fyfe edited (final draft2 - sent)

8/13/2019 Fyfe Edited (Final Draft2 - Sent)

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You Can't Change the Past

Fyfe, A.T. (2013) "You Can't Change the Past: The Philosohy of Ti!e Ta#el in $ta Te% an&

ost", The Philosohy of . . Aa!s. *ni#esity Pess of +entu%y, e-ington, +Y.

The stoies of .. Aa!s'Lost(200/2010) an& Star Trek(200) ta%e us a% in ti!e.

hat !a%es these ti!e ta#el naati#es stan& out is ho they ai&e y the logial ohiition

against hanging the ast an& &islay an un&estan&ing of the logial ole!s in#ol#e& in &oing

so. oe#e,Lost an& Star Trek &iffe in ho they han&le this ohiition. hile the haates

ofLostta#el into thei on ast ut ae unale to hange anything, the haates of Star Trek

ae ale to hange things ut &o not ta#el into thei on ast. 4n neithe ase &o the haates

ta#el a% into thei on ast an& !a%e hanges.

5ut hy an't the ast e hange&6 hy oul& logi ohiit hanging the ast, ut not

ti!e ta#el, aallel uni#eses, o altenate ti!elines6 Afte all, none of these i&eas see! !oe

lausile than any othe. Futhe!oe, ho oul& it e logially ossile to ta#el a% into one's

on ast if it asn't ossile to hange it6 These ae the 7uestions that fo! the asis of this

hate, an& they ae also the %in&s of 7uestions that one oul& enounte hile in#estigating the

hilosohy of ti!e. To ette un&estan& the uni7ue logial ole!s in#ol#e& ith hanging

one's on ast, 4 ill egin y e-laining the hilosohy ehin& the ohiition efoe !o#ing

on to &esie ho this shaes the naati#es of oth .. Aa!s'Lost an& Star Trek.

Physical and Logical Possibility

4t isn't ossile to ta#el though sae faste than the see& of light. To the est of ou

esent %nole&ge, hysial la ohiits &oing so. oe#e, thee is anothe sense in hih


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faste/than/light ta#el is ossile. Things oul& ha#e een &iffeent, o, !oe seifially,

hysial la oul& ha#e een &iffeent suh that ou uni#ese lae& no ue oun& on see&.

This is hy it is so!ething of a !ystey as to hy ou uni#ese has the atiula hysial las it

&oes athe than so!e othe set8 i.e., gi#en that ou hysial las oul& ha#e een &iffeent, hy

ae they the ay they ae6

hat this illustates is that thee ae &iffeent %in&s of ossiility an& i!ossiility. $ine

the hysial las in#estigate& y siene ohiit faste/than/light ta#el, it an e sai& to e

physically impossible to &o so8 i.e., i!ossile gi#en the hysial las that actuallygo#en ou

uni#ese. oe#e, thee &oes not aea to e anything in logi that ules out the ossiility that

the uni#ese oul& ha#e een go#ene& y a &iffeent set of hysial las. 9i#en this, faste/

than/light ta#el an still e sai& to e logically possible; i.e., ossile gi#en the las of logi.

4t also isn't ossile to &a a figue that is oth a s7uae an& a ile. oe#e, thee is

nothing in hysial la that e#ents !e fo! &oing so. 4nstea&, it is the las of logi that !a%e

this i!ossile. hih is to say, it is not logially ossile to &a a figue that is at one oth

fou/si&e& an& yet also only one/si&e&. Futhe!oe, unli%e the hysial la, the las of logi

oul& not ha#e een &iffeent than they atually ae.i4n fat, this !ight e the &istinti#e featue

of a la of logi that &istinguishes it fo! a hysial la. Conse7uently, thee is no ay things

oul& ha#e een &iffeent so that 4 oul& &a a ile/s7uae.ii

hee this is all ele#ant to ou e-a!ination of ti!e ta#el is onening hethe e ae

tying to anse the 7uestion, 4s ti!e ta#el hysially ossile6; o hethe e ae tying to

anse the 7uestion, 4s ti!e ta#el logially ossile6; 4f ti!e ta#el isn't logially ossile,

then it isn't hysially ossile eithe. oe#e, ti!e ta#el oul& e logially ossile an& yet

hysially i!ossile. hih is to say, ti!e ta#el !ight e alloe& y the las of logi, ut


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ohiite& y the hysial las that atually go#en ou uni#eseet one of the oositions that gi#e ise to the onta&ition, o e an sho ho (&esite

aeaanes) no onta&ition aises e#en if all the oositions ee tue.

