Darby
Epochal Historian
Which is a misstatement of the Uncertainty Principle. The Uncertainty Principle has nothing to do with prediction of anything. It deals with the inability to simultaneously state to an arbitary degree of certainty the current, not future, quantum state of two or more non-commutating physical properties of a subatomic particle, such as its momentum and position. Obviously, if you can't determine the exact current state then you can't predict the exact future state beased on your current knowledge. Given a large enough system, however, you can make reasonably accurate predictions about the overall evolution of the system as it moves into the future.this particular time traveler claims it isn't possible to predict the future due to the uncertainty principle.
For example, the Uncertainty Principle states that I am prevented from konwing, even in theory, the exact states of the individual molecules of a certain volume of water. But if that water happens to be flowing in the Colorado River I can pretty well state with a high degree of certainty that the water that neither evaporates, is absorbed into the soil nor is otherwise syphoned off will eventually end up in Lake Mead.
An B-747 aircraft has lost power because its 4 engine have disintegrated, the pilots are dead and it is in a dive losing altitude at 10,000 ft/min. You can't state with certainty the quantum state of its individual atoms and molecules. But you probably won't lay money on the proposition that the aircraft will not auger a large hole in the ground at some time in the very near future.