Science General Discussion

[Dr. Pezus]

I missed this thread!

[darkknightkryta]

Here's a new subject of discussion.

1. A rocket shoots off from Earth. It accelerates almost instantaneously to 99% of the speed of light, relative to Earth. This rocket then does a grand tour of the Milky Way galaxy. After going in a large circle, it slows down and lands back on the Earth. Earth clocks will have shown thousands of years have passed, while clocks in the rocket will only show a few minutes have passed. Correct?

2. If so, then the same is repeated except with space ship A and space ship B. Both are in orbit around our solar system, but far off beyond Pluto. Space ship A never turns on its engines, while space ship B shoots off on a grand tour of the galaxy, just like the rocket before. Relative to space ship A, space ship B is going 99% the speed of light. When space ship B returns, its clocks show only a few minutes have passed, while space ship A's clocks show thousands of years have passed. Correct?

3. If so, then the same is repeated expect out in deep deep space, far away from any galaxies. Space ship A and space ship B are out in the middle of nowhere with the same relative velocities. Then space ship B turns on its engines and shoots off for a similar journey as before, just in empty space. When space ship B returns, its clocks show only a few minutes have passed, while space ship A's clocks show thousands of years have passed. Correct?

4. If so, then the exact same thing is repeated with two new ships. However both of these ships have no windows and no way to see the outside world, except for the other space ship. When this happens, both ships perceive the other ship is the one flying off at 99% the speed of light. When the ships meet up again, they would both think the other ship had perceived a shorter amount of time. Correct?

See if you can try and spot the flaw in this line of thinking.

Yes, physics

[7H3]

While time is a man made measurement of an observable difference I highly doubt that time travel is possible in any shape or form.

[the-pi-guy]

Here's a new subject of discussion.

1. A rocket shoots off from Earth. It accelerates almost instantaneously to 99% of the speed of light, relative to Earth. This rocket then does a grand tour of the Milky Way galaxy. After going in a large circle, it slows down and lands back on the Earth. Earth clocks will have shown thousands of years have passed, while clocks in the rocket will only show a few minutes have passed. Correct?

2. If so, then the same is repeated except with space ship A and space ship B. Both are in orbit around our solar system, but far off beyond Pluto. Space ship A never turns on its engines, while space ship B shoots off on a grand tour of the galaxy, just like the rocket before. Relative to space ship A, space ship B is going 99% the speed of light. When space ship B returns, its clocks show only a few minutes have passed, while space ship A's clocks show thousands of years have passed. Correct?

3. If so, then the same is repeated expect out in deep deep space, far away from any galaxies. Space ship A and space ship B are out in the middle of nowhere with the same relative velocities. Then space ship B turns on its engines and shoots off for a similar journey as before, just in empty space. When space ship B returns, its clocks show only a few minutes have passed, while space ship A's clocks show thousands of years have passed. Correct?

4. If so, then the exact same thing is repeated with two new ships. However both of these ships have no windows and no way to see the outside world, except for the other space ship. When this happens, both ships perceive the other ship is the one flying off at 99% the speed of light. When the ships meet up again, they would both think the other ship had perceived a shorter amount of time. Correct?

See if you can try and spot the flaw in this line of thinking.

That's supposed to be what happens, though number 4 seems suspect to me. 

[the-pi-guy]

I highly doubt that time travel is possible in any shape or form.

You're traveling through time right now!! 
Just look at the clocks.  They're changing. 

[7H3]

You're traveling through time right now!! 
Just look at the clocks.  They're changing. 

lol fair enough

[7H3]

the flaw would be no windows = no seeing

[Legend]

the flaw would be no windows = no seeing

They are magic windows.

[7H3]

They are magic windows.

magic? this is a science thread!

[Legend]

The problem lies in with the jump to #4.

In 1 through 3 it is not the speed of the ship that causes time dilation, but the acceleration. While the ships are flying, they will both see the other as going slow. The first rocket as it flies away from Earth would see everything on Earth pause, just like people on Earth would see the rocket's clock pause. It isn't until the rocket slows down and starts coming back that universal time dilation occurs.

You know how the gravity from Earth makes time run slightly slower? That's because our frame of reference is experiencing a force. The force of the rocket's engines is no different than the force of gravity. By accelerating/turning around, the space ship's clock slows down just like on that one planet from Interstellar.

So in #4, the problem is that I removed acceleration from the question. It must occur, but you don't know which ship is experiencing it. So the two ships might have the same clocks afterwards, but that'd only happen if they both had their engines on.

[Legend]

What if consciousness is everywhere? No different than magnetism.

Then our brains simply align all the microscopic consciousnesses and magnify the result, again just like magnetism.

[darkknightkryta]

What if consciousness is everywhere? No different than magnetism.

Then our brains simply align all the microscopic consciousnesses and magnify the result, again just like magnetism.

I've had this theory: that our consciousness exists in a greater than 4 dimensional form.  Maybe our brains just tune into the 4 dimensions of it.

[the-pi-guy]

Nah, there's only one consciousness.   My own. 
All of you guys are figments of my imagination in my own mental matrix. 

[the-pi-guy]

I kinda have one question that I'm going to ask 3 different ways. 

Do you think personality just a description of an intelligence or is it, it's own part?

Another way of asking, is personality completely learned or is there something inherent that's separate from the majority of intelligence?

The last way of asking, is if you were to design the perfect AI, would there be a need to program a personality or would the personality be a byproduct of the rational system?

Does this question make sense?

[Legend]

I kinda have one question that I'm going to ask 3 different ways. 

Do you think personality just a description of an intelligence or is it, it's own part?

Another way of asking, is personality completely learned or is there something inherent that's separate from the majority of intelligence?

The last way of asking, is if you were to design the perfect AI, would there be a need to program a personality or would the personality be a byproduct of the rational system?

Does this question make sense?

Hmm.

I was writing something but I didn't like where it was going.

Short answer: I think both personality and sentience are a byproduct of experiencing things and having the power to alter experiences. You are born with neither, but the physical makeup of your brain can have large impacts on them.