-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Ruud <ejruud@ucdavis.edu>
>Supposing somewhere far in the future humanity (or possibly even some other
>intelligent life form) develops time travel. After all, the universe is
>going to be around a LONG time, so if it's possible, it's probable. Now,
>assuming that our current assumptions about the nature of time are correct
>(that we do not live in a "multiverse" of multiple, different outcomes for
>each probability, but rather there is a definite relationship of one event
>leading to another) they could not travel to the past, because such a thing
>would alter their own reality, including them, causing paradox.
>
>They might, however, be able to upload personalities into a computer at the
>moment of death, thusly not changing anything in that reality. After all,
>once a person's dead, their consciousness can't interact with anything.
>
>To a person living now, this future would be akin to heaven. They would be
>with everyone they ever knew, and, as the cliched thought goes, who the
hell
>knows what "they" will think of a thousand years from now?
>
>Furthermore, might it be a viable alternative to cryonics, especially once
>we have created self-evolving AI technology?
For this idea, you have to assume that either A) it has already been done, so that you really will not be changing anything, or B) you can somehow copy a person's consciousness without interacting with the matter making them up at all, so as not to introduce any disturbance. The first seems too convenient, and the second unlikely, IIU quantum mechanics correctly (and I may not...).
If you are interested in a fictional account of exactly this, read Spider Robinson's _Deathkiller_. A sequel, _Lifehouse_ was written, but is much poorer, IMHO.
Wolfkin.
wolfkin@phonetech.com
wolfkin@freedomspace.net (in a week or so)