If you traveled ~2000 years in the past ...

[Haggis_McMutton]

what practical knowledge would you have that humanity hadn't yet gained?
What could you teach them?

As a computer scientist I'd be pretty fucked.
Perhaps I could teach them a little about probability theory and such, but besides abstract math I don't think I have anything.

Any of you guys know how to make penicilin or something?

Edit: Oh I guess I'd also know some astronomy stuff. Still not very practical.

[oss spy]

I'd teach them calculus and differential equations. From there, most of modern math is formed...and as a result the modern world.

Or the value of pi.

[Baron Von PWN]

wouldn't really matter what knowledge we have, no one would be able to understand us. English won't be invented for another century or so. We'd likely be sold into slavery almost instantly.

[TA1LGUNN3R]

I'd teach them calculus and differential equations. From there, most of modern math is formed...and as a result the modern world.

Or the value of pi.

The value of pi has been known far longer than 2k years.

-TG

[nietzsche]

Teach them? I'd exploit them.

[oss spy]

I'd teach them calculus and differential equations. From there, most of modern math is formed...and as a result the modern world.

Or the value of pi.

The value of pi has been known far longer than 2k years.

-TG

Is that why the Jews, around 900 B.C., built a bath with a diameter of 10 cubits and a circumference of 30 cubits?

[TA1LGUNN3R]

I'd teach them calculus and differential equations. From there, most of modern math is formed...and as a result the modern world.

Or the value of pi.

The value of pi has been known far longer than 2k years.

-TG

Is that why the Jews, around 900 B.C., built a bath with a diameter of 10 cubits and a circumference of 30 cubits?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi#Antiquity

[nietzsche]

An easy one: Electricity, batteries, motors.

Even easier: the scientific method.

[john9blue]

i would travel the world preaching the non-existence of god, and watch as they became an enlightened, progressive society full of scientific geniuses.

then i'd go back to 2012 and warp to alpha centauri with our hyper-advanced technology

also this reminds me of that dinosaur comics shirt:

[nietzsche]

that's cheating john9blue

[john9blue]

that's cheating john9blue

the shirt, or the society of godless progressive intellectuals?

[nietzsche]

that's cheating john9blue

the shirt, or the society of godless progressive intellectuals?

nevermind, they will crucify you for showing that amount of knowledge in so little time anyway.

[thechuck51]

Edit: Oh I guess I'd also know some astronomy stuff. Still not very practical.

Not practical?? Astronomy/Astrology was HUGE 2K years ago.

I'm guessing I would bring some germ or something that I am immune to (or doesn't affect me because i am able to shower and wash my hands regularly) but would be devastating to a large percentage of the world's population.

[saxitoxin]

I would travel the world, teaching the ancient women how to find their G-Spot.

[/]

I have a ton of recipes and cooking techniques memorized, just imagine the potential ramifications of 2000 years with hamburger restaurants!
The preservation, conservation, and pasteurization tips could help though.

[nietzsche]

I would travel the world, teaching the ancient women how to find their G-Spot.

stoned to death

I have a ton of recipes and cooking techniques memorized, just imagine the potential ramifications of 2000 years with hamburger restaurants!
The preservation, conservation, and pasteurization tips could help though.

Great, starting the obesity epidemic from 12 AD. Humans never reach scientific revolution, human race dissapears in 1000 A.D.

[jonesthecurl]

I would travel the world, teaching the ancient women how to find their G-Spot.

What do you mean you "would" do that?
Way I heard it, helping ancients find their G-spot is already one of your main hobbies.

[saxitoxin]

I would travel the world, teaching the ancient women how to find their G-Spot.

What do you mean you "would" do that?
Way I heard it, helping ancients find their G-spot is already one of your main hobbies.

WOOOOOOOOOODRUUUFFFFFFFF!!!

[MegaProphet]

Where on earth are we landing ~2000 years ago? It makes a difference in what knowledge can be shared

[nietzsche]

Where on earth are we landing ~2000 years ago? It makes a difference in what knowledge can be shared

I think we are all guessing we would land in the Roman Empire.

