Given the ability to project yourself into the past but not return, would you do so? Where would you go and what would you try to accomplish if you knew you might change the course of history?

I don’t think I’d want to do it. I mean, lets put aside the fact that every little thing you do could change history. I’m just thinking that things would be very difficult for someone from the 21st century who popped up anywhere in the past. The food we eat, the water we drink… our bodies are accustomed to a certain kind of thing. I don’t fancy going back in time and sitting down to a meal and getting food poisoning just because my body isn’t used to the way food was prepared hundreds of years ago.

Actually, I wouldn’t be worried about changing history if I went to the past. I believe that, if time travel were possible, it would be impossible to change things. Time is set. Things that have happened have already happened. If you were to try to change something, my theory is that you would only succeed in helping the original thing to happen. I don’t have science to back that up. It’s just my opinion. Funny one coming from a guy whose favorite movie is Back to the Future.

Would you want to go back and try and change things?

*The Question of the Week can be found in The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, Ph.D.