Ponder Place

At one time or another, we have all conjectured on the possibility of time travel. Its a subject that captures the imagination and proves to be an excellent subject to discuss.

Today I assist a reader in contemplating this rather diverse subject.

Marcus wrote:

This is assuming that time travel is possible; If I were to go back in time and kill one of my parents (or both) would I still exist, and if not then who killed my parents?

This has been plaguing me for quite some time… please shed some light on the subject for me.

Marcus,

No, you in your current form would not exist.

It would seem that you represent the “version” or the manifestation of yourself who would not go back in time and kill your parents. I know this, because you are indeed alive, and writing in to ponderplace.com.

But for the sake of scientific exploration. Lets presume that in the next 24 hours you will discover a time machine, and have the option of traveling back in time, and kill your parents.

We are ignoring the fact that this would indeed make for an excellent episode (or would it be a season?) of 24.

You need to figure out how much you want both parents to die. The moment one parent dies, you will cease to exist. Which of course leaves the remaining parent living … and technically a witness to a crime that never happened … because the murderer was never born.

I would suggest traveling to a time just previous to your parents wedding. Doing so would increase your chance of catching them together.

Here is an idea, why not get them when they are grown up? Wouldn’t it be so much more effective to travel back in time, just months after they were born? Unfortunately you would have to deal with the grisly concept of being a baby killer. But then again you are about to not-exist anyway.

Okay, now you’ve succeeded in killing your parents, and you effectively no longer exist. Therefore technically you did not kill your parents. So, who killed your parents?

Ninjas.

More appropriately, Ninja — I doubt it would require more than one ninja to kill your parents.

Because the universe exists based on a predefined set of principles and laws. Your killing your parents would effectively break one or all of those laws. The universe would tear asunder. Indeed, the entire universe would cease to exist.

Here is how that “issue” is circumvented.

The universe has within its power, ninjas. These ninjas are the balancing element of your actions in time travel.

The ninjas are given the authority to execute intervention, for the sake of the universe. Being ninjas, they have the ability to seemly halt time. I say “seemingly” because they cant actually do that, as technically speaking, time does not exist.

During the moments where your actions have become irreversible. That being just after pulling the trigger, and the bullet is headed toward your parent.

The Universe Ninja jumps to action, killing your parent before the result of your own actions are able to. And because the Ninja is acting on behalf of the universe, it is just another part of life, and the universal laws are not broken.

Effectively avoiding the whole universe-tearing part.

…don’t buy the Ninja theory?

Thats fine, lets just ignore that. Here is some food for thought.

What if you went back in time, early enough to intercept your mother before your father does. Then you romanced your mother, and impregnated her. Would you then become mentally handicap?

Alternately, you could traveling back in time to a point during your incubation in your mothers womb. Then, punch her in the stomach, causing a miscarriage. You’ll know that you’ve succeeded when you cease to exist.

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