[thechuck51]

Where on earth are we landing ~2000 years ago? It makes a difference in what knowledge can be shared

thats a good point. I guess if you have the ability to choose "when" you can probably choose "where" so i think its up to you.

[nietzsche]

Where on earth are we landing ~2000 years ago? It makes a difference in what knowledge can be shared

thats a good point. I guess if you have the ability to choose "when" you can probably choose "where" so i think its up to you.

If we start talking about the technicalities of time travel we are going to ruin the thread...

[Haggis_McMutton]

Hmm, I guess just writing down the whole concept of a vaccine somewhere might come in handy later. Though I wouldn't know how to actually innoculate someone.

Oh, how about glasses? I think they're a big one as they prolongue the working life of the intellectuals.
Basic glasses should be easy enough to manufacture by a glassmaker, but I don't think they had developed clear enough glass back then and I haven't the faintest clue how to do that. bollocks.

Anyway:

wouldn't really matter what knowledge we have, no one would be able to understand us. English won't be invented for another century or so. We'd likely be sold into slavery almost instantly.

I think you're shooting for a bit too much realism here. Let's say you also have a universal translator or some such.
Basically this was just an offshoot of a thought I had @ how little of the last couple hundred years of development I could replicate on my own.

i would travel the world preaching the non-existence of god, and watch as they became an enlightened, progressive society full of scientific geniuses.

then i'd go back to 2012 and warp to alpha centauri with our hyper-advanced technology

carefull, posting ideological stuff in random light-hearted topics is one of the early signs of phatism.
DON'T SUCCUMB TO THE ILLNESS JOHN.

If you really wanna debate the benefits of religion on society start a thread, I'd be happy to discuss that.

Edit: Oh I guess I'd also know some astronomy stuff. Still not very practical.

Not practical?? Astronomy/Astrology was HUGE 2K years ago.

I'm guessing I would bring some germ or something that I am immune to (or doesn't affect me because i am able to shower and wash my hands regularly) but would be devastating to a large percentage of the world's population.

Well, yeah, but me telling them stories about galaxies and the stages of a star doesn't seem like it would have much value, especially since I can in no way substantiate the claims.

An easy one: Electricity, batteries, motors.

Even easier: the scientific method.

Scientific method. Good answer. Didn't think of that.

The other stuff, how do you make it with materials available then and how do you use it to help people and or enslave them?

Where on earth are we landing ~2000 years ago? It makes a difference in what knowledge can be shared

Dunno, I guess you can choose. I was thinking Rome kinda area but if you have different preferences by all means.

I have a ton of recipes and cooking techniques memorized, just imagine the potential ramifications of 2000 years with hamburger restaurants!
The preservation, conservation, and pasteurization tips could help though.

So you're angling for the royal chef position? Guess you'll have to get accustomed to more limited ingredients.
The preservation stuff should be good. Guess you could convince them of germ theory as well, that'd come in handy.

[MegaProphet]

Where on earth are we landing ~2000 years ago? It makes a difference in what knowledge can be shared

I think we are all guessing we would land in the Roman Empire.

Right, in that case as a foreign looking woman I'll be sold in to slavery and prostitution. Not much of a chance to impart knowledge.

[nietzsche]

An easy one: Electricity, batteries, motors.

Even easier: the scientific method.

Scientific method. Good answer. Didn't think of that.

The other stuff, how do you make it with materials available then and how do you use it to help people and or enslave them?

The basic battery is very simple. For creating electricity you just need magnets, copper and a waterfall. For a motor you invert the process.

Normally visionaries that see the economic advantage are the first adapters of new technology, people that have the need, and see a possible solution when sees it. So I guess you alone couldn't make any of that practical in around 10 A.D., but if you went to Augustus and told him about it he could give you the resources to make it happen. You could use the slope of the aqueducts to create the electricity!