The !ost fa!ous eason fo thin%ing ti!e ta#el !ight not e logially ossile o!es in

the fo! of a aa&o-. The so/alle& gan&fathe aa&o-; an e thought of as the olletion of

the folloing in&een&ently lausile oositions (assu!ing ti!e ta#el is ossile), hih

togethe gi#e ise to a onta&ition:


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(P1) 4t is ossile fo !e to go a% in ti!e.

(P2) 4f it is ossile fo !e to go a% in ti!e, then it isn't ossile that 4 ne#e a!e to

e-ist.

(P3) 4f it is ossile fo !e to go a% in ti!e, then it is ossile that 4 ne#e a!e to

e-ist.

The fist oosition enasulates hat e ae ta%ing fo gante&, that ti!e ta#el is ossile.

The seon& oosition oints out the aaently inonto#etile fat that fo !e to e aale

of going a% in ti!e, then 4 !ust ha#e a!e to e-ist at so!e oint in ti!e if 4 a! to &o so. An&

the thi& oosition enasulates the fat that if 4 oul& go a% in ti!e, then 4 oul& see! to e

aale of &oing things li%e %illing !y atenal gan&fathe efoe !y fathe as on (i.e.,

things that oul& ensue that 4 ne#e a!e to e-ist). 9i#en that all thee of these oositions

annot e tue togethe, e ae fae& ith a aa&o-. To esol#e the aa&o- e !ust eithe

e>et one of the oositions as false o e !ust (le#ely) fin& a ay in hih they oul& all e

tue ithout gi#ing ise to a onta&ition. $ine thee &oesn't see! to e any ay aoun& the

onta&ition these oositions gi#e ise to an& gi#en that e ae tying to in#estigate the

ossiility of ti!e ta#el, e shoul& see if e an e>et eithe oosition (P2) o (P3) fist an&

aan&on oosition (P1) only if it is ou last esot fo esol#ing the logial aa&o-. 4f thee is

no othe ay to esol#e the gan&fathe aa&o- than to e>et (P1), then e ill %no that it is

not logially ossile to go a% in ti!e.

Poosition (P2) see!s the ha&est to >ustify e>eting. o oul& 4 go a% in ti!e if 4

ne#e a!e to e-ist in the fist lae6 e !ight ty !a%ing sense of the i&ea y saying

so!ething li%e, 4 a!e to e-ist in the ast efoe 4 ent a% in ti!e an& hange& the ast,;, ut

this notion &oesn't stan& u to lose sutiny. ?otie ho suh a esonse elies on the notion of


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efoe.; oe#e, hat is it fo !e to ha#e o!e to e-ist efoe 4 go a% in ti!e an& hange

the ast othe than that 4 a!e to e-ist in the ast6 4f 4 ee to hange the ast so that 4 ill no

longe o!e to e-ist at any oint in the ast lea&ing u to hen 4 ta#el a% in ti!e, then thee

ill e no ti!e in hih 4 a!e to e-ist efoe 4 ta#ele& a% in ti!e. 4t &oes !a%e sense to say

that 4 oul& ta#el a% into o eate an altenate ti!eline hee 4 %ill !y on gan&fathe an&

theey ne#e o!e to e-ist, ut then !y oiginal ast oul& still e-ist as it as an& in that sense

4 ill not ha#e atually hange& !y on ast.i#

ol&ing onto oosition (P1) until ou only otion is to aan&on it, e !ight ty

e>eting oosition (P3) to esol#e the gan&fathe aa&o-. That is, e !ight e>et the i&ea

that if 4 oul& go a% in ti!e, 4 oul& then e ale to hange the ast in ays that oul& ensue

4 ne#e a!e to e-ist. oe#e, if it is ossile fo !e to go a% in ti!e, then hat oul& e

e#enting !e fo! &oing things li%e %illing !y atenal gan&fathe efoe !y fathe as on6

e !ight ty to say that logi oul& e#ent !e, ut this uns ontay to the ay the las of

logi o%. Fo e-a!le, suose that 4 uil& a ti!e !ahine an& ith that ti!e !ahine 4 ee

to go a% in ti!e ith an asenal of eaons an& the goal of %illing !y gan&fathe. ill the

las of logi !a%e !y eaons !isfie6 @a%e !e sli on a anana eel6 @a%e !y ullets

oune off of !y gan&fathe as if he ee $ue!an6 The ole! is that the las of logi &o

not o% li%e hysial las. ogi &oesn't e#ent !e fo! &aing a figue that is oth a s7uae

an& a ile y eeate&ly ea%ing !y enil o ausing the ae 4 a! tying to &a the figue

on to ust into fla!es. athe, hat the las of logi sho is that thee is >ust no suh figue fo

!e to &a. ogi is not so!e foe in the uni#ese gui&ing anana eels eneath ti!e ta#ele's

feet in o&e to a#oi& onta&itions, an& so if logi suose&ly e#ents !e fo! %illing !y

gan&fathe then thee oul& nee& to e so!e less ati#e; ay fo it to &o so.


