Moral dilemma - train bridge

[Reverend Conehead]

Yes, this is the consensus among those who studied the period but it is still speculation. There is no way to get the definitive answer. And again, hundreds of others on the train would die and we have no way of knowing what effect that would have on the future. Consider this, even the train destroyed in the wreckage could be an important link to future events that would be altered. The possibilities are infinite, and not all good.

You're right. It's not a guarantee that things would be better or that von Papen would have been Chancellor. It would be really interesting if there were some way that we could know.

Another thought is this:
Wait till Hitler is a struggling artist in Vienna and gets rejected twice by the art school there, then offer him a scholarship to an art school in America. Then maybe he becomes an artist and stays out of politics.

 

[DallasEast]

Yes, this is the consensus among those who studied the period but it is still speculation. There is no way to get the definitive answer. And again, hundreds of others on the train would die and we have no way of knowing what effect that would have on the future. Consider this, even the train destroyed in the wreckage could be an important link to future events that would be altered. The possibilities are infinite, and not all good.

Time travel may never exist outside science fiction but I hope extreme caution is made the primary concern if it is ever invented. The OP's scenario is removing one target to prevent negative known outcomes. However, collateral damage shall create unknown outcomes.

Time traveling should always include extensive risk assessment. Eliminating a key historical figure may be worth the risk but removing them from the time stream should never be done in a haphazard way. The goal should be accomplishing the best possible outcome. It should not be replacing a known horrific tragedy with a possibly worst one.

Another thing to consider is whether time travelers are willing to accept the risk of changing a historical event in exchange of knowingly sacrificing themselves. Just because it seems okay to take a sledgehammer to a problem does not mean someone else will not get caught up in the impact waves created thereafter.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Time travel may never exist outside science fiction but I hope extreme caution is made the primary concern if it is ever invented. The OP's scenario is removing one target to prevent negative known outcomes. However, collateral damage shall create unknown outcomes.

Time traveling should always include extensive risk assessment. Eliminating a key historical figure may be worth the risk but removing them from the time stream should never be done in a haphazard way. The goal should be accomplishing the best possible outcome. It should not be replacing a known horrific tragedy with a possibly worst one.

Another thing to consider is whether time travelers are willing to accept the risk of changing a historical event in exchange of knowingly sacrificing themselves. Just because it seems okay to take a sledgehammer to a problem does not mean someone else will not get caught up in the impact waves created thereafter.

All of those are valid concerns. I would love to see some type of time portal voyeur device created. In other words, you could go back in time, but you would be like an invisible person who cannot change anything. All you could do would be to walk around in the past observing events.

 

[DallasEast]

All of those are valid concerns. I would love to see some type of time portal voyeur device created. In other words, you could go back in time, but you would be like an invisible person who cannot change anything. All you could do would be to walk around in the past observing events.

That would be a great educational tool.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

That would be a great educational tool.

Yeah, we could do a ton of research about the past, learning things we don't know. We could find out for certain if the Neanderthals had human language, and, if so, what it was like. We could find out if the Neanderthals made boats, as some anthropologists believe. We could see the dinosaurs.

We could correct historical errors. It would be great especially if you could take photos and video. We could finally find out what President Lincoln sounded like when he delivered the Gettysburg address.

 

[Creeper]

Time travel may never exist outside science fiction but I hope extreme caution is made the primary concern if it is ever invented. The OP's scenario is removing one target to prevent negative known outcomes. However, collateral damage shall create unknown outcomes.

Time traveling should always include extensive risk assessment. Eliminating a key historical figure may be worth the risk but removing them from the time stream should never be done in a haphazard way. The goal should be accomplishing the best possible outcome. It should not be replacing a known horrific tragedy with a possibly worst one.

Another thing to consider is whether time travelers are willing to accept the risk of changing a historical event in exchange of knowingly sacrificing themselves. Just because it seems okay to take a sledgehammer to a problem does not mean someone else will not get caught up in the impact waves created thereafter.

And remember the Observer Effect. Even going back in time to observe the past could alter the past. It is best we leave it alone and try to do better in the present.

 

[DallasEast]

And remember the Observer Effect. Even going back in time to observe the past could alter the past. It is best we leave it alone and try to do better in the present.

Excellent point but some things are worth taking a calculated risk.

 

[Creeper]

Excellent point but some things are worth taking a calculated risk.

Some things. But thank God time travel is only theoretical.

 

[DallasEast]

Time travel threads always remind me of Kathryn Janeway's dislike of the topic. Here is one of my favorite scenes:

 

[DallasEast]

Some things. But thank God time travel is only theoretical.

True. Humans are often too flawed in their responsibility of great power. Nuclear power is probably the best real world example.

 

[Creeper]

Time travel threads always remind me of Kathryn Janeway's dislike of the topic. Here is one of my favorite scenes:

Haha. Exactly! Family Guy did a pretty good episode on time travel too. The one where Stewie caused the big bang that created the universe.

 

[DallasEast]

Haha. Exactly! Family Guy did a pretty good episode on time travel too. The one where Stewie caused the big bang that created the universe.

 

[Runwildboys]

And remember the Observer Effect. Even going back in time to observe the past could alter the past. It is best we leave it alone and try to do better in the present.

I don't think it would apply in this case, because your presence would be unknown, even to electrons and other particles. (I assume)

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I don't think it would apply in this case, because your presence would be unknown, even to electrons and other particles. (I assume)

That's what I was thinking. Your presence would be totally virtual, so you couldn't even transmit any pathogens to people. One possible disadvantage would be if the technology were used by people who were less than professional and who took a picture of General Grant picking his nose or taking a dump or something else gross that the public doesn't need to see.

But imagine if you could get a genuine video of General Lee surrendering to General Grant, or many other historic occasions. See what Columbus and his ships really were like. It would be so amazing.