Could Altering the Past Be Possible with Time Travel?

[kb23455]

If time travel were possible, could someone alter or set up the way they want things to happen before they went back to their desired destination?

 

[PeterDonis]

If time travel were possible

This is not an "if" that can be considered in the absence of a specific theoretical model. For example, in relativity, there are spacetimes that have closed timelike curves, which is what "time travel" means in that context, and you could formulate a scenario in one of those spacetimes (such as Godel spacetime)--but a question about that would go in the relativity forum, not this one.

In quantum physics, I'm not aware of any specific theoretical models of time travel. But that's what you would need to find in order to formulate your question in a way that can be (possibly) answered. Just sayihng "if time travel were possible" is not enough because that doesn't give us any theoretical model to work with, and without a theoretical model, it's impossible to make predictions in physics.

For now, I am closing this thread since we don't have a valid basis for discussion. If you can find a specific reference with a model that you want to use, you can PM me and I'll consider it, and reopen the thread if it looks like a valid scenario can be formulated using that model.