Comments on: Blue Schools and Time Machines http://www.educatednation.com/2008/12/31/blue-schools-and-time-machines/ A higher education blog about news, humor, advice, and opinion on education, college degrees, university life and careers. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:03:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: alexa http://www.educatednation.com/2008/12/31/blue-schools-and-time-machines/comment-page-1/#comment-124954 alexa Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:37:48 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2008/12/31/blue-schools-and-time-machines/#comment-124954 @SCP: Well that sounds easy enough--I just need to find myself one of those black hole whozits, right? It might be wise of me to read the warning label first, as I'll need all of my physical being to remain intact after the trip, and I need the future me and her life (mate and offspring) to not be altered. If the physicists and engineers have figured out how to make my ride back to 1980 and back a smooth one, then sign me up! Otherwise, I'm going to have to call "Tech-Phobic Pansy!" and wuss out. P.S. I'm not familiar with Clausewitz in reference to education, but I'll check him out. --Alexa @SCP: Well that sounds easy enough–I just need to find myself one of those black hole whozits, right? It might be wise of me to read the warning label first, as I’ll need all of my physical being to remain intact after the trip, and I need the future me and her life (mate and offspring) to not be altered. If the physicists and engineers have figured out how to make my ride back to 1980 and back a smooth one, then sign me up! Otherwise, I’m going to have to call “Tech-Phobic Pansy!” and wuss out.

P.S. I’m not familiar with Clausewitz in reference to education, but I’ll check him out.

–Alexa

]]> By: Simple Country Physicistt http://www.educatednation.com/2008/12/31/blue-schools-and-time-machines/comment-page-1/#comment-124953 Simple Country Physicistt Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:39:19 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2008/12/31/blue-schools-and-time-machines/#comment-124953 Actually what you want is an inverse time machine. A time machine is like an automobile; it keeps what is inside fixed but changes its exterior position. A time machine keeps the time position of its contents fixed but changes its external time position. An inverse time machine keeps its external position fixed but changes the position in time of its contents. So what you want is an inverse time machine that runs in reverse. If I recall my general relativity rightly there is such a thing. A particular type of black hole has the radial coordinate become timelike inside the event horizon so you can in principle make time run backwards. There are, of course, other engineering difficulties. The shul idea is intriguing and enthralling, especially the nondamaging part. It sounds quite similar to some of what Clausewitz wrote about in his memoirs of his work on education. Seems rather a better place for a nerd than the public shuls. Actually what you want is an inverse time machine. A time machine is like an automobile; it keeps what is inside fixed but changes its exterior position. A time machine keeps the time position of its contents fixed but changes its external time position.

An inverse time machine keeps its external position fixed but changes the position in time of its contents. So what you want is an inverse time machine that runs in reverse.

If I recall my general relativity rightly there is such a thing. A particular type of black hole has the radial coordinate become timelike inside the event horizon so you can in principle make time run backwards. There are, of course, other engineering difficulties.

The shul idea is intriguing and enthralling, especially the nondamaging part. It sounds quite similar to some of what Clausewitz wrote about in his memoirs of his work on education. Seems rather a better place for a nerd than the public shuls.

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