General / Off-Topic The real definition of impossible?

[AluminumAlloy]

What "is" impossible? Time travel? Quantum physics? Superpowers?

How do you define impossible?

Is impossible supposedly only defined as meeting an obstacle that doesn't allow us to go any further into doing or knowing what it is that we crave to understand and do? Things are only impossible because we have not yet found ways around these obstacles. Most notably, the mistaken, improper definition of 'impossible' that we believe is an "event or action that can never be done.".

Making light without a flame was determined to be forever impossible.

Putting an engine into a four-wheeled buggy to move it was determined to be forever impossible.

Flying a plane was determined to be forever impossible.

Flying up to space was determined to forever be impossible.

Flying to the moon was determined to be forever impossible.

Flying to another planet was determined to be forever impossible.

And last but not least, bending time was determined to be forever impossible until we figured out that the closer you are to a black hole, the slower time gets.

So please tell me, how do you define 'impossible'? Big question.

 

[Adept]

Who is supposed to have determined the listed things "forever impossible"? You have a strange take on history.

 

[AluminumAlloy]

Who is supposed to have determined the listed things "forever impossible"? You have a strange take on history.

We seem to misinterpret the term "impossible" as something that cannot ever be done. Realistically, should this term rather be defined as 'not able to occur at the present era'?

 

[CMDR CODY]

So please tell me, how do you define 'impossible'? Big question.

Peace on Earth

 

[AJW]

Edit: Never mind. Silly list. Not worth responding.

 

[mp4x]

ble.

And last but not least, bending time was determined to be forever impossible until we figured out that the closer you are to a black hole, the slower time gets.

We've known about time, for some time.

"The Hafele–Keating experiment was a test of the theory of relativity. In October 1971, Joseph C. Hafele, a physicist, and Richard E. Keating, an astronomer, took four cesium-beam atomic clocks aboard commercial airliners. They flew twice around the world, first eastward, then westward, and compared the clocks against others that remained at the United States Naval Observatory. When reunited, the three sets of clocks were found to disagree with one another, and their differences were consistent with the predictions of special and general relativity."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafele–Keating_experiment

 

[metatheurgist]

We seem to misinterpret the term "impossible" as something that cannot ever be done. Realistically, should this term rather be defined as 'not able to occur at the present era'?

I dunno. Just because dumb people say things are impossible doesn't mean we should do a song and dance about it. I mean, if you need an example, there was a recently closed thread where someone shouted long and hard that it was impossible that the world was round, amongst other things.

 

[NorMonsta]

handing in mission received in space and completed to a base that has ONLY the outlines of landing pads....ALCAZARS HOPE in Merope....stuuuuupid game![yesnod]

 

[Le-Betz]

To crap into the corner of a round room.

 

[Chris Simon]

Nothing is impossible. Some things, however, are really, really improbable.

 

[Lucius-Darcia]

Telling my boss that i want to get payed for staying at home and playing Elite is impossible. :x

 

[mp4x]

Telling my boss that i want to get payed for staying at home and playing Elite is impossible. :x

Telling your boss is possible. ..good luck with that, though!

 

[Arry]

Saying no to a woman you are in a relationship with, without her have a strop.

 

[AluminumAlloy]

Impossible: The most effective excuse used by lazy people.

 

[Patrick_68000]

The real definition of impossible?

Mission ?

 

[Winterwalker]

Impossible: The most effective excuse used by lazy people.

Brings to mind ....

 

[Minonian]

Nothing is impossible. Some things, however, are really, really improbable.

Thats right. Too improbable to anyone in his sane mind give a try.

 

[Chris Simon]

Thats right. Too improbable to anyone in his sane mind give a try.

No, no! We should definitely NOT give up on trying the impossible.
Trying the impossible is the way of human advancement. Human flying a machine heavier than air was considered impossible, 130 years ago. 200 years ago, people thought that if we create a train that goes faster than a galloping horse, it would be lethal to human physiology...

edit: Nice new avatar, btw.

 

[AJW]

There are two ways of doing 'impossible' things:

(1) Completely ignore everything anyone says as to why they are impossible, and carry on trying any old random idea on the off-chance it might work anyway.

(2) Explore the limits of what you know is possible, and discover new ways to expand on them.

The first is of course the tactic used by Youtube perpetual-motion-machine promoters. Though most of them know full well that what they have doesn't work, since it is simple clickbait for the pathologically gullible.

The second is how science works, and how for instance the Wright brothers built a successful powered and controllable aircraft. They knew that others (e.g. Otto Lilienthal) had solved the basic problems of generating sufficient lift from an aerofoil to carry a pilot. They likewise knew (thanks again to others) that it would be possible to control such a flying machine if appropriately designed. They again knew from contemporary designs for internal combustion engines that they could produce sufficient power. It then came down to experimentation (first with kites, and then gliders) to refine control methods, and to designing for themselves an engine meeting their power and weight requirements, along with their first powered aircraft - which was based around their previous glider experience, with only the modifications necessary for powered flight. That someone achieved success wasn't really that much of a surprise to other experimenters of the time - the basic knowledge was out there, and it was only a matter of time before someone got it all together to work. The people claiming that powered flight was 'impossible' weren't the experts. The experts were the ones who knew what had to be done, and why it was going to be difficult to do.

 

[Minonian]

No, no! We should definitely NOT give up on trying the impossible.

If all you can do to try?

BTW? Tomorrow i will switch it. After all, this was my Easter avatar. (Hint; Eggs...)

Edit;

Trying the impossible is the way of human advancement. Human flying a machine heavier than air was considered impossible, 130 years ago. 200 years ago, people thought that if we create a train that goes faster than a galloping horse, it would be lethal to human physiology...

Bad examples, they were simply wrong when said something like this, and even back than their opinion proven extremely stupid.
Besides? To create a heavier than air flying machine 130 years ago? Was really impossible, since we did not had the materials neither the engines necessary to make them fly, and easy enough.

But the train example? Well... Let me say like this! I'm not going to listen a Heart doctor, who by talking in to the field of genetics says genetics can't help to develop any cure, and by genetic you can't heal anything. Especially if a good expert on the field in question says otherwise.
And also? Sure as hell i'm not going to listen anyone, who proven extremely poor in the given field. He just lost his reliability.

But? If a given field your word / deeds proven reliable? It does not matter where you came from, what you learned. You got what it takes, and in the end? Only this matters.