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The esult is that hile logi &oesn't aea to gi#e us goun&s fo e>eting eithe

oosition (P2) o oosition (P3), logi &oes &e!an& that e e>et one of the thee

oositions that gi#e ise to the onta&ition an& so e aea to e foe& into e>eting

oosition (P1). That is, foe& to say that it is not logially ossile fo !e to go a% in ti!e.

B at least this is ho things aeae& until so!e eent o% in hilosohy hee ne life as

eathe& into the i&ea that instea& of e>eting oosition (P1), the oet esolution of the

gan&fathe aa&o- is the e>etion of oosition (P3).

Resolving the Paradox without Rejecting Time Travel

The ole! ith e>eting oosition (P3), i.e., alloing ti!e ta#el ut &isalloing

ti!e ta#eles fo! &oing the sots of things that oul& geneate a onta&ition, is that logi isn't

in the usiness of ausing guns to >a!, anana eels to aea, o !a%ing ullets oune off

flesh. hat is nee&e& in o&e to e>et oosition (P3) is so!e ay in hih the las of logi

entail that one of these oini&enes ill ou ithout ha#ing to say the las of logi ae ating

li%e a hysial foe ushing o>ets aoun& in sae to ati#ely ause these oini&enes.

Philosohes egan to ealie ho logi !ight entail these oini&enes ith the

uliation of Da#i& eis' ae The Paa&o-es of Ti!e Ta#el; in 1E. $ine then, eis'

i&eas in that ae ha#e een futhe &e#eloe& an& &efen&e& y hilosohes li%e ?iholas ..

$!ith an& Theo&oe $i&e an& a onsensus has een ai&ly fo!ing a!ong hilosohes that

the oet esolution of the gan&fathe aa&o- in#ol#es e>eting oosition (P3) athe than

oosition (P1).#4n the folloing assage, $i&e offes a helful ay of un&estan&ing the line

of thin%ing that hange& hilosohes' !in&s aout ti!e ta#el y &aing ou attention to a

!oe !un&ane e-a!le of ho logi !ight entail a oini&ene:


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$uose 4 tie& to tho a hea#y stone at a fagile in&o. $ine 4 ha#e goo& ai! an& a

stong a!, the in&o oul& ea%. 4 might, 4 suose, sli on a anana eel, o hit a

i& assing y ith the o%, o ha#e !y tho &eflete& y a geat gust of in&, o

ha#e a su&&en failue of ai! &esite !any yeas of taining in stone/thoing. 5ut at the

#ey least, it suely is not the ase that one of these stange oini&enes would haen.

The Goosition:H

4f 4 ee to ty to tho the stone at the in&o, 4 oul& sli on a anana eel o

hit a assing i& o I is false.#i

4t mightou that so!e oini&ene ill e#ent !e fo! ea%ing the in&o, ut it oul& e

false that to say that suh oini&enes wouldou. This is also the ole! e fae& in tying

to e>et oosition (P3) to esol#e the gan&fathe aa&o-. 4t mightou that so!e

oini&ene oul& e#ent a ti!e ta#ele fo! %illing thei atenal gan&fathe efoe thei

fathe is on, ut thee &oes not see! to e any eason e an say suh oini&enes would

ou


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9i#en the a%goun& fats, the only ay fo !e to fail to hit the in&o oul& e fo

so!e stange oini&ene to ou.#ii

4t is only eause e alea&y %no that the in&o ill not ea%, that e an %no that a

oini&ene not only mighte#ent !e fo! ea%ing it ut that a oini&ene woulde#ent !e

fo! ea%ing it. Futhe!oe, if e alea&y %no that the in&o &oesn't ea%, then e nee&

not thin% of logi as ati#ely ausing a oini&ene to e#ent !e fo! ea%ing it. 9i#en the

unli%ely set/u an& esult ontaine& in the antee&ent, logi entails that an unli%ely oini&ene

ill ou ut ithout ha#ing to ause that oini&ene. An&, in fat, the sa!e thing an e sai&

aout ti!e ta#eles atte!ting to %ill thei atenal gan&fathes efoe thei fathe is on.

