# Would you believe someone that told you they had traveled 5 years into the future? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260 "2015-10-20T18:11:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/1 "2015-10-20T18:11:58Z")
How skeptical are you? How much convincing would it take for one of your friends to tell you that they had traveled 5 years into the future, that somehow they universe let them replace their current body with their past self. There was no way for them to travel back, it was a one way trip. How quickly would you believe them if they were persistent with their story? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/2 "2015-10-20T18:14:28Z")
It’s the body replacement part that is incredible. Time traveling into the future is not big deal, I traveled 60 years into the future since I was born and it’s taken a toll on my body. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/3 "2015-10-20T18:15:01Z")
NO! After my therapist told me I will get a good salary with Math PhD and I am in an unpaid internship since '09. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/4 "2015-10-20T18:51:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s the body replacement part that is incredible. Time traveling into the future is not big deal, I traveled 60 years into the future since I was born and it’s taken a toll on my body. It’s not the years, it’s the mileage. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/5 "2015-10-20T18:58:51Z")
The only way I could think of producing any evidence to support this would be if a large group of people claimed to have travelled five years into the future - AND, the average lifespan of people in this unique group ended up being five years longer than the average lifespan of a group of similar people who did not claim to have travelled five years into the future. Barring that, Occam’s razor says that for a single person claiming to have travelled five years into the future, it’s far more likely that they’ve simply suffered a five-year lapse in their memory. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/6 "2015-10-20T18:59:00Z")
I could, in principle, be convinced, if presented with sufficient evidence, but I cannot think of any specific evidence which would be sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/7 "2015-10-20T19:01:09Z")
I don’t think I could believe it until five years had passed and everything they told would happen in the future did. Hardly what you’d call a leap of faith on my part. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/8 "2015-10-20T19:04:44Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I don’t think I could believe it until five years had passed and everything they told would happen in the future did. Hardly what you’d call a leap of faith on my part. I think that the OP is asking about a friend who claimed to have jumped over the last 5 years to arrive at now (though it’s not super clear. OP, care to clarify?). So, no knowledge of future events, but, presumably, a lack of experience of the past five years. I can’t imagine believing them ever. I assume this is a friend I haven’t interacted with in the past five years? It seems like a fairly harmless delusion. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/9 "2015-10-20T19:05:49Z")
Obviously not, since it’s not possible. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/10 "2015-10-20T19:07:30Z")
No. Where is the future located, for starters? Just because we have memories and can extrapolate trends does not make time a thing we can leap about within. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/11 "2015-10-20T19:11:54Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > NO! > > After my therapist told me I will get a good salary with Math PhD and I am in an unpaid internship since '09. Be that as it may, it doesn’t need to come up in every thread you post in. Please don’t derail other discussions with this. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/12 "2015-10-20T19:12:03Z")
I would ask if the person has anymore of what they been smoking ! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/13 "2015-10-20T19:12:24Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I don’t think I could believe it until five years had passed and everything they told would happen in the future did. Hardly what you’d call a leap of faith on my part. They would have to have come back from five years in the future. No need to wait five years, the box scores for tomorrow’s baseball games would do. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/14 "2015-10-20T19:14:08Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It’s not the years, it’s the mileage. > > 😃 I wasn’t doing real well with the maintenance for a number of those years. Get your oil changed and keep those CV joints lubed folks! Old age is a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/15 "2015-10-20T19:17:47Z")
So where were they in the five years between when they jumped and now? Did they just keep living for the past five years, and then were suddenly replaced by their younger self? I’m not really clear on what the exact scenario is supposed to be here. > [@Chronos](#): > > I could, in principle, be convinced, if presented with sufficient evidence, but I cannot think of any specific evidence which would be sufficient. If they had undergone some major body change in the past five years, such as amputation or some disfiguring accident, that was suddenly reversed, that would be enough to make me consider the possibility. But even then there would be alternatives such as advanced plastic surgery that perhaps would be more plausible than time travel. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/16 "2015-10-20T19:35:19Z")
Let me make sure I’m understanding: Basically, my friend was able to get his mind/memories from 2010 and jump it forward to 2015, thereby having a body that is the right age, but he’s missing five years of memories? There is nothing that could be said to convince me in that case. Amnesia, and/or some mental health disorder, happens all the time, but time-travel and body-swapping are both impossible as far as we know it. There would be no evidence other than his word. Bigfoot is a million times more plausible than that story, and I don’t believe any of my friends have seen Bigfoot either. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/17 "2015-10-20T19:37:46Z")
Would you believe that he was a banished elf? Or that he could kill people with his mind, but just chose not to, ever? I’ve heard both of these. I was not tempted to believe either person, even when told by others that they’ve stood by those stories for years, and that other than that, they were pretty much regular guys. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/18 "2015-10-20T19:58:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I could, in principle, be convinced, if presented with sufficient evidence, but I cannot think of any specific evidence which would be sufficient. Dental records would help (i.e. if they suddenly had a tooth now that had been extracted in the last five years). Or better, if they had been a recent amputee, and the missing limb was now back in place. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/19 "2015-10-20T20:01:11Z")
Hitchen’s Razor. “What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence” There is simply no way to disprove it and no burden on me to even attempt to do so. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260/20 "2015-10-20T20:06:48Z")
I would if they had had the foresight to memorize, say, the next day’s headlines. Or preferably the winners in upcoming horse races. Or a few big stock swings. Predicting the results of elections wouldn’t be convincing unless the circumstances were compelling – predicting an entire slate, say, with at least one unexpected winner. Or telling us about some unpredictable event beyond human agency or predictability – a big earthquake, volcanic eruption, meteor fall, or the like. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-believe-someone-that-told-you-they-had-traveled-5-years-into-the-future/735260.md?page=2)