Sorry about the long delay -- I've been meaning to get back to this conversation but alas, I keep getting distracted by shiny things.
Actually, quantum mechanics, with its parallel universes and the quantum concept of time, does not rule out, in theory, the use of black holes to achieve travel along multiverse pathways. What it does rule out, is any kind of paradox (time, grandfather, or knowledge).
True indeed, and I was not contesting the possibility of time travel in multiverses vs. Gödelian universes -- only that it's possible to have time travel methods that could introduce paradoxes, i.e. methods that do not rely on the many-world paradigm to accomplish time travel.
This, of course, doesn't answer the question of whether time travel is possible or not in terms of practicalities (and considering it involves the rearrangement of black holes in possibly unsuccessful attempts at making the connection stable, I'd say it's mighty hard); it's a question of theoretical possibility. Nor does it take any stance on the plausibility of either the multiverse or Gödelian universe theories. Me, I do believe in the many-worlds idea, but AFAIK it's still a mere conjecture, not a theorem; hence, any propositions using it should be prefaced with an "assuming the multiverse theory is true, [...]" disclaimer.
Does that make any sense? I mean, my original contention was that you said "Paradoxes do NOT exist. Period.", yet that's only true if one assumes the multiverse theory is a) true, b) the only method of time travel available. Or am I completely off the mark here?
As for my issues with magic contradicting Laws of Thermodynamics, that's more tongue-in-cheek than anything else. :) But yeah... flying brooms with no obvious source of energy? First Law says "boink!" Reparo and memories in the Pensieve? Second Law says "fuhgeddaboutit!"
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timeasmymeasure
Re: okay, work over, I'm back :-)
Date: 2005-03-30 05:10 am (UTC)Actually, quantum mechanics, with its parallel universes and the quantum concept of time, does not rule out, in theory, the use of black holes to achieve travel along multiverse pathways. What it does rule out, is any kind of paradox (time, grandfather, or knowledge).
True indeed, and I was not contesting the possibility of time travel in multiverses vs. Gödelian universes -- only that it's possible to have time travel methods that could introduce paradoxes, i.e. methods that do not rely on the many-world paradigm to accomplish time travel.
This, of course, doesn't answer the question of whether time travel is possible or not in terms of practicalities (and considering it involves the rearrangement of black holes in possibly unsuccessful attempts at making the connection stable, I'd say it's mighty hard); it's a question of theoretical possibility. Nor does it take any stance on the plausibility of either the multiverse or Gödelian universe theories. Me, I do believe in the many-worlds idea, but AFAIK it's still a mere conjecture, not a theorem; hence, any propositions using it should be prefaced with an "assuming the multiverse theory is true, [...]" disclaimer.
Does that make any sense? I mean, my original contention was that you said "Paradoxes do NOT exist. Period.", yet that's only true if one assumes the multiverse theory is a) true, b) the only method of time travel available. Or am I completely off the mark here?
As for my issues with magic contradicting Laws of Thermodynamics, that's more tongue-in-cheek than anything else. :) But yeah... flying brooms with no obvious source of energy? First Law says "boink!" Reparo and memories in the Pensieve? Second Law says "fuhgeddaboutit!"