Is a FTL Drive with a Preferred Frame Enough to Resolve Temporal Paradoxes?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of a Faster-Than-Light (FTL) drive that operates relative to the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) rest frame. The proposed drive's speed would fluctuate based on its movement along the CMB's peculiar velocity of 371 km/s towards the constellation Leo. Participants debated whether this model could effectively eliminate temporal paradoxes while maintaining the principles of Special Relativity (SR). The consensus suggests that while the FTL drive may appear to offer a solution, it does not fundamentally alter the nature of time travel as understood in current physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and its significance in cosmology
  • Familiarity with Special Relativity (SR) and Lorentz transformations
  • Knowledge of Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel concepts in theoretical physics
  • Basic grasp of inflation and dark energy in the context of modern physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of CMB as a preferred frame in theoretical physics
  • Explore the relationship between FTL travel and temporal paradoxes in science fiction
  • Study the principles of Lorentz transformations and their relevance to FTL theories
  • Investigate existing theories on time travel and their compatibility with current physical laws
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, science fiction writers, and anyone interested in the theoretical implications of FTL travel and its relationship with time travel and relativity.

Blasp
Lets assume a FTL drive that works only with respect to CMB rest frame (technobabble probably something about inflation/dark energy). So drive speed would vary depending on whether the ship is moving along CMB peculiar velocity (371 km/s towards constellation Leo), or against it. Would that be enough to get rid of temporal paradoxes? How would such a drive work in practice, for various directions of movement, round trips..?
 
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Blasp said:
Lets assume a FTL drive that works only with respect to CMB rest frame ...
Once you posit a situation that amounts to "if the laws of physics did not apply, what would the laws of physics say about <insert nonsense of your choice>" followup questions based on that are not going to be particularly meaningful.
 
Last edited:
Blasp said:
Lets assume a FTL drive that works only with respect to CMB rest frame (technobabble probably something about inflation/dark energy). So drive speed would vary depending on whether the ship is moving along CMB peculiar velocity (371 km/s towards constellation Leo), or against it. Would that be enough to get rid of temporal paradoxes? How would such a drive work in practice, for various directions of movement, round trips..?

In an alternate timeline, it were maybe possible to view CMB as a preferred frame, when we talk about speeds (like on Earth, surface is considered a preferred frame when we talk about speed).
But it change nothing, Lorentz transformations, observations led to SR remains the same.
Of course in usual SF and many debates around the net, FTL is only the illusion of time travel, it don't let really alter the past.
 
Blasp said:
Is it correct?
"Correct" is not really a term that should be applied to something that does not describe reality. I think you more likely mean "is it internally consistent?" I spent very little time looking at the site but he seems to have given it a lot of thought so it may well be internally consistent.
 

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