05-24-2003, 12:42 AM
Hi,
There is a theory, now not much in fashion, that every event that had more than one possible outcome came out in all possible ways. This was possible because each such event caused a bifurcation of the universe and there was an infinite "sheaf" of universes, some "closer" and some further apart.
This, BTW, was postulated to go down to (and indeed be dominated by) the quantum level. It was proposed as a serious attempt to explain some quantum weirdness (such as the Schrodinger's cat and the EPR paradox). The only "useful" application of his AFAIK was in some sf stories.
But, according to that theory, everything that could happen did happen. And so, if you did go back in time, that would create a new universe. If you did kill a direct ancestor before s/he had kids, that would create a new universe -- one in which you would no longer exist.
Fun? Maybe.
--Pete
There is a theory, now not much in fashion, that every event that had more than one possible outcome came out in all possible ways. This was possible because each such event caused a bifurcation of the universe and there was an infinite "sheaf" of universes, some "closer" and some further apart.
This, BTW, was postulated to go down to (and indeed be dominated by) the quantum level. It was proposed as a serious attempt to explain some quantum weirdness (such as the Schrodinger's cat and the EPR paradox). The only "useful" application of his AFAIK was in some sf stories.
But, according to that theory, everything that could happen did happen. And so, if you did go back in time, that would create a new universe. If you did kill a direct ancestor before s/he had kids, that would create a new universe -- one in which you would no longer exist.
Fun? Maybe.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?