Causality & Hyperspace: FTL Communication Paradoxes

In summary, FTL communication or instantaneous communication is impossible due to the contradiction between the sending and receiving events and the impossibility of defining "instantaneous" in a way that avoids this contradiction. Even if we were able to find a way to send messages faster than light, we would still run into this problem, known as the "tachyonic antitelephone". This concept violates the known laws of physics and there is no evidence to support it. The technical terms for these types of events are "spacelike-separated" and "timelike-separated".
  • #1
Ich
Science Advisor
1,931
1
As far as I understand, FTL communication (or instantaneous communication) is impossible because one cannot define what "instantaneous" means, so you run into problems.
What if there were some kind of sub-/hyperspace with an absolutlely defined time and instantaneous messaging? Do the paradoxes still arise when communication is happening always instantaneous wrt this hypothetic preferred frame?
Does such a possibility violate some known laws of physics, or is it just that there is absolutely no evidence for it?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Ich said:
As far as I understand, FTL communication (or instantaneous communication) is impossible because one cannot define what "instantaneous" means, so you run into problems.
That's not quite right. The problem is that...
What if there were some kind of sub-/hyperspace with an absolutlely defined time and instantaneous messaging? Do the paradoxes still arise when communication is happening always instantaneous wrt this hypothetic preferred frame?
Does such a possibility violate some known laws of physics, or is it just that there is absolutely no evidence for it?
The problem lies with relationship between the events "message sent" and "message received". If the message arrives before a light signal could have made it from sender to receiver, then there will be some observer for whom the receive event happens before the sending event - and this observer will be able to prevent the message from being sent. For example, they could wait until the message is received and then destroy the transmitter before the message is sent (Google for "tachyonic antitelephone" to see how this might be done).

This contradiction is inherent in the relationship between the sending event and the receiving event, so we cannot make the contradiction go away just by choosing some more clever way of delivering the message - no matter how it is sent, if it arrives before a flash of light would, we are stuck.
The technical term for events related in this way is "spacelike-separated"; events that are always ordered with causes happening before effects are said to be "timelike-separated". Googling for those terms will bring up a flood of good writeups.
 

Related to Causality & Hyperspace: FTL Communication Paradoxes

1. What is causality and how does it relate to FTL communication?

Causality is the relationship between cause and effect, where an event or action (the cause) leads to another event or action (the effect). In the context of FTL communication, causality becomes a concern because it is believed that faster-than-light (FTL) travel or communication could potentially violate the principle of causality by allowing information to be sent back in time.

2. What are hyperspace and FTL travel?

Hyperspace is a hypothetical extra-dimensional space that exists outside our conventional three-dimensional space. It is often used in science fiction as a way to explain FTL travel, which would allow objects to travel faster than the speed of light by entering and exiting hyperspace. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support the existence of hyperspace or the possibility of FTL travel.

3. What is the FTL communication paradox?

The FTL communication paradox is a thought experiment that highlights the potential paradoxes that could arise from FTL communication. One example is the grandfather paradox, where a person could potentially send a message back in time to prevent their own birth, creating a paradox. This paradox and others like it raise questions about the consequences and implications of FTL communication.

4. Can FTL communication ever be possible?

Currently, there is no scientific evidence to support the possibility of FTL communication. The laws of physics, specifically Einstein's theory of relativity, suggest that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. Additionally, the energy and technology required for FTL communication would likely be beyond our current capabilities. However, some scientists continue to explore theoretical concepts such as wormholes and Alcubierre drive that could potentially allow for FTL travel.

5. What are the ethical considerations of FTL communication?

One of the main ethical considerations of FTL communication is the potential for violating causality and creating paradoxes. Additionally, there are concerns about the impact on society and the potential consequences of altering the past through FTL communication. There may also be issues of fairness and access, as FTL communication could potentially give certain individuals or groups an advantage over others. These ethical considerations highlight the importance of carefully considering the implications and consequences of any potential development of FTL communication technology.

Similar threads

  • Science Fiction and Fantasy Media
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
10
Views
5K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
44
Views
3K
Replies
6
Views
5K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
27
Views
4K
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
3
Replies
102
Views
11K
Back
Top