Originally posted by Mindship
You're fun at parties, aren't ya?
You'd be surprised.
Originally posted by Mindship
To close that loophole, the OP should specify the limits of time travel (or other potential loophole powers). I think most people though assume a single timeline view, wherein you go back, you change something in the past, and you change the future. This is looked at more critically when the grandfather paradox rears its head. Then we look at a multiple timelines approach: you go back, change something, but all you've done is create a new timeline, where that change was supposed to happen. While I personally prefer the latter, I think the average joe/jane thinks of time travel as the former.And it was in that light my thought was posted.
That actually wasn't where I was going. Excited as alternate timelines make me, I hadn't even thought of that (although it is a knock on your argument).
My thought was that until the time travel happens upon the first instance (which we would presume to be you in this scenario), it doesn't create the recurring time loop. Once in the loop, you'd always be informed of its success, thus perpetuating the loop. But until it has started, the future you won't have traveled back to inform you.
Make sense? I'm thinking of the Who-niverse where time is always in flux. If the Doctor's in 2012 and there's a crisis in 1930, it hasn't already been fixed by the Doctor just because it was in the past. 2012 still feels the repercussions until he actually travels back to fix it. In such a universe, you wouldn't have the safety net of future you telling you anything. Then again, also in your scenario, you wouldn't take the dip without a future you.
So, including the alternate universe theory and all variables being defaulted to equal, there's about a 1/3 chance the laws of time travel are such that you'd even be able to pull off your plan.
So like I said, it doesn't eliminate the risk, just reduces it.
Originally posted by DigiGiven the nature of time you've outlined, I still wouldn't jump.
That actually wasn't where I was going. Excited as alternate timelines make me, I hadn't even thought of that (although it is a knock on your argument).My thought was that until the time travel happens upon the first instance (which we would presume to be you in this scenario), it doesn't create the recurring time loop. Once in the loop, you'd always be informed of its success, thus perpetuating the loop. But until it has started, the future you won't have traveled back to inform you.
Make sense? I'm thinking of the Who-niverse where time is always in flux. If the Doctor's in 2012 and there's a crisis in 1930, it hasn't already been fixed by the Doctor just because it was in the past. 2012 still feels the repercussions until he actually travels back to fix it. In such a universe, you wouldn't have the safety net of future you telling you anything. Then again, also in your scenario, you wouldn't take the dip without a future you.
So, including the alternate universe theory and all variables being defaulted to equal, there's about a 1/3 chance the laws of time travel are such that you'd even be able to pull off your plan.
Years ago I had written a short story (went nowhere, of course), about time travel as multiple timelines. The Bad Guy was not afraid of the Good Guy going back in time to screw things up for him because his argument was, the Good Guy would just end up in a parallel timeline. But the Chief Bad Guy was still concerned. Her argument was that a Good Guy from an-already parallel timeline (cue Cosmic Wavefunction doubletalk) would come back, entering "our" timeline to effect the Dreaded Change In The Past.
Basically I was looking for a new spin on time-travel. These days I tend to avoid the genre altogether.
Originally posted by Mindship
Given the nature of time you've outlined, I still wouldn't jump.Years ago I had written a short story (went nowhere, of course), about time travel as multiple timelines. The Bad Guy was not afraid of the Good Guy going back in time to screw things up for him because his argument was, the Good Guy would just end up in a parallel timeline. But the Chief Bad Guy was still concerned. Her argument was that a Good Guy from an-already parallel timeline (cue Cosmic Wavefunction doubletalk) would come back, entering "our" timeline to effect the Dreaded Change In The Past.
Basically I was looking for a new spin on time-travel. These days I tend to avoid the genre altogether.
Time travel is awesome. It's like my new favorite gimmick in storytelling.
But yeah, in my scenario, you wouldn't try it.
I like your story premise, but I'm not sure I can reconcile it happening, because even an infinite number of time travelers should just create a brand new reality with their jump each time. Sounds like your Chief Bad Guy is more worried of something resembling a dimension jump than an actual after-affect of time travel.
Originally posted by DigiActually, I had postulated (I think I called it) "trandimensional mirroring." And the "gimmick" involved a switching of identity, and...
Time travel is awesome. It's like my new favorite gimmick in storytelling.But yeah, in my scenario, you wouldn't try it.
I like your story premise, but I'm not sure I can reconcile it happening, because even an infinite number of time travelers should just create a brand new reality with their jump each time. Sounds like your Chief Bad Guy is more worried of something resembling a dimension jump than an actual after-affect of time travel.
...yeah, like this is really clearing things up.
Originally posted by Mindship
Actually, I had postulated (I think I called it) "trandimensional mirroring." And the "gimmick" involved a switching of identity, and......yeah, like this is really clearing things up.
😂
Originally posted by Endless Mike
I pick the power to retroactively alter probability so the probability of getting superpowers in the first place is 100% [/trollface]
Winner
Originally posted by Galan007
...But you'd still have to get that power in the first place. Thus your initial chance of success is still invariably .1%.
No, because going by the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, the timeline where I get my power would allow me to reach into the past and ensure that that particular timeline was the one that manifested, thus creating a stable time loop. 😊
Originally posted by Digi
If I won the lottery, I'd become Batman and I'm totally serious. The only thing keeping me from it is a profound lack of funding.And honestly, I'd have to win a goddamn huge lottery. I'd do it right.
You ever win the lottery, contact me. I remember you saying that a team of batmen would be more plausible, I'm down for that.