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fandomhigh2005-10-31 11:15 am
ten-and-chips.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2005-10-31 11:15 am
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Quantum Physics 123: Monday 31 October
[The Doctor's tie is orange today. If you could see them, his boxers are wee pumpkin print, but you can't, so there. He comes into class in his usual manner. That is to say, fairly manic.]
Right. In honour of the holiday, we're going to talk about everyone's favourite scary topic: paradox. Nasty stuff, that. In the purest of dictionary terms, paradox implies a contradiction in logic. The most famous of these are the words of Epimenides of Knossos on Crete: Cretans, always liars. If Epimenides is from Crete himself, then he must be lying. But if he is, then Cretans are not liars. And round we go.
The same concept is very true in regards to time travel. Encountering and touching oneself in the past, changing history so that you don't exist, either by events or technology...these cause paradox.
The effects of causing a paradox are varied in documentation...but they are all inherently destructive. [looks somber] Most notably to the time traveller him or herself. This is not to discourage any of you from travelling in time if you get the chance--far from it. It is merely a warning that to disturb certain things can create changes in timespace and in your own history.
[His eyes are sad...this is not exactly what he meant to do with this lecture.] Even if it's for the greater good.
[regaining composure] Any questions?
Right. In honour of the holiday, we're going to talk about everyone's favourite scary topic: paradox. Nasty stuff, that. In the purest of dictionary terms, paradox implies a contradiction in logic. The most famous of these are the words of Epimenides of Knossos on Crete: Cretans, always liars. If Epimenides is from Crete himself, then he must be lying. But if he is, then Cretans are not liars. And round we go.
The same concept is very true in regards to time travel. Encountering and touching oneself in the past, changing history so that you don't exist, either by events or technology...these cause paradox.
The effects of causing a paradox are varied in documentation...but they are all inherently destructive. [looks somber] Most notably to the time traveller him or herself. This is not to discourage any of you from travelling in time if you get the chance--far from it. It is merely a warning that to disturb certain things can create changes in timespace and in your own history.
[His eyes are sad...this is not exactly what he meant to do with this lecture.] Even if it's for the greater good.
[regaining composure] Any questions?