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Closed Timelike Curves?
Feb. 10th, 2011 07:52 pmI am not a physicist, of course. But I'm wondering if the universe can include both strong free will and closed timelike curves.
I think the most common approach treats all directions as determined, so that "past" and "future" only qualitatively vary in our perceptions, and there is no strong free will.
But one could treat all directions as undetermined, which may be compatible with strong free will, but not with one true past. Or one could treat some directions as qualitatively different - so that one direction is determined, and uniquely "past," and another direction is undetermined, and uniquely "future."
If there are closed timelike curves, then the same event could be in one's past and one's future. If so, is it determined in both directions? undetermined in both? already determined in one direction but not the other? somewhat determined in both, but to varying degrees?
I think the most common approach treats all directions as determined, so that "past" and "future" only qualitatively vary in our perceptions, and there is no strong free will.
But one could treat all directions as undetermined, which may be compatible with strong free will, but not with one true past. Or one could treat some directions as qualitatively different - so that one direction is determined, and uniquely "past," and another direction is undetermined, and uniquely "future."
If there are closed timelike curves, then the same event could be in one's past and one's future. If so, is it determined in both directions? undetermined in both? already determined in one direction but not the other? somewhat determined in both, but to varying degrees?
