A Thought Experiment

[Moonfall Prince 10]

Alright. Doing a simple thought experiment for my Psychology class for extras. 

 

Due to its popularity in current media and works of fiction, this may seem a cliche topic and possibly an overused question, but I would like to know what various people would do if they possessed the ability to travel through time.

 

I myself am admittedly a sucker for the idea and I am fascinated by the notion of moving across time via unnatural means, so I apologize if this seems too mainstream--it just seemed fitting for me to use as an open-ended question.

 

Here are the rules:

a) As a traveler, you are able to freely travel backwards and forwards through time.

b) You are able to travel to points in time where you would not normally exist.

c) Even when in the process of traversing through time, you age normally.

 

note-- The way you are able to move across time ['time machine,' wormhole, faster-than-light travel, supernatural ability, etc.] for all intents and purposes is unimportant. For this question, the focus is the actions you take (or do not take) as a 'traveler.'

 

Also, we are assuming that the Everett Graham Wheeler or Many-worlds Interpretation (commonly known as the 'multiverse theory' in pop culture) is true. However, you may also provide an additional answer as to what you would do if it was instead not true and possible to create paradoxes (i.e. the 'Grandfather paradox').

 

Anyways, any feedback would be greatly appreciated, so long as it takes the question seriously. If any of you guys choose to humor me and answer, I give you my sincere thanks in aiding me.

[Shard the Gentleman 2,891]

Hmm, I'd probably stop my dad from meeting my Stepmom... I'd probably prevent myself from liking the wrong people. Probably force my younger self to exercise so that he doesn't end up like the way I did... Then I'd live in the future where I didn't have to constrain myself to fit into today's society.

[Aqua7KH 5,395]

I would only view past events for learning purposes and/or to accept events from my past as well as to maybe find out things that I don't remember that is important to remember. (Like if someone hurt you and you can't remember who did it, etc...)

I wouldn't actually change anything at all about the past, as every little thing could change the future drastically for the better or worse. It's not worth the risk and I as a human should let things happen as they should. Everything happens for a reason in my book. I don't really think I would go see too much of the future especially when it comes to seeing myself in the future, as I would not want to accidentally change the future by just knowing what would happen in the future. I also wouldn't want to see things that I shouldn't. Nor would I want to go to the future to only find out that I died or the Earth blew up or something. I would probably want to remain ignorant of most of the future.

 

So mainly I would just travel to the past to just look at things of curiosity, like watching myself as an infant, or maybe going back to watch historical events like the Civil War or something. Generally time is just a delicate complicated thing to manipulate, so for the most part I would just want to leave things alone especially when it comes to the future.

[Kaweebo 3,617]

I'd probably skip to twenty years in the future and act out the plot point in Back to the Future 2 when Marty McFly steals the sports almanac and plans to bet on all the upcoming sports events. 

Edited March 29, 2015 by Kaweebo

[Revolart 431]

I probably go back to the past and slap or punch my past self for being such a selfish little prick.

[Psychic_Ketchup 367]

Ever since I was a kid, I've always wanted to know if dragons truly existed somewhere a long time ago, so I guess I'll scour the timeline for them.

I'd also obviously give my past self advice.

[Neptune Vasilias 340]

Go back in time and give myself advice and etc. Then jump back and save Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee from dying bringing happiness to the now widow Linda Lee

[Moonfall Prince 10]

All really cool and thoughtful answers so far, thanks guys.

 

Let's see if we can't get some more on this thread!

 

And lol Kaweebo, my friend gave me the exact same answer, nice!

Edited March 29, 2015 by Moonfall Prince

[Jordan Arnold 31]

I'd probably go about 40 years into the future and I would go to see how I turned out so that I would know which choices are good and bad for me later on in life

[Headphone Jack 1,147]

I don't know if I'd change anything about my own past but maybe I'd use it to try and fix problems people have had in theirs. Maybe try to save people who died from preventable causes I guess, like car crashes or something. I figure it wouldn't be too hard to do. Just head them off before they leave and keep them busy long enough so that they'll miss the point in time where they would have crashed.

I wouldn't go to my future because the future is always changing and nothing is set in stone, in my opinion. Although I could see the benefit of going to the future to see what potential dangers lie ahead if nothing changes in the present so actually maybe I would go there. 

[Exilra 393]

If I had that power, I think I would just view past events like Awuwa said. I don't want to change anything in the past cuz even the smallest changes can affect the future in unknown good or bad ways. Me just even being in the past might affect things. And if it does, then I'd probably not use it then And I wouldn't want to go to the future because I don't want to spoil myself on what is to come

[Kittenz 4,281]

Sleep with my 13 year old self

 

she needs it with all the drama LOL

[Moonfall Prince 10]

KittensOnFire, that's a funny one. I just imagined an older version of someone cradling their younger version (in the fetal position) petting them on the head saying "Shh...it's going to be okay..." lmao

 

But on a serious note, I'm sure many of us could relate to that one.

 

Well that appears to be all of the answers I'm going to get from this, so thank you all once again for your participation! I will also be following up within the next day or so with some additional questions for the responses (on this thread), so if you would all like to help me with that, that would be great. Thanks, guys.  :cool:

[Kittenz 4,281]

I'd do that too

 

 

But I was imagining this

 

 

No I don't love myself _{I actually hate myself} but it would be funny 

 

 

 

[Yuya Sakaki 5,212]

Sleep with my 13 year old selfshe needs it with all the drama LOL

What?@topic: I... Actually wouldn't do a thing. Honestly, that's my answer. I mean... Why would I? I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for everything that's happened so far. Sure, some things sucked but that's life. Those bad things happen so you can learn and grow as a human because one can't know success if they don't know failure. :)And in regards to the timeline of the human race and the era prior to that, the same applies. Everything in time has happened for a specific reason and each event has a wisdom behind it that we can't comprehend. Thus, I wouldn't change even the most obscure details. That includes my presence at any point in time prior to my birth.Hope this helped with what you're doing! :DPeace! Edited March 31, 2015 by RoxasKoala

[Tigerruss 576]

Using the many worlds idea... Time travel is largly pointless. Sure you can experience another world, but it isn't YOUR world. And since you didn't grant free travel back to your own world... well you basically just abandoned everyone you ever knew just so you could travel through time. (even going back to the present, wouldn't be going back to YOUR present.)

 

 

So no, I would not travel in time using the many worlds hypothesis, unless if I am guaranteed coming back to MY world.If I was guaranteed a trip back into my time, I would actually go back in time and witness historic and religious events for myself to see what REALLY happened.As for the time travel where paradoxes become an issue? Well... honestly it is too dangerous to travel backwards and forwards into time. (probably just inhaling and exhaling 5000 years ago would change a lot in the present.) But it would still be tempting to try to change the past...