If someone changes the past would we know it?

[FelixDeCat]

If our history is being continually altered by people from the future I surmise there would be no way to tell.* Our memories, books, media....everything that recorded an event would change.


* = Barring changes from someone in the future, I think only God can influence an outcome but its up to humans (through faith) to change it.

 

[HeXen]

i'd say it would effect only some alternate universe and not the one we currently know.
the grandfather paradox, i don't think is possible. your atoms that make you wouldnt just vanish at the point of killing him. perhaps it would even make that moment unstable and split off once you leave to return home.

 

[FelixDeCat]

i'd say it would effect only some alternate universe and not the one we currently know.
the grandfather paradox, i don't think is possible. your atoms that make you wouldnt just vanish at the point of killing him. perhaps it would even make that moment unstable and split off once you leave to return home.

If this universe isnt changed there is no point altering it. But then, if someone was capable of doing this, how would THEY know the difference between current and alternate realities? Their future would be altered as well.

 

[IronWing]

People change the past constantly.

 

[zinfamous]

solo fides?

 

[Triumph]

The answer to the OP's title question is no.

/thread.

 

[HeXen]

If this universe isnt changed there is no point altering it. But then, if someone was capable of doing this, how would THEY know the difference between current and alternate realities? Their future would be altered as well.

from a hypothetical perspective, its best to look at the reality of what might happen as apposed to what the individual may experience.
Whether they know or don't know doesnt matter as much as what is actually happening.

even if there was no point, some jerk wad would do it just to do it regardless.
Neutrinos are interesting cause they show potential for sending information to the past, perhaps potential of further exploitation. problem is, scientists won't really know or understand till they attempt to do something to the past for experimentation.

 

[Fritzo]

Theoretical physicists think that if someone went back in time and altered the past, they would branch off into an alternate universe. Ours would still exist as well as an infinite number containing every outcome of every action.

Kind of mind blowing when you think about it.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

If this universe isnt changed there is no point altering it. But then, if someone was capable of doing this, how would THEY know the difference between current and alternate realities? Their future would be altered as well.

from a hypothetical perspective, its best to look at the reality of what might happen as apposed to what the individual may experience.
Whether they know or don't know doesnt matter as much as what is actually happening.

even if there was no point, some jerk wad would do it just to do it regardless.
Neutrinos are interesting cause they show potential for sending information to the past, perhaps potential of further exploitation. problem is, scientists won't really know or understand till they attempt to do something to the past for experimentation.

There's always the possibility of the "adjuster" taking a time stamped video of some sort from the previous future and showing it to the PTB when he returns ala 'Eight Days.' Of course, that relies on the "adjuster" being able to return from the time he left.

 

[FelixDeCat]

from a hypothetical perspective, its best to look at the reality of what might happen as apposed to what the individual may experience.
Whether they know or don't know doesnt matter as much as what is actually happening.

even if there was no point, some jerk wad would do it just to do it regardless.
Neutrinos are interesting cause they show potential for sending information to the past, perhaps potential of further exploitation. problem is, scientists won't really know or understand till they attempt to do something to the past for experimentation.

Succesful experiments would seem like failures because even though the past was altered, maybe it wasnt changed in a meaningful way or it was otherwise undetectable.

Theoretical physicists think that if someone went back in time and altered the past, they would branch off into an alternate universe. Ours would still exist as well as an infinite number containing every outcome of every action.

Kind of mind blowing when you think about it.

I know you and I occupy the same reality.....or do we....and for how long? :sneaky:

That does make sense however, since the idea of multiple dimensions includes all possible outcomes of all events.

 

[busydude]

People will slowly start to disappear from pictures they are in.

 

[FelixDeCat]

solo fides?

Up until today, I didnt know about that.

 

[HeXen]

Theoretical physicists think that if someone went back in time and altered the past, they would branch off into an alternate universe. Ours would still exist as well as an infinite number containing every outcome of every action.

Kind of mind blowing when you think about it.

but could the time traveler return back to their universe?
Somehow we would have to lock ourselves to it or unless something unkown to use automatically has use tied to thid universe.
I read a book once mentioning our souls being tied to this universe...all speculation of course.

 

[Balt]

People will slowly start to disappear from pictures they are in.

Yup. Unless they can play a mean guitar and get their dad and mom to hook up.

 

[Fritzo]

but could the time traveler return back to their universe?
Somehow we would have to lock ourselves to it or unless something unkown to use automatically has use tied to thid universe.
I read a book once mentioning our souls being tied to this universe...all speculation of course.

No, you could never return. The act of occupying space a micrometer from your original position means you created a new timeline for yourself.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Change can only be detected if you have a reference value.

Unless going back in the past ensures that your reference is not altered based on the target and you are able to detect/know about the change how could you tell.

All recorded references would be based on the change; those happen after the change, not before or during.

 

[HAL9000]

No because it would have happened, if the people from the future are going to go back and change the past then they already have done and will do. It's circular.

 

[nonameo]

I think it works a bit like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z86V_ICUCD4

 

[davmat787]

Change can only be detected if you have a reference value.

Unless going back in the past ensures that your reference is not altered based on the target and you are able to detect/know about the change how could you tell.

All recorded references would be based on the change; those happen after the change, not before or during.

That is what I would think too. Besides, if time travel was to actual be possible, I thought it would only work going forward, and never back in time. Seem to recall that this is the consensus of physicists, but who the hell really knows?

 

[acheron]

Only if you're Guinan.

 

[mmntech]

Well, they're are numerous schools of thought on this one.

-There's the Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth school, which states that it's entirely possible to go back in time and do the nasty in the pasty, thus becoming your own grandfather.

-There's the Dr. Emmett L. Brown school, which states that you can wipe yourself out of history by splitting your parents before conception, yet at the same time it is possible to create partial alternate universes. In this second case, the time traveller is aware of the original time line while living in the revised time line. This allows the time traveller to repair damage to the time line.

-There's the Gene Roddenberry school, which states any interference with the past will change the future, with no allowance for alternate universes.

In each case, only the time traveller would be aware of the alterations.

 

[Bateluer]

-There's the Gene Roddenberry school, which states any interference with the past will change the future, with no allowance for alternate universes.

Star Trek had alternative universes. Mirror Universe.

 

[FelixDeCat]

In each case, only the time traveller would be aware of the alterations.

In a way, this makes sense. Now it would be up to him to prove that he changed history....or not.

 

[Leros]

Lets do an experiment. I'm going to go back in time. If Tuesday comes before Wednesday, then you'll know I succeeded.

 

[SKORPI0]

Lets do an experiment. I'm going to go back in time. If Tuesday comes before Wednesday, then you'll know I succeeded.

Done, last week. :sneaky: