Research Paper on Time Travel: Ideas for Modern Physics

[sweetvirgogirl]

Does your paper have to be in any specific structure and have you already written a lot of it?
I was thinking that it would be kind of cool (esp. for a humanities class) if you wrote your paper in several fictional short stories (I don't know, maybe this is more of your style?). One could be about the grandfather paradox. You could start it off with you sitting in your room, thinking about how to write this paper. Add in a few paragraphs about you agonizing over some specific ideas in relativity (to sneak in some science). Then instead, you decided to try making your own time machine of some sort (I dunno, maybe you find instructions online) and it works! Then you could write about how you go back in time and do fun stuff, but then you accidentally do something serious and your time machine breaks and you go back to your own time and see the ramifications. Maybe that's really trite, but it could quickly fill in 12 pages if you're descriptive and good at writing, especially if you make a few stories surrounding some of the topics mentioned in this thread.
good luck.

thanks ... it's a very creative idea ... but my prof is not going to like it :(

you seem to be quite creative though lol ... please help me out!

 

[Treadstone 71]

I don't know if this has been said before, but you can write a paper on how time travel is NOT possible, theoretically and practically.

 

[Jelfish]

To be completely honest, I couldn't explain to you the details of time travel because I don't know them. I do know that if you look at it from a modern physics point of view, it can become very confusing very quickly. That's why I suggested the short story approach. It would only require that you understand the philosophical problems of time travel.
Here's an amusing anecdote I found by searching google:

You are very depressed. You are suicidally depressed. You have a gun. But you do not quite have the courage to point the gun at yourself and kill yourself in this way. If only someone else would kill you, that would be a good thing. But you can't really ask someone to kill you. That wouldn't be fair. You decide that if you remain this depressed and you find a time machine, you will travel back in time to just about now, and kill your earlier self. That would be good. In that way you even would get rid of the depressing time you will spend between now and when you would get into that time machine. You start to muse about the coherence of this idea, when something amazing happens. Out of nowhere you suddenly see someone coming towards you with a gun pointed at you. In fact he looks very much like you, except that he is bleeding badly from his left eye, and can barely stand up straight. You are at peace. You look straight at him, calmly. He shoots. You feel a searing pain in your left eye. Your mind is in chaos, you stagger around and accidentally enter a strange looking cubicle. You drift off into unconsciousness. After a while, you can not tell how long, you drift back into consciousness and stagger out of the cubicle. You see someone in the distance looking at you calmly and fixedly. You realize that it is your younger self. He looks straight at you. You are in terrible pain. You have to end this, you have to kill him, really kill him once and for all. You shoot him, but your eyesight is so bad that your aim is off. You do not kill him, you merely damage his left eye. He staggers off. You fall to the ground in agony, and decide to study the paradoxes of time travel more seriously.

Here's the rest of the (modern physics and topology laden) article: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time-travel-phys/

I know this might not be much help, but if I were given that assignment, I personally wouldn't go the straight 12 page thesis and defense method, even as a third year physics undergrad. If you're sure you want to stick with this topic, I would reconsider my suggestion, even if your professor won't like the style. Your alternative will be 12 pages of equations and stuff that either doesn't make sense (esp. to your professor) or is utterly dry. Physics is a difficult topic for a composition because its language is in mathematics.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

I don't know if this has been said before, but you can write a paper on how time travel is NOT possible, theoretically and practically.

well i don't think it's imposible though :?

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

To be completely honest, I couldn't explain to you the details of time travel because I don't know them. I do know that if you look at it from a modern physics point of view, it can become very confusing very quickly. That's why I suggested the short story approach. It would only require that you understand the philosophical problems of time travel.
Here's an amusing anecdote I found by searching google:
Here's the rest of the (modern physics and topology laden) article: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time-travel-phys/
I know this might not be much help, but if I were given that assignment, I personally wouldn't go the straight 12 page thesis and defense method, even as a third year physics undergrad. If you're sure you want to stick with this topic, I would reconsider my suggestion, even if your professor won't like the style. Your alternative will be 12 pages of equations and stuff that either doesn't make sense (esp. to your professor) or is utterly dry. Physics is a difficult topic for a composition because its language is in mathematics.
Sorry I can't be of more help.

to make sure it's not dry ... or a bunch of equations, my prof suggested to use Back to the Future as a point of dissection

 

[Stephan Hoyer]

We could serve as perhaps some aide if you told us more clearly what the assignment is, for what class (more particularly, as different humanities disciplines have different expectations) and what specific expectation the teacher is likely to have, as well.

If this is merely a paper "on time travel" then you're going to have to make up the expectations for yourself, and in any case this seems like a very poorly guided class.

