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Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast

Meta Treks is a Trek.fm podcast dedicated to a deep examination of the philosophical ideas found in Star Trek. In each episode, Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison take you on a fascinating journey into the inner workings of Star Trek storytelling, deeper into subspace than you've ever traveled before.
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Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast
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Now displaying: November, 2016
Nov 28, 2016

Logical Positivism.  

What separates meaningful language from non-meaningful language, genuine science from pseudo-science, and productive philosophy from unproductive philosophy? In the early 20th century, a philosophical movement known as "logical positivism" attempted to specify criteria that could be used to demarcate meaningful language from non-meaningful language. These logical positivists, such as Rudolf Carnap and A.J. Ayer, claimed that only empirically verifiable statements are meaningful, and that any language not empirically verifiable is literally meaningless.  

In this 50th episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling examine the claims of logical positivism through the lens of Star Trek. From the story-based use of language in the TNG episode "Darmok" to the many possible uses of the word "dilithium," Mike and Zachary offer a Star Trek based critique of logical positivism inspired by Ludwig Wittgenstein's account of the meaningfulness of language as its use in various context-dependent "language games."  

Chapters 
Welcome to Episode 50 (00:01:07) 
Separating Science from Pseudoscience - Only Empirically Verifiable Statements are Meaningful (00:03:29) 
"Turkey Hot" - Replicators and Reference (00:07:46) 
"Dilithium!" - Wittgenstein and Meaning-as-Use (00:10:23) 
Empiricism - Do We Have Direct Sensory Access to the External World? (00:20:34) 
"Minuet!" - Holograms and Reference (00:31:17) 
"Shaka, When the Walls Fell" - The Meaningfulness of Non-Referential or Mythological Language (00:36:59) 
ENT "Strange New World" - Hallucinatory Experience and Rock Creatures (00:47:22) 
TNG "The Ensigns of Command" - Cup? Glass? Liquid? Clear? Brown? Hot? (00:55:11) 
Language Games (00:59:59) 
Final Thoughts (01:08:00)  

Hosts 
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling  

Production 
Mike Morrison (Editor and Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)  

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Nov 21, 2016

Stoicism.  

In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison search for examples of stoicism in Star Trek. As an ancient Greek and Roman school of thought, stoicism emphasizes suppression of harmful emotions, recognizing the ebb and flow of the cosmos, the impermanence of all things, dutifulness and steadfastness in labor, acceptance of things beyond your control, acceptance of suffering as part of nature, and striving to make order where you are able. From Marcus Aurelius of Ancient Rome to Surak of Vulcan, Zachary and Mike examine the essence of stoicism, both inside and outside of the Star Trek universe.  

Chapters 
Welcome to Episode 49 (00:01:42) 
Meta Treks Feedback (00:02:22) 
Initial Thoughts on Stoicism (00:05:02) 
Stoicism and Cosmic Order (00:08:44) 
Steadfastness and Temperance (00:11:03) 
Are Vulcans Stoic? (00:15:36) 
Stoicism Quiz Show - Marcus Aurelius or Surak of Vulcan? (00:17:54) 
Tempering Emotions - "Gravity" and Young Tuvok (00:24:60) 
All Things End (00:27:15) 
The Kobayashi Maru - Military Discipline and Emotional Desensitization (00:29:40) 
Are Klingons Stoic? Is Worf Stoic? (00:30:45) 
Outer Stoicism vs. Inner Stoicism - Spock and Tuvok (00:36:42) 
Hyperbole in "Parallax" - A "Tense" Situation (00:38:28) 
Pragmatic Stoicism (00:44:58) 
Jean-Luc Picard - An Almost Vulcan Quality (00:47:19) 
Odo - A Need for Order (00:53:15) 
Final thoughts (01:04:36)  

Hosts 
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison  

Production 
Mike Morrison (Editor and Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)  

Send us your feedback! 
Twitter: @trekfm 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm 
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact 
Visit the Trek.fm website at http://www.trek.fm/ 
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm  

Support the Network! 
Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

Nov 14, 2016

The Original Series Season 3 - Essential Trek Philosophy.  

Season 3 of Star Trek: The Original Series is sometimes criticized for having lost its way without the creative direction of Gene Roddenberry. But in this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their top picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season three of Star Trek: The Original Series. From philosopher-kings in "Plato's Stepchildren" and philosophical zombies in "Spock's Brain," to the Marxist and collectivist themes in "The Cloud Minders," Mike and Zachary compare their favorite philosophical insights from the final season of Star Trek: The Original Series.  

Chapters 
Welcome to Episode 48 and Initial Thoughts (00:01:07) 
For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky (00:10:15) 
Spock's Brain (00:28:23) 
Plato's Stepchildren (00:36:30) 
The Cloud Minders (00:43:48) 
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield (00:53:43) 
Turnabout Intruder (01:03:02) 
The Lights of Zetar (01:11:01) 
The Mark of Gideon (01:12:45) 
TOS Season 3 Essentials Recap and Final Thoughts (01:18:45)  

Hosts 
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling  

Production 
Mike Morrison (Editor and Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)  

Send us your feedback! 
Twitter: @trekfm 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm 
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact 
Visit the Trek.fm website at http://www.trek.fm/ 
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Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

Nov 8, 2016

Larry Nemecek.  

Episode 47 of Meta Treks can mean only one thing: Larry Nemecek! As a renowned Trek authority, friend of the Trek.fm network, and creator of Trekland's Portal 47, Larry  joins hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison for a discussion about the past and future of Star Trek. On the heels of the 50th anniversary of the premier of Star Trek, and with a new Star Trek television series, Star Trek: Discovery, a mere months away, Larry, Zachary, and Mike share their thoughts on Star Trek's universal appeal and themes. Together Larry, Zachary, and Mike explore how Star Trek can continue to play a role in addressing social and political problems in today's world and in the age of social media.  

Chapters 
Welcome to Episode 47 and Introducing Larry Nemecek (00:01:07) 
Initial Thoughts on the Past and Future of Star Trek (00:02:04) 
Star Trek: Discovery in the Age of Social Media (00:06:13) 
Star Trek and Giving Hope in Today's World (00:12:03) 
The Universal Appeal and Themes of Star Trek (00:30:32) 
Star Trek as a Tool for Empowerment (00:42:27) 
Creative Subversiveness and "Getting From There to Here" (01:03:01) 
Final Thoughts (01:21:54) 
Portal 47 and Connecting with Larry Nemecek (01:34:05)  

Hosts 
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison  

Guest 
Larry Nemecek  

Production 
Mike Morrison (Editor and Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Elizabeth Janeway (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)  

Send us your feedback! 
Twitter: @trekfm 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm 
Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm 
Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact 
Visit the Trek.fm website at http://www.trek.fm/ 
Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm  

Support the Network! 
Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

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