4,321 research outputs found

    The metaphysics of the Time-Machine

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    The concept of time-travel is a modern idea which combines the imaginary signification of rational domination, the imaginary signification of technological omnipotence, the imaginary concept of eternity and the imaginary desire for immortality. It is a synthesis of central conceptual schemata of techno-science, such as the linearity and homogeneity of time, the radical separation of subjectivity from the world, the radical separation of the individual from his/her social-historical environment. The emergence of this idea, its spread during the 20th century as a major theme of science fiction literature alongside its dissemination as a scientific hypothesis, its popularity with both the public and the scientific community, are indications of the religious role of techno-science. It is my opinion, finally, that, as a chimera, time-travel is non-feasible and impossible. In order to support my claims, I will briefly outline the origins of the time-travel concept and its epistemological and metaphysical/ontological conditions. If these conditions prove to be absurd, the logical impossibility of time-travel will have been demonstrated

    The Time Machine: A Simulation Approach for Stochastic Trees

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    In the following paper we consider a simulation technique for stochastic trees. One of the most important areas in computational genetics is the calculation and subsequent maximization of the likelihood function associated to such models. This typically consists of using importance sampling (IS) and sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) techniques. The approach proceeds by simulating the tree, backward in time from observed data, to a most recent common ancestor (MRCA). However, in many cases, the computational time and variance of estimators are often too high to make standard approaches useful. In this paper we propose to stop the simulation, subsequently yielding biased estimates of the likelihood surface. The bias is investigated from a theoretical point of view. Results from simulation studies are also given to investigate the balance between loss of accuracy, saving in computing time and variance reduction.Comment: 22 Pages, 5 Figure

    The Time Machine: A Brief Review

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    The father of science fiction novel, H. G. Wells (1866-1946) wrote ‘The Time Machine’ in 1895. The Novel highlights the disillusionment and disappointment of modern science. The tale claims of science to improve life seem hollow as inequality and oppression aggrandized with the progress of science. The horror of progress is shown by the morlocks- Eloi division in future. Dreams of socialism and communism turned into nightmares. Time traveller although travelled ahead but he sees regression and capitalist dominated world. Morlocks (working class) feed Eloi (capitalist class). They live subterranean and nocturnal where as Elio live upper ground superior and authoritarian

    A new time-machine model with compact vacuum core

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    We present a class of curved-spacetime vacuum solutions which develope closed timelike curves at some particular moment. We then use these vacuum solutions to construct a time-machine model. The causality violation occurs inside an empty torus, which constitutes the time-machine core. The matter field surrounding this empty torus satisfies the weak, dominant, and strong energy conditions. The model is regular, asymptotically-flat, and topologically-trivial. Stability remains the main open question.Comment: 7 page

    H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine: Beyond Science and Fiction

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