27 June: David Braddon-Mitchell (Sydney) — “Lessons From a Decision Theory for Time Travellers“
Sala Enzo Paci, Via Festa del Perdono 7, h. 16:00-18:00.
Abstract: It’s generally agreed that, on most models of time, the past cannot be changed, even if it can be affected. One might have an impact on the past, but only if that’s the way the past is. A corollary is that if one knows the past is a certain way, there is no point acting to make it some other way. But if one doesn’t know the past is a certain way, if one gives reasonable credence to it not being that way, then attempting to make it some other way can make sense. This paper points out some that if time travelers have the capacity to influence their own past beliefs, there are ways in which it could be rational to attempt any kind of influence on the past.