this post was submitted on 31 Oct 2023
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

I think about the same thing every time I watch a time travel movie or show.

They should teleport into empty space every time

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I guess that depends on whether you only travel through time (time vs space), or whether you follow the time-line back (aka. travel through time and space, kinda like both you and I are doing right now).

EDIT: there's also the reference point, and whether you can bring a physical vessel, or have to possess your younger self.

Back to the Future appears to be using a kind of relative spatial reference point, and you bring your body along the ride.

Contrary, Steins Gate (the part shown in the series) uses a body as reference, and has you "possess" said body. Though it hints that Back to the Future-like travel is also possible.

Not sure if I can name any story where time and space are disconnected.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Larry niven and the known space universe. Doesn't have time travel, but does have a form of teleportation, where you have to offset the energies for velocity changes between teleport target and teleport destination.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Ahh, enjoyer of time travel movies and anime!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

There's scifi that did this. The series Seven Days is one example

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

This assumes some concept of location independent of the surrounding matter.

We like to think that way because we live on a mostly-not-changing clump of rock and dirt.

There is nothing to define location other than what’s nearby.

The only alternative anyone ever proposes is larger clumps of matter further away. Relative to the sun. Relative to the center of the Milky Way. Center of the Milky Way is the most “legit” Nonmoving Point we can think of.

But maybe the legitimacy of the nonmoving point is based also on its nearness to you. Perhaps the thing that defines the wormhole’s position through spacetime is inertia and gravity.

Hard to see what else it might be, other than “it doesn’t move” which, the entire point above being, doesn’t really exist