You appear not to want to write a paper referring to any actual physics. In that case, I'm sure you could find better sources of advice for academic writing than this forum.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

i was wondering if one of you would like to read my paper on time travel?

 

[Pengwuino]

Sure thing, I know i'd like to... not sure how many other people have the time though.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

Sure thing, I know i'd like to... not sure how many other people have the time though.

It's not complete though ...

I have written about 7 pages ... and it's supposed to be 12 pages long

Do you want to take a look at it now or do you want to read it once it's finished?

 

[leright]

well, this might have already been discussed in this thread, but what aspect of time travel would you like to write about...the philosophical aspects of it, or the technical aspects of it? This would depend on the class the paper is for.

PHilosophically, there is a lot to write about. Technically, however, might be a bit more difficult. The possibility of time trael being feasible in the "back to the future" sense is slim to none, and this is entirely science fiction. However, there are many ideas in physics that could be considered a form of time travel, but just in a much more subtle way.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

well, this might have already been discussed in this thread, but what aspect of time travel would you like to write about? The philosophical aspects of it, or the technical aspects of it?

i have focused my paper on technical and logical aspects of it

 

[Pengwuino]

I'd like to take a look. I'm sure if we can get some other people who know a lot more about physics, they'll provide some more help.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

I'd like to take a look. I'm sure if we can get some other people who know a lot more about physics, they'll provide some more help.

mind im'ing me on aim or yahoo?
it's pvirgohere for both of them

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

anyone whos willing to read my paper should I am me or something on aim or yahoo...
or tell me your email address so that i can email the paper to you

but I don't think I should copy paste my paper here ... i hope you guys (esp the forums moderators lol) don't mind

 

[robousy]

This is certainly an interesting and inspiring topic to write a paper on.

There are many ways you could approach this paper, however I would suggest the following structure.


Time Travel - Fact or Myth?

Time travel will be discussed on the context of both modern physics and its portrayal in popular movies.


You will need to discuss the following:

1) Einstein's relativity and time being viewed as the 4th dimension - also address why we can move freely in the 3 spatial dimensions but not in the 4th (time) dimension. Discuss the twin paradox and mention that the best we could do according to Special Relativity is 'slow' time down from the perspective of an Earth-bound observer watching a friend/twin in a spacecraft .

2) Modern conceptions of how a time machine might work.
Discuss
i) The Kip Thorne paper on wormholes.
ii) A massive rotating cylinder dragging space-time.

3) Problems and resolutions.

i) The (oh so popular) grandfather paradox.
ii) The Everett Wheeler Many universe unterpretation of quantum mechanics as a resolution to i). You could also write at least a page here discussing quantum mechanics.

4) Movies

The films that I can think of that address time travel are:

i) The philadelphia experiment (wormhole perspective)
ii) The Time machine (HG wells)
iii) Timeline by Michael Crichton (terrible film).
iv) Back to the future.

Back to the future certainly addresses the problem of paradoxes.

This should easily fill 12 pages.

Good luck.

Rich


PS - I don't have IM or anything like that so don't ask! ;)
Just communicate on this forum.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

This is certainly an interesting and inspiring topic to write a paper on.
There are many ways you could approach this paper, however I would suggest the following structure.
Time Travel - Fact or Myth?
Time travel will be discussed on the context of both modern physics and its portrayal in popular movies.
You will need to discuss the following:
1) Einstein's relativity and time being viewed as the 4th dimension - also address why we can move freely in the 3 spatial dimensions but not in the 4th (time) dimension. Discuss the twin paradox and mention that the best we could do according to Special Relativity is 'slow' time down from the perspective of an Earth-bound observer watching a friend/twin in a spacecraft .
2) Modern conceptions of how a time machine might work.
Discuss
i) The Kip Thorne paper on wormholes.
ii) A massive rotating cylinder dragging space-time.
3) Problems and resolutions.
i) The (oh so popular) grandfather paradox.
ii) The Everett Wheeler Many universe unterpretation of quantum mechanics as a resolution to i). You could also write at least a page here discussing quantum mechanics.
4) Movies
The films that I can think of that address time travel are:
i) The philadelphia experiment (wormhole perspective)
ii) The Time machine (HG wells)
iii) Timeline by Michael Crichton (terrible film).
iv) Back to the future.
Back to the future certainly addresses the problem of paradoxes.
This should easily fill 12 pages.
Good luck.
Rich
PS - I don't have IM or anything like that so don't ask! ;)
Just communicate on this forum.

i bolded the items i would like more info on

also, i would like you to read my rough draft ... if you don't want to share your email address, then let me know so that i can upload the file somewhere :)
(but yeah, if you don't have time ... then that's a dif story lol)

 

[*melinda*]

I have written about 7 pages

How is it that you have written 7 pages when you do not yet have a thesis statement, a basic outline of what sub-topics you want to discuss,

or any idea as to how you want to structure your discussion?

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

How is it that you have written 7 pages when you do not yet have a thesis statement, a basic outline of what sub-topics you want to discuss,
or any idea as to how you want to structure your discussion?

of course i have a thesis statement now lol... (i don't know why i assume ppl can read my mind lol)

but i didnt make a separate thread abouut it coz moderators wouldn't like it

 

[quantumdude]

anyone whos willing to read my paper should I am me or something on aim or yahoo...
or tell me your email address so that i can email the paper to you

I think that if anyone was willing to do that, they would have done it by now. Instead, how about you make a PDF out of your paper and attach it to your next post. You can attach PDF's up to 409.6 kB here.

 

[*melinda*]

"but i didnt make a separate thread abouut it coz moderators wouldn't like it"

There would be no point in starting another thread on the same topic.

"i have focused my paper on technical and logical aspects of it"

I didn't catch this the first time through. It sounds like you're well on your way to finishing that paper. Good luck!

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

I think that if anyone was willing to do that, they would have done it by now. Instead, how about you make a PDF out of your paper and attach it to your next post. You can attach PDF's up to 409.6 kB here.

one person did I am me ... I'm too afraid to post my paper on the forums ... coz it;s like open to EVERYONE! .. i don't know ... maybe i should upload it somewhere and pm the link to people?

 

[*melinda*]

Don’t be afraid to post something; people on this forum are here to help, not judge. Besides, that’s the beauty if the internet… It’s anonymous.

 

[quantumdude]

Yeah. I promise you we will not be able to deduce your address and phone number just by reading the paper!

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

Yeah. I promise you we will not be able to deduce your address and phone number just by reading the paper!

^melinda and you are off track :lol:

anyway, I'll try to post it some time

 

[Plastic Photon]

Sounds kinda stupid to be honest...

12 pages from a philisophical angle still seems like an insurmountable task. I mean all you can really ask are questions and I wouldn't think there's much out there to help answer or even think about those questions.

That is very true. The professor is more than likely going to read the thesis, first line of every paragraph, and then stamp a grade based upon whether it fits his/her philosophic view of time travel.

I'm not exactly sure what philophical is (slept through the class in hs), but my dad and I could easily write 12 pages on Back to the Future about whether the Doc was wearing a bullet proof vest the first time it is shown that he is shot by THE LYBIANS!

I guess philosophy had something to do with good and bad (because my teacher always said objectivism couldn't distinguish the two ), so, sweetvirgogirl, write a thesis on whether the Doc should have read the letter Marty gave him.

I have to admit it sounds more like your professor wants you to write a philosophical thesis on a movie.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

That is very true. The professor is more than likely going to read the thesis, first line of every paragraph, and then stamp a grade based upon whether it fits his/her philosophic view of time travel.
I'm not exactly sure what philophical is (slept through the class in hs), but my dad and I could easily write 12 pages on Back to the Future about whether the Doc was wearing a bullet proof vest the first time it is shown that he is shot by THE LYBIANS!
I guess philosophy had something to do with good and bad (because my teacher always said objectivism couldn't distinguish the two ), so, sweetvirgogirl, write a thesis on whether the Doc should have read the letter Marty gave him.
I have to admit it sounds more like your professor wants you to write a philosophical thesis on a movie.

i'm finishing my paper ...
and it's not about back to the future!
wanna read it?

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

I'm done writing my paper. Thanks for helping me out!

 

[Plastic Photon]

I'm done writing my paper. Thanks for helping me out!

I think most of the people here would like to read it, if you do not mind.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

I think most of the people here would like to read it, if you do not mind.

you would be quite surprized!

i asked so many people to read it before i was going to turn it in ... but only one or two people came forward to help.
Out of them, only one person genuinely helped me out.

I'm not complaining ... but I'm just telling you that they are not interested ... but yeah i wouldn't post my paper on forums ... maybe that's why?

anyway ...I already submitted it ... and it's not a masterpiece ... many loopholes ... but i enjoyed working on it! I learned a lot

 

[Mk]

...I already submitted it ... and it's not a masterpiece ... many loopholes ... but i enjoyed working on it! I learned a lot

That's the important thing.

 

[sweetvirgogirl]

That's the important thing.

yes :-D

now that i think of it, i think i want to write a book on it, where i wouldn't have time or space consraint

12 pages can be too short to go in detail you know


(I just need to work on my english though)

 

[plum]

Here's a good sitehttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/time/

 

[plum]

Here's the site you wanted.

http://www.mjyoung.net/time/index.htm