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Acta Cogitata: An Undergraduate Journal in Philosophy

Abstract

The possibility for time travel inadvertently brings forth several paradoxes. Yet, despite this fact there are still those who defend its plausibility and claim that time travel remains possible. I, however, stand firm that time travel could not be possible due to the absurdities it would allow. Of the many paradoxes time travel permits, the ones I shall be demonstrating, are the causal-loop paradox, auto-infanticide or grandfather paradox, and the multiverse theory. I will begin with the causal-loop paradox, which insists that my older-self could time travel to my present and teach me how to build a time machine, dismissing the need for me to learn how to build it. Following this, I address the grandfather paradox. This argues that I could go back in time and kill my grandfather, which would entail that I never existed, yet I was still able to kill him. Finally, I address the multiverse theory, which does seem to avoid all the previous paradoxes, but inevitably leads to a deterministic universe. David Lewis and Paul Horwich are among the pioneers of those who believe that these paradoxes pose no threat to the possibility of time travel. Drawing upon their works, I analyze their arguments and demonstrate practically why each of the paradoxes remain immune to their claims.

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