Pangborn's Paradox

A short science fiction tale written in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around a group of academic characters engaged in witty discussions about temporal paradoxes and the theoretical implications of time travel. The narrative explores the philosophical and practical challenges posed by time travel, particularly through the lens of a grand experiment involving the protagonist's grandfather. In this story, the main character Pangborn, a member of the Physics department, proposes to use a temporal transducer to go back in time and kill his grandfather, seeking to demonstrate the paradoxes surrounding existence and causality. The scene shifts to a bar in the past where Pangborn confronts his grandfather, leading to an unexpected turn of events where the grandfather, armed and aware, shoots Pangborn instead. This twist complicates the original assumption about time travel and its consequences, leaving the observers—and readers—intrigued by the implications of the experiment. The narrative culminates in a humorous yet thought-provoking reflection on existence, identity, and the nature of time itself.