Vulcan Katras and the Mind-Body Problem.
Episode 6 of Star Trek: Discovery, "Lethe," explored and expanded upon the metaphysics of Vulcan katras beyond what had been seen in previous iterations of Star Trek. But what exactly is a Vulcan katra and what properties does it have? From transferring consciousness from one Vulcan to another, to enabling a form of disembodied immortality, katras play an important role in Vulcan mysticism and metaphysics.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison give a philosophical analysis of the metaphysics of Vulcan katras in relation to the mind-body problem. Is the katra a type of nonphysical substance, as Cartesian dualism would hold? Is the katra a biophysical or emergent property of the brain and its functioning? And is transferring one's katra, through a mind meld or otherwise, an actual transfer of consciousness to a new location, or is it more like backing up a copy of your hard drive to the cloud?
Chapters
Intro (00:01:20)
"Lethe" and Sciencing the Katra in Discovery (00:04:29)
Naturalizing the Katra and Alternative Theories (00:10:59)
Examples of Katric Transfers in Star Trek (00:15:52)
Are Katras Necessarily Dualist? (00:20:24)
Is the Katra Living Consciousness? (00:27:57)
Emerging Consciousness from Katra and Body (00:36:58)
Is a Katra Divisible Into Parts? (00:48:48)
What Happens to the Disembodied Katra? (00:55:17)
Vulcan Immortality and Gnostic Knowledge (01:01:25)
Touch Telepathy vs. Mind Meld by Remote (01:12:34)
Closing (01:19:29)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
Deep Space Nine Season 5 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
When people think of ethics in Star Trek, they often think primarily of ethical dilemmas, such as balancing the greater good of one group of people with the greater good of another group of people, or juxtaposing the rights of particular individuals with the common good. But season 5 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine takes a different approach to its exploration of ethics, using dramatic situations to explore not merely ethical dilemmas, but also ethically praiseworthy or blameworthy character traits of various Starfleet and non-Starfleet characters.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their choices for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 5 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. From the virtuous character traits of loyalty and fortitude in "The Ascent" to the ethics of genetic engineering in "Dr. Bashir, I Presume?", season 5 of Deep Space Nineuses conflict with the Dominion, the Klingons, and the Maquis, to explore the ethical status of various character traits while under pressure, and in a state of political and military conflict.
Chapters
Intro and Initial Thoughts on DS9 Season 5 (00:01:20)
Children of Time (00:09:26)
...Nor the Battle to the Strong (00:14:27)
Let He Who Is Without Sin (00:28:41)
The Ascent (00:39:10)
The Ship (00:44:29)
The Begotten (00:53:41)
Dr. Bashir, I Presume? (01:00:05)
Honorable Mentions (01:16:38)
Recap and Final Thoughts (01:21:18)
Closing (01:24:50)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
The Philosophy of Color in Star Trek.
Star Trek: The Original Series is a colorful show, known for its striking set decorations and bold costuming, from the orange highlights on the Enterprise bridge to the primary colors of the Original Series uniforms, including the uniforms of the infamous Redshirts. But what exactly does it mean for a uniform to be red? Is redness a physical property of the uniform itself, or is redness an aspect of subjective mental experience for whomever observes the uniform? Can the uniform's color be reduced to its more basic physical properties or the basic properties of light itself (frequency, wavelength, and so on), or is color a fundamental part of reality, unable to be reduced to other physical properties? And does the property of "redness" exist as an abstract entity (similar to numbers or other abstract objects), or does color exist only in particular form within individual colorful objects like individual red uniforms?
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophy of color in the Star Trek universe. From the physics of light to the physiology of color perception, and from concrete examples to the ontology of abstract entities, Zachary and Mike examine why physics and physiology struggle to give a fully adequate account of the existence and nature of color.
Chapters
Intro (0001:20)
Is There a Philosophical Problem? (00:02:47)
Why Is the Red Shirt Red? (00:07:19)
Color Physicalism and the "Mystique" of Color Perception (00:18:19)
Abstract Entities (00:27:04)
A Red Shirt By Any Other Name (00:32:33)
The Inverted Spectrum Thought Experiment (00:35:18)
Color as an Emergent Property (00:44:20)
Color Primitivism (00:46:57)
Color Qualia (00:50:53)
Color Fictionalism (00:52:41)
Final Thoughts (01:00:52)
Closing (01:07:39)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
Philosophical Themes in Star Trek: Discovery, Episodes 1 and 2.
Every Star Trek television series is a mirror, reflecting and illuