I used to think it would be cool to go back in time, because I thought I could rule the world. The more I think about it, I'm not sure this would be a given. Let's look at some of the difficulties and issues to overcome.
Germs and viruses I might carry to the past could cause epidemics, and the existance of past germs and viruses that my body is not immune to could kill me.
Food could be a problem. Anything that requires the functioning of your immune system might not be compatible with the past.
Language could be a big problem. Anyone here speak ancient Greek?
Clothing. Going back to Roman times in a fluorescent jump suit might get you killed, or revered as a god.
Lack of knowledge of current culture and customs. You might wave at some villager, and he throws a spear through your skull because you gave him the hand gesture for "go screw your mother" or something. Also, we know the Earth revolves around the Sun, and the Earth is round. But go to the proper time, and the statements of those facts could get you killed.
Our account of history, and what is fact in the past, could very well turn out to be wrong and deadly for us if we relied on it.
What other problems would we face?
Now, let's discuss how you could, if at all, rule the past world. I know of a lot of things in science and math. However, just because I know TV's and radios and microwave ovens are possible, I have no idea how to build them from scratch. What sorts of knowledge of our time could help us to dominate the past?
I always think of Da Vinci when I think of this issue. If he was a TT, it's how I would envision myself. Knowledge of the 100% possibility of things, but perhaps not a full understanding of their nature. That combined with limited resources and technology would render most of our knowledge useless.
What sorts of common, everyday knowledge would be scientific breakthroughs of a useful nature in the past?
Germs and viruses I might carry to the past could cause epidemics, and the existance of past germs and viruses that my body is not immune to could kill me.
Food could be a problem. Anything that requires the functioning of your immune system might not be compatible with the past.
Language could be a big problem. Anyone here speak ancient Greek?
Clothing. Going back to Roman times in a fluorescent jump suit might get you killed, or revered as a god.
Lack of knowledge of current culture and customs. You might wave at some villager, and he throws a spear through your skull because you gave him the hand gesture for "go screw your mother" or something. Also, we know the Earth revolves around the Sun, and the Earth is round. But go to the proper time, and the statements of those facts could get you killed.
Our account of history, and what is fact in the past, could very well turn out to be wrong and deadly for us if we relied on it.
What other problems would we face?
Now, let's discuss how you could, if at all, rule the past world. I know of a lot of things in science and math. However, just because I know TV's and radios and microwave ovens are possible, I have no idea how to build them from scratch. What sorts of knowledge of our time could help us to dominate the past?
I always think of Da Vinci when I think of this issue. If he was a TT, it's how I would envision myself. Knowledge of the 100% possibility of things, but perhaps not a full understanding of their nature. That combined with limited resources and technology would render most of our knowledge useless.
What sorts of common, everyday knowledge would be scientific breakthroughs of a useful nature in the past?
