We know that time runs in only one dimension: going forward. What has happened in the past has already occurred and we cannot go back in time to relive that period. The question is whether we can make use of the information from the past, not only to relive past events, but also to make use of that information to learn from it.
We discuss an idea that by combining artificial intelligence (AI), we can utilize the memories of the past that exist in our memories, as well as information we know about the people from the past (that we might have or might not have interacted with) to virtually recreate events and even more importantly to create new events that could lead to new insights or discoveries.
We can virtually recreate past events. For example, we can virtually recreate:
- a fond memory of our holding our new-born son or daughter
- a reenactment of an athletic or musical achievement
- a replay of an important speech we gave in the past
This is like playing back a recorded movie of that event. However, we can do much more than that.
We can also create events that might not have occurred, but could have occurred. For example, we can create a virtual event:
- involving a high school student discussing with his/her parents for advice on which colleges to apply to and possibly the field to major in
- involving family members or business partners to discuss whether and how to proceed with a potential new business
- involving a group discussion on an important social or political issue
- involving a brainstorm of a group of scientific researchers on a difficult problem
The end result is that we could end up with new insights and solutions in addressing difficult and important social, political, economic, engineering, or scientific issues. We can reap the benefits of such collective virtual brainstorms.
We can populate the database with:
- dates and times
- descriptions of the relevant people (not only physical characteristics, but also their personalities, background, knowledge, and experience)
- happenings of related events (e.g., hurricanes, forest fires, pandemic, mass demonstrations, current important and outstanding problems in science or engineering)
- social and political environments of that time for the community, state, country, and the world (e.g., unemployment, stock market, health, hunger, climate change, terrorism, conflicts between races, conflicts between countries, arms races, wars or tensions/marching toward wars)
- other relevant factors or statistics
There are at least four objectives for creating and implementing such virtual events:
- Enjoy reliving real or simulated past events
- Analyze important past events to see whether we should make adjustments to guide our future actions
- Discuss important issues to see whether we can reach consensus and move forward toward winning solutions
- Brainstorm on outstanding scientific or engineering problems that could lead to new insights or discoveries
Of course such AI tools and conclusions may be only as good as the inputs we populate in the database. Initially the basic input data and the learning and decision making algorithms may be primitive, unrealistic, and unsophisticated. However, with time and experience, the database will increase in accuracy, completeness, and sophistication, and the AI algorithms will also improve in breadth, depth, speed of analysis, and creativity. Therefore, such virtual creation of the past could create real values so that it can become a powerful tool for us to learn from the past.
Yes, we cannot turn the arrow of time backward, but we can make use of our past experience to learn virtually and lead us to a better path for the future.
Of course, if this idea merits further investigation, and new discoveries can emerge from this idea, then just like any scientific advancement in the past, both positive and negative results could emerge from such discoveries, and it will be up to us (the human race) to decide which path to follow.
Some Thoughts on How We can Experience and Learn from the Past Virtually
We know that time runs in only one dimension: going forward. What has happened in the past has already occurred and we cannot go back in time to relive that period. The question is whether we can make use of the information from the past, not only to relive past events, but also to make use of that information to learn from it.
We discuss an idea that by combining artificial intelligence (AI), we can utilize the memories of the past that exist in our memories, as well as information we know about the people from the past (that we might have or might not have interacted with) to virtually recreate events and even more importantly to create new events that could lead to new insights or discoveries.
We can virtually recreate past events. For example, we can virtually recreate:
This is like playing back a recorded movie of that event. However, we can do much more than that.
We can also create events that might not have occurred, but could have occurred. For example, we can create a virtual event:
The end result is that we could end up with new insights and solutions in addressing difficult and important social, political, economic, engineering, or scientific issues. We can reap the benefits of such collective virtual brainstorms.
We can populate the database with:
There are at least four objectives for creating and implementing such virtual events:
Of course such AI tools and conclusions may be only as good as the inputs we populate in the database. Initially the basic input data and the learning and decision making algorithms may be primitive, unrealistic, and unsophisticated. However, with time and experience, the database will increase in accuracy, completeness, and sophistication, and the AI algorithms will also improve in breadth, depth, speed of analysis, and creativity. Therefore, such virtual creation of the past could create real values so that it can become a powerful tool for us to learn from the past.
Yes, we cannot turn the arrow of time backward, but we can make use of our past experience to learn virtually and lead us to a better path for the future.
Of course, if this idea merits further investigation, and new discoveries can emerge from this idea, then just like any scientific advancement in the past, both positive and negative results could emerge from such discoveries, and it will be up to us (the human race) to decide which path to follow.