but we will not be able to interact with people or things, thus we will be unable to alter events to our liking.

Who knows? Maybe right now there are people from the year 10,000 viewing us right now from their "bubble", but as they cannot interact with us, we are unaware of their presence.

[Dave~]

So you're basically saying that it's impossible to travel in time. However, we'll be able to see backwards in time. Is that right?

Interesting concept, and I'd sure like to be around when that happens so I could watch stuff that happened in the past. Wasn't there a movie like that?

[James Lewitzke]

Originally Posted by Dave~

So you're basically saying that it's impossible to travel in time. However, we'll be able to see backwards in time. Is that right?

Sort of something like that .

I guess it depends on how you define "Travel".

[Dave~]

I define travel pretty much like dictionary.com does:

trav·el Pronunciation[trav-uhl]
verb, -eled, -el·ing or (especially British) -elled, -el·ling, noun, adjective
–verb (used without object)
1. to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey: to travel for pleasure.
2. to move or go from one place or point to another.
3. to proceed or advance in any way.

The exception in this case is that one is not traveling a distance with the distance being a linear land measurement, but is traveling from one point to another point in time which could be a linear measurement in years, months, weeks, days, hours, etc.

[James Lewitzke]

In my scenario, the "bubble" would be outside of the current place it's visiting, it may even have (natural) scientific properties that we don't even understand.

So in my example, it would "actually" be traveling through time, but just not interactive with the period of time it's visiting.

[Dave~]

Interesting view about travel. I would have assumed (I know I shouldn't do that) that if you traveled there, you could interact there. But to actually see it, though not interacting, could be considered travel.

Do you have any theory how that might be accomplished? Will it be like light refraction that makes it possible to see in the past?

[jbjbw]

Right now with a telescope powerful enough and far enough away (say about 500 light years) you could watch Chris Columbus discovering the New World. America.

[Dave~]

But to see it again, would you have to move further away?

[jbjbw]

Yes you would need to be even farther.

[Dave~]

So if the light waves can be curved or bent, so to speak, then we could possibly see them from a much closer place than being lots of light years away.

[jbjbw]

I believe that would not work. You would have to capture or curve them before they left! Now if there were a gravitational pull strong enough to not just bend the light waves but to throw them into a U turn???

[Barcs]

Time Travel is one crazy concept. I voted no although I agree with James about the time observing. I believe that in order to time travel, one would first have to travel outside of the 3rd dimension, which probably means astral projection is the only way. The only problem with this would be interacting with the 3rd dimension while outside of it. I don't think this is possible. If it was, surely people would have come from the future and spilled the beans by now. I know some have claimed it, but I have trouble believing them.

[James Lewitzke]

Originally Posted by Barcs

I believe that in order to time travel, one would first have to travel outside of the 3rd dimension, which probably means astral projection is the only way. The only problem with this would be interacting with the 3rd dimension while outside of it. I don't think this is possible.

So you believe that if this type of "bubble invention" were possible, we'd actually be leaving our bodies? ("matrix-style" for example?)

Originally Posted by Barcs

If it was, surely people would have come from the future and spilled the beans by now. I know some have claimed it, but I have trouble believing them.

Actually, in my scenario, people from the future couldn't spill the beans, as the "bubble" isn't interactive with the surrounding environment.

For example, if someone invented the bubble next year, and we wanted to visit the War of 1812 or something, we couldn't influence the outcome of the past, as the "bubble" is keeping us from interaction.

[Barcs]

Originally Posted by James Lewitzke

So you believe that if this type of "bubble invention" were possible, we'd actually be leaving our bodies? ("matrix-style" for example?)

Yes, kind of like that. Pretty much like your spirit leaving the body temporarily to get into the spiritual realm. I believe that it's possible without any technological device and that many have already done it. I'm not sure about actually time traveling though. That depends on what time actually is, I suppose.

[Blue Wulf]

Originally Posted by Dave~

What's your view on time travel?

Time Travel, have you ever seen the movie Back to the Future? If so need I say more? The idea to travel anywhere and to any time you want is so cool, as long as you don't distrupt the space time continueum.

[Moxxnixx]

I couldn't answer the poll's question because I just don't know.

Originally Posted by Dave~

I define travel pretty much like dictionary.com does:

The exception in this case is that one is not traveling a distance with the distance being a linear land measurement, but is traveling from one point to another point in time which could be a linear measurement in years, months, weeks, days, hours, etc.

Assuming time travel were possible, I would think that it would have to consist of traveling distance as well as time...and assuming time travel is defying the laws of physics, then gravity would have no effect on the traveler. If you were to take trip back to 6 months ago, you'd obviously want to be where the earth was 6 months ago or else you'd be floating in space. In that case, you'd better hope your time machine is also a spaceship.

Yeah, I was a fan of Seven Days before they took it off the air.

[James Lewitzke]

First, I'll admit here that I haven't seen Seven Days.

Good point considering traveling distance as well as time, because after 6 months, the Earth would be completely on the other side of the sun. Unless maybe rather than having a machine like the DeLorean from Back to the Future, you'd have a gate like from Stargate.

This way the machine wouldn't really be "still", but you'd end up in another place along with the other time, similar to how a wormhole works, I suppose.