"I should've slipped and stabbed him by accident."
POSTED BY: ANTHONYT
UPDATED: Saturday, December 22, 2012 19:05
VIEWED: 3235
PAGE 2 of 3
I guess that's why they called it a thought experiment, or Gedankenexperiment. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_experiment )
It's not meant to be a REAL situation.
"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil." - Socrates
" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "
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All these dumbass time travel thought experiments have one stupid premise in common: the presumption of absolute predestination that would have to be in place to justify the slaughter of a child named Adolf Hitler (which of course is totally undermined by the stated goal of changing history).
If I were in charge of a top secret government time travel program involving Adolph Hitler, I'd have my operatives go back in time and befriend Hitler's mother and father and become close family friends when their child Adolph was born. My operatives would nurture and aid the young Adolph as much as they could, even patronizing his artistic career. Wouldn't that be great? Why not turn Hilter into a great artistic celebrity long before he turned in frustration to politics? I mean, I could myself go back and teach him cubism and fauvism way ahead of the curve! Only then, the great dictator would come out of Spain, a failed artist whom everyone accused of copying Hitler's genius. His supporters would march down the street chanting, "Heil Picasso!"
HKCavalier
Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
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There was an award-winning episode from 1996 from the Outer Limits called 'A Stitch In Time.' It starred Amanda Plummer and Michelle (STNG) Forbes. It addressed this very issue of 'killing the killers before they killed', and is generally regarded as one of the best time-travel pieces ever made. You can watch it for free on IMDB and Hulu.
"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the Republic."
Benjamin Franklin
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There's also the other train of thought many have posited--that given the times and the state of Germany, if you killed Hitler, another like him would emerge.
Might not do much about the above, but I suppose if I were to fantasize going back, a la Hitler, I'd want to kill him just when he starts to gain power and before he started killing people off. That MIGHT make it possible for the whole house of cards to fall apart without anyone else rising to take his place.
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Hello,
Killing Hitler is a terrible idea. Someone truly competent may have taken his place and made better military and political decisions.
Like not attacking Russia, for instance.
Or like not allying with Japan and even declaring war on them in a show of solidarity with the United States, China, and Russia.
Then where would we be?
--Anthony
Note to Self:
Raptor - woman testifying about birth control is a slut (the term applies.)
Context: http://tinyurl.com/d6ozfej
Six - Wow, isn't Niki quite the CUNT? And, yes, I spell that in all caps....
http://tinyurl.com/bdjgbpe
Wulf - Niki is a stupid fucking bitch who should hurry up and die.
Context: http://tinyurl.com/afve3r9
“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” -T. S. Szasz
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Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
I guess that's why they called it a thought experiment, or Gedankenexperiment. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_experiment )
It's not meant to be a REAL situation.
Whew. Thank you. For a moment there I thought it was supposed to be real. Wait ... no.
-- -.-- / ... .. --. -. .- - ..- .-. .
Um, WHO did you say you were, again and what are you trying to sell?
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Ha ! I got a YoSaffBridge gif! Woo hoo! 
"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil." - Socrates
" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "
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Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Ha ! I got a YoSaffBridge gif! Woo hoo!
Will this mean you'll be missing from forum conversation for five minutes or so?
-- -.-- / ... .. --. -. .- - ..- .-. .
Um, WHO did you say you were, again and what are you trying to sell?
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Quote:
Originally posted by Arlo:Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Ha ! I got a YoSaffBridge gif! Woo hoo!
Will this mean you'll be missing from forum conversation for five minutes or so?
Oh, excuse me. Did you say something?
"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil." - Socrates
" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "
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Quote:
Originally posted by HKCavalier:
All these dumbass time travel thought experiments have one stupid premise in common: the presumption of absolute predestination that would have to be in place to justify the slaughter of a child named Adolf Hitler (which of course is totally undermined by the stated goal of changing history).
If I were in charge of a top secret government time travel program involving Adolph Hitler, I'd have my operatives go back in time and befriend Hitler's mother and father and become close family friends when their child Adolph was born. My operatives would nurture and aid the young Adolph as much as they could, even patronizing his artistic career. Wouldn't that be great? Why not turn Hilter into a great artistic celebrity long before he turned in frustration to politics? I mean, I could myself go back and teach him cubism and fauvism way ahead of the curve! Only then, the great dictator would come out of Spain, a failed artist whom everyone accused of copying Hitler's genius. His supporters would march down the street chanting, "Heil Picasso!"
HKCavalier
Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
Bingo. Going back and killing a child? Where's that get fun? It's a stupid thought experiment designed to entertain stupid people (it worked - Rappy jumped right into it!).
If you can't change history or his destiny, killing him won't do any good, because it will be someone else who fulfills the destiny. So now you've murdered an innocent child for no reason at all. Congrats: you're what's wrong with the world!
"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero
"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012
Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"
Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."
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