$uose 4 ta#el a% to a ti!e efoe !y fathe as on an& atte!t to %ill !y

gan&fathe. $uosing that 4 ha#e goo& ai!, a eliale eaon, et., so!e unli%ely oini&ene

oul& ha#e to ou fo !e to fail at !y tas%. Yet e alea&y %no that 4 &o fail. $ine 4 e-ist,

e alea&y %no that !y gan&fathe &oes li#e long enough to onei#e !y fathe an&,

onse7uently, e also alea&y %no that 4 fail in !y atte!t to !u&e hi!. hih is to say, e

%no that the folloing oosition is tue: 4f a ti!e ta#ele ee to ty to %ill his atenal

gan&fathe efoe his fathe as onei#e&, he oul& sli on a anana eel o ha#e a su&&en

hange of heat o ...; $uh oini&enes !ight see! so unli%ely that e annot say fo etain

that they wouldhaen ithout ha#ing to also say that logi oul& ati#ely ause the! to ou,

ut in fat e an %no that they oul& ou ithout seeing logi as laying suh an ati#e ole

sine e also alea&y %no that an unli%ely esult ous (that !y gan&fathe su#i#es) gi#en

the set/u (!y aaility an& !oti#ation to %ill hi!). 4t is only if e ignoe the fat that e %no

that !y atenal gan&fathe su#i#es at least long enough fo !y fathe to e onei#e&, that it

oul& e !ysteious ho e oul& %no a oini&ene oul& ou to e#ent !e fo! %illing


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hi!. oe#e, gi#en that e &o %no that !y atenal gan&fathe su#i#es at least until !y

fathe is onei#e&, ou %nole&ge that a oini&ene oul& ou to e#ent !e fo! %illing

hi! efoe that ti!e is an une!a%ale logial entail!ent.

Bf ouse, this line of easoning ules out !oe than ti!e ta#eles si!ly %illing thei

on gan&fathes, it also ules out thei hanging the ast in any ay. $uose that instea& of

setting out to %ill !y gan&fathe, 4 ee to ta#el a% in ti!e ith the ai! of assassinating

A&olf itle in 130. 9i#en that e alea&y %no that itle li#e& until 1J, e also alea&y

%no that 4 ill fail at assassinating hi! in 1308 4 ha#e already faile& to %ill hi!. 4f 4 ha& aess

to a ti!e !ahine an& a! !yself a s%ille& assassin it !ay e7uie so!e unli%ely oini&ene to

e#ent !e fo! %illing itle in 130. 9i#en that e alea&y %no that itle li#e& until 1J,

e also alea&y %no that so!e oini&ene e#ente& !e fo! assassinating hi! in 130. 4f 4

ha& een suessful in assassinating itle in 130 ou ast oul&n't hange, it oul& ha#e

alays een &iffeent. Thee is only one ast an& it annot e hange&. =ithe itle &ie& at the

han&s of a ti!e ta#ele in 130 o he li#e& until 1J. 4f a ti!e ta#ele ante& to go a% an&

%ill itle in 130, then his only hoe is the fat that eo&e& histoy !ight e ong aout the

&ate of itle's &eath. 4f eo&e& histoy is oet, then the ti!e ta#ele alea&y %nos that

so!e oini&ene e#ente& hi! fo! eing suessful one he ai#e& in his ast.

The esult is that hile it is logially ossile to ta#el a% in ti!e an& affet the ast, it

isn't ossile to hange it. 4f 4 ee to ta#el a% in ti!e an& ontiute to the e#ents of the ast,

then it ill ha#e alays een the ase that 4 ha& affete& the ast in the ay 4 &o. This is not to

say 4 annot ta#el to so!e aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline that e-atly ese!les a oint

in !y on ast an& ause the ast of that uni#ese o ti!eline to unfol& &iffeently than !y on.

oe#e, then 4 oul& not e hanging !y on ast ut !eely ontiuting to the ast of


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hile it is ossile to ta#el a% into one's on ast that it still isn't ossile to hange itust e ne#e e-eiene& ho

it all tuns out.

#urley"That's eally onfusing.

&iles"Yeah, ell, get use to it. 5ut the goo& nes is that inus &i&n't &ie, so that !eans

the %i& an't eithe. e'll e fine.


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(ate )usten"Di&n't loo% li%e he's gonna e fine. hat if you'e ong6

&iles"ell, if 4'! ong then 4 guess e all sto e-isting an&


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the Bthes.

&iles"5eause this is his ast.

#urley"5ut hen e ha& atue& 5en an& $ayi&, li%e, totue& hi! then hy oul&n't

he e!e!e getting shot y that sa!e guy hen he as a %i&6

&iles"uh. 4 ha&n't thought of that.

hile fo !ost of the fifth season the au&iene is gi#en e-lanations fo hy the ast annot

hange li%e the to ao#e fo! Faa&ay an& @iles, the fifth season is also littee& ith hints that

this !ight e !ista%en. Fo e-a!le, at the en& of the ao#e &ialogue eteen @iles an& uley,

uley oints out that if the ast annot hange then ol&e 5en shoul& ha#e e!e!ee& ti!e

ta#eling $ayi& shooting hi! as a hil&. This suggests that @iles !ight e ong aout the

inaility to hange the ast. =#en Faa&ay late o!es to 7uestion hethe he is ight aout the

ohiition on hanging the ast. 4n the fouteenth eiso&e of the fifth season (The Laiale;),

Faa&ay ostulates a (logially asu&) e-etion to the ohiition:

aniel !araday"5ut


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an& affete& it, then the ast haene& the ay it &oes atly eause of that ti!e ta#ele's on

fee hoies. The ast alea&y inlu&es hate#e fee hoies the ti!e ta#ele !a%es, ut they

ae still his fee hoies.

hile this agu!ent of Faa&ay's is a hilosohially inteesting it to inlu&e in the

sho itself, hat is ehas !oe i!essi#e is hat Faa&ay's seon&/guessing of the logial

ohiition on hanging the ast ontiutes to the stoy. hile the au&iene has een tol& ti!e

an& again y haates li%e Faa&ay that the ast annot hange, thee ae also hints li%es these

that the haates !ight e ong aout this. hat this sets u is the season finale of the fifth

season (The 4ni&ent;) hee the haates atte!t to &etonate a nulea o! in hoes of

hanging thei ast. The eiso&e en&s ith the liffhange 7uestion: Di& the o! go off6 Can

you


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the oiginal uni#eseNti!eline &etonating a nulea o! in thei shae& ast. The haates of

the oiginal uni#eseNti!eline e!ain stu% ith the hellish ast they'#e een tying to hange,

ut in atte!ting to hange it they ha#e un%noingly eate& a ette aallel uni#ese o

altenate ti!eline fo thei ounteats to li#e in.

As season si- ogesses, one of the haates inLost, Des!on& u!e, o!es to elie#e

that this ette aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline e-ists an& that it is ossile fo the

inhaitants of the oiginal uni#eseNti!eline to esae o#e to it. The au&iene is le& to elie#e

Des!on& is oet aout the i&ea of ta#eling to the aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline &ue to

the flasha%s the haates in the ette aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline egin to ha#e of

the oiginal uni#eseNti!eline. This lot ul!inates in the seies finale (The =n&;), lea&ing u to

hih a% an& Des!on& ague o#e hethe the ette aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline

e-ists an& hethe they !ight e ale to esae to it:

esmond #ume"This &oesn't !atte you %no.

*ac+ he,hard"=-use !e.

esmond"i! &estoying the islan&, you &estoying hi!. 4t &oesn't !atte. You'e going

to loe !e into that light an& 4'! going to go so!ehee else. A lae hee e oul&

e ith the ones that e lo#e. An& e'll ne#e ha#e to thin% of this &a!n islan& again.

An& you %no the est at a%6

*ac+"hat6

esmond"You'e in this lae. You %no e sat ne-t to eah othe on Beani O1J. 4t

ne#e ashe&. e so%e to eah othe. You see!e& hay. You %no !aye 4 an fin& a

ay to ing you thee too.

*ac+"Des!on&, 4 tie& that one. Thee ae no shot uts, no &o/o#es. hat haene&,


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haene&. Tust !e, 4 %no. All of this !attes.

hile at this oint, the au&iene has een le& to elie#e Des!on& is ight, a% is o#en oet

in the en&. hat the othe see!ingly ette aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline tuns out to e

is the aftelife.Loste#eals in its final eiso&e that it has alays een an instane of ti!e ta#el

stoy fo!at (F2). =#en hile you an ta#el a% into you on ast, you on't e ale to

hange. Although, a% &oes fin& a ositi#e inteetation to gi#e this logial ohiition in the

en&. 4n his e-hange ith Des!on&, a% agues that if the ast oul& e hange& then hat e

&o in the esent oul&n't !atte. *nless you ast e!ains the sa!e, then you ations ill en&

u eing ease& y late hanges in the ti!eline an& in this sense it on't !atte hat you &o.

a% has gi#en u on tying to hange his unfotunate ast, ut he has no o!e to thin% that in

ha#ing an unhangeale ast his ations ha#e #alue in a ay they oul&n't if the ast oul&

hange. The 7uestion a% no lea#es the au&iene to estle ith is not the logial ossiility

of hanging the ast, ut ho a hangeale ast oul& affet the #alue of ou ations.

Time Travel inStar Trek

4n an i!otant ay, the 7uestion of #alue a% estles ith in the finale ofLostis also

one that lays a ole in the ay ti!e ta#el is teate& in Star Trek. 4f Aa!s' fil! of the young

e of the =nteise ha& folloe& the lea& ofLostan& teate& the ast as unhangeale, then

the ites of the ne seies of fil!s oul& e o!!itte& to ensuing that thei fil! is onsistent

ith the !any Star Trek shos an& fil!s that ae set late in the fanhise. This oul& !ean, fo

instane, that the au&iene oul& %no fo! the stat that none of the ental e ill &ie sine

they alea&y %no that they su#i#e to e onsistent ith the shos an& fil!s in the fanhise

hee thei ol&e sel#es aea. oe#e, if Aa!s' Star Trektoo% fo!at (F1) an& alloe& the


17/22

ast to e hange&, then it oul& ie out the futue of e#ey othe sho an& fil! in the

fanhise. Desite eing fitional, fo the e#ents otaye& in those shos an& fil!s to e

fitionally eli!inate& fo! the ti!eline oul& o the! of thei #alue. athing the ne fil!s

inauguate& ith Aa!s' Star Trek, e oul& e engage& in a stoy that esults in e#ey othe

Star Treksho an& fil! no longe !atteing eause they ill no longe ha#e oue&.

The esult is that Aa!s' Star Treka&ots fo!at (F3). $eifially, it is set in a aallel

uni#ese at a oint si!ila to the ast of the Star Trekuni#ese e ae alea&y fa!ilia ith fo!

othe shos an& fil!s. 4n o&e to onnet the stoy of this uni#ese ith the stoies of the othe

Star Trek shos an& fil!s an& in o&e to allo it to still #ay fo! the uni#ese of those shos

an& fil!s, Aa!s has se#eal haates fo! that uni#ese ti!e ta#el; to his aallel uni#ese

an& affet it in suh a ay that it ill no unfol& &iffeently than the ast of thei the oiginal

uni#ese.-

As e an see, ti!e ta#el lays a &iffeent ole in the stoy of Star TrekthanLost. 4n

Lost7uestions o#e hethe o not you an hange the ast, feeill, an& fate ae ental to the

stoy. 4n Star Trek, ti!e ta#el se#es as a atial stoytelling tool alloing Aa!s to tell an

oigin stoy of the e of the =nteise that oth allos the futue to unfol& &iffeently than the

est of the Star Trek fanhise ut ithout un&e!ining the #alue of those shos an& fil!s y

telling a stoy hee they ae !a&e to no longe e-ist.-i

$till, thee is a stoytelling ole! that ti!e ta#el naati#es folloing fo!at (F3) is%

falling into. $eifially, hen haates &on't ta#el a% into thei on ast an& hange things

thee, the 7uestion aises hy they oul& ae to hange ho the ast unfol&s in a aallel

uni#ese o altenate ti!eline6 Star Treka#oi&s this ole! y ha#ing its haate ?eo ta#el

to the aallel uni#ese in usuit of the $o% of the oiginal uni#ese. ?eo isn't >ust out to %ill


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$o% in as !any aallel uni#eses he an. athe, the stoy's antagonist is !oti#ate& y see%ing

e#enge on the oiginal $o% that he elie#es to ha#e onge& hi!. That !ight still lea#e oen

the 7uestion hy ?eo ta%es his e#enge on $o% y &estoying the ounteat to Lulan in

this aallel uni#ese, ut e !ight allo fo the uoses of the stoy that the oiginal $o% is

hi!self onene& ith the elfae of his ounteats e#en in othe uni#eses. 4t isn't oiginal

$o%'s atual ho!e ol& eing &estoye&, ut it is the one inhaite& y his seies an& fa!ily

in this uni#ese. Futhe!oe, !a&!en ent on the &estution of hole lanets shoul& not eally

e e-ete& to e onsistent in the !oti#ation an& thin%ing ehin& thei ats.

Conclusion

4n the en& it is not a !a% against a o% of fition if it &oes not ai&e y the onstaints

of logi. 5oth the Terminatoran&Back to the Futureseies of fil!s &o so ith geat suess.

oe#e, a ti!e ta#el naati#e that &oes follo one of the logially onsistent fo!ats is ae

an& theefoe offes a ite the ootunity of a !oe oiginal stoy. hile Star Trekfollos the

!oe ell/%non logially onsistent fo!at fo ti!e ta#el naati#es, the fil! is noteothy in

that it onsiously a&ots the only fo!at that oth a#oi&s &e#aluing the est of the Star Trek

fanhise an& fees the stoy it tells fo! eing onstaine& y the futue otaye& y est of the

Star Trekfanhise.Lost stan&s out not only eause it a&ots the !ost uno!!on ti!e ta#el

naati#e fo!at, ut also eause it fin&s a ay to !a%e the hilosohial 7uestions suoun&ing

ti!e ta#el an& hanging the ast ental o!onents of the stoy it tells.-ii


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i This is not the sa!e thing as saying that e oul&nMt e ong aout the las of logi. 4n this sense, it is ossile

that 4 oul& &a a ile/s7uae. This oul&n't !ean that it is ossile fo the las of logi to e &iffeent fo! hat they

in fat ae, ut athe that it is ossile fo the las of logi to e &iffeent than hat 4 elie#e the! to e. Philosohes

!a% this &istintion y saying that hile it is epistemically possiblefo the las of logi to e &iffeent (i.e., they !ight

&iffe fo! hat 4 elie#e the! to e), it is not metaphysically possiblefo the las of logi to e &iffeent (i.e., &iffe fo!

hat they in fat ae).

ii ?o, etainly the o&s ile; an& s7uae; oul& ha#e ha& &iffeent !eanings than they &o. e !ight e ale

to efe to those oeties ith &iffeent o&s o efe to &iffeent oeties ith those sa!e o&s so that 4 oul& e

aale of &aing a figue that e oul& all oth a s7uae an& a ile, ut hat oul& e!ain logially i!ossile is fo

one figue to at the sa!e ti!e ha#e oth of the oeties that using uent =nglish e efe to ith the o&s ile; an&

s7uae;. hih is >ust to say, the lai! that &aing a ile/s7uae is logially i!ossile is not !eely a linguisti lai!

aout the o&s ile; an& s7uae; ut athe a lai! aout the oeties e efe to ith those o&s.

iii Philosohes also &eal ith anothe %in& of ossiility alle& metaphysical possibility hih is &iffeent than the

sot of !etahysial ossiility that 4 ontaste& ealie ith eiste!i ossiility. This seon& sot of !etahysial

ossiility onens hat oul& e ossile gi#en the oet !etahysial theoy. Fo e-a!le, gi#en a !etahysial

theoy of ti!e alle&presentism, the ast no longe e-ists an& if this !etahysial theoy ee oet then it oul& e

ha& to see ho it oul& e !etahysially ossile to ta#el a% into the ast. oe#e, esentis! is a !inoity #ie

a!ong hilosohes eause of oies aout ho any oositions onening the ast oul& e tue on this #ie. 4f the

ast no longe e-ists, then it &oes not aea that state!ents li%e, 4 e-iste& fi#e !inutes ago;, oul& e tue gi#en that

asolutely nothing e-iste& fi#e !inutes ago. Cetainly e#eyone oul& agee that the ast &oes not esently e-ist, ut

esentis! is the athe e-te!e !etahysial osition that the ast &oes not e#en e-ist in the ast.

4t !ight also e oth ointing out that thee ae also !any !oe !un&ane fo!s of ossiility

that hilosohes as a ofession ae not onene& ith. Fo e-a!le, hat it is an& isn'tfinancially

possible fo !e. 9i#en !y uent ino!e, it !ight e finanially i!ossile fo !e to affo& !y on

i#ate >et ut still finanially ossile fo !e to affo& a ti on a o!!eial ailine. oe#e, hat 4

ill e onene& ith in this o% is logial ossiility.


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i# The i&ea is essentially that ti!e !ight ha#e to o !oe &i!ensions (athe than the one e no!ally suose it to)

an& that hile 4 oul& not e ale to ta#el a% to the e-at ti!e on the to/&i!ensional te!oal lane an& %ill !y on

gan&fathe then, 4 oul& still e ale to ta#el a% to an a&>aent ti!e an& %ill !y gan&fathe. 4n the folloing assage,

hilosohe Da#i& eis e-lains hy this oul& still not onstitute ta#eling a% into one's on ast an& %illing one's

on gan&fathe: Bn lose insetion, hoe#e, this aount see!s not to gi#e us ti!e ta#el as e %no it fo! the

stoies. hen the ta#ele e#isits the &ays of his hil&hoo&, ill his lay!ates e thee to !eet hi!6 ?o8 he has not eahe&

the at of the lane of ti!e hee they ae. e is no longe seaate& fo! the! along one of the to &i!ensions of ti!e,

ut he is still seaate& fo! the! along the othe.; hih is to say, the lay!ates the ti!e ta#ele #isits ill not e the

ones fo! his on ast, ut athe thei ounteats in a ast e-isting a&>aent to his on. A si!ila ole! fustates the

atte!t to %ill one's on gan&fathe athe than his ounteat in a ti!eline unning aallel to one's on. Da#i& eis,

The Paa&o-es of Ti!e Ta#el,; inAmerican Philosophical uarterly 13 (1E): 1J/J2.

# eis, The Paa&o-es of Ti!e Ta#el,; 1J/J28 ?iholas $!ith, 5ananas =nough fo Ti!e Ta#el6; in British

!ournal of Philosophy of ScienceO (1E): 33/O8 ?iholas $!ith, The Pole!s of 5a%a& Ti!e Ta#el,; in

"ndea#our22, no. (1O): 1J/O8 Theo&oe $i&e, Ti!e Ta#el, Coini&enes an& Countefatuals,; inPhilosophical

Studies 110 (2002): 11J/3O.

#i $i&e, Ti!e Ta#el, Coini&enes an& Countefatuals,; 122.

#ii $i&e, Ti!e Ta#el, Coini&enes an& Countefatuals,; 122.

#iii Pehas a ette ay of !a%ing this oint is that stating that hile it is logially ossile to go a% an& hange the

ast, logi entails that as a !atte of fat no one ill. hih is to say, thee is a logially ossile ay the ol& oul& ha#e

een hee a ti!e ta#ele oul& suessfully %ill itle in 130, ut sine ou ast &oes not ontain a ti!e ta#ele

assassinating itle in 130 e %no that the atual ol& on't e#e inlu&e any ti!e ta#eles ho go a% in ti!e an&

suessfully %ill itle in 130. 4n this sense it an e sai& that it's logially ossile fo !e to go a% in ti!e an& %ill

itle in 130, only e alea&y %no that any atte!t on !y at haens to fail.


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i- Although, as Theo&oe $i&e oints out in his o/authoe& into&ution to !etahysis te-too%, the fist Terminator

fil! &oes a&hee to the naati#e onstaints of fo!at (F2): Thee ae nu!eous lose alls in Terminator. Again an&

again, $aah Conno naoly esaes &eath. 4t oul& aea that on any of these oasions, she oul& easily ha#e &ie&. Yet

e %no that she !ust su#i#e, eause he son is ohn Conno. GIH hat is stange aout a ti!e ta#el stoy is that e ae

tol& the en& of the stoy fist. e, the au&iene, lean ealy on that ohn Conno e-ists in the futue. ate e fin& his

!othe en&angee& efoe he is e#e on. e, the au&iene, %no she ill su#i#e (if e tust the seen/ites to e

onsistentK);. =al Conee an& Theo&oe $i&e,$iddles of "%istence& A 'uided Tour of (etaphysics(?e Yo%: B-fo&

*ni#esity Pess, 200J): 0.

- 4n Aa!s' Star Trek fil! ti!e is not ta%en to e !ulti&i!ensional ith !any ti!elines unning aallel to ou

on, ut athe the fil! assu!es the !any/ol&s inteetation of 7uantu! !ehanis hee aallel uni#eses anh off

fo! ou on &uing etain 7uantu! e#ents. 4n the fil! itself this is hinte& at hen young $o% is as%e& the 7uestion,

hat is the ental assu!tion of uantu! Cos!ology6;, an& he anses, =#eything that an haen &oes haen in

e7ual an& aallel uni#eses.; Bne of the !ost eulia onse7uenes of 7uantu! !ehanis is that it aeas to say that

things an ente a state of si!ultaneously ossessing to onfliting oeties. This onse7uene of 7uantu! !ehanis

has entee& oula ultue though the e-a!le of $ho&inge's at eing si!ultaneously oth ali#e an& &ea&. The

inteetation of 7uantu! !ehanis that says thee e-ist !any othe aallel uni#eses to ou on is an atte!t to &o aay

ith this stange esult y instea& ostulating that the at is ali#e in one uni#ese hile &ea& in anothe.

-i Bne !ight e onene&, hoe#e, that y folloing fo!at (F3) fo the Star Trekfil!, that thee is a onflit ith

the !any othe fanhise shos an& fil!s that follo fo!at (F1). oe#e, hile fo!at (F1) an& fo!at (F2) oul&

lealy not o/e-ist, thee is nothing e#enting a stoy fo! in#ol#ing oth fo!at (F3) an& eithe fo!at (F1) o (F2).

hih is to say, that hile the fist to fo!ats &eal ith ta#eling a% into one's on ast, the thi& onens ta#eling to

a ast/li%e aallel uni#ese o altenate ti!eline an& thee is no eason to suose that you oul&n't so!eti!es ha#e a stoy

that ta#els a% into the haate's on ast an& follos fo!at (F1) hile so!eti!es ha#e a stoy that ta#els to a aallel

uni#ese o altenate ti!eline an& follos fo!at (F3).


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-ii Fo !oe on hy the ol&s &esie& y !a%e/elie#e stoies ae aale of ontaining logial onta&itions

e#en hile atual an& ossile ol&s annot, see +en&all alton,(imesis as (ake)Belie#e(Ca!i&ge, @A: a#a&

*ni#esity Pess, 10).

fyfe edited (final draft2 - sent)

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