I’d like to point out that something really far away is not the same as being in the past. In special relativity there is still a well-defined past and dead-you would most certainly be in it with respect to your family members. More or less, the past is the light-cone of all spacetime points that could have reached the current spacetime point—since you influenced them in your past, your past is also their past.
In my opinion, this is better suited to the open thread.
I believe the definition of the well defined past is captured by the fact that the past can not be causally effected by you. I was trying to reference this when I said “one way communication”
I’d like to point out that something really far away is not the same as being in the past. In special relativity there is still a well-defined past and dead-you would most certainly be in it with respect to your family members. More or less, the past is the light-cone of all spacetime points that could have reached the current spacetime point—since you influenced them in your past, your past is also their past.
In my opinion, this is better suited to the open thread.
It looks like most people agree with you about the open thread. Oops.
I believe the definition of the well defined past is captured by the fact that the past can not be causally effected by you. I was trying to reference this when I said “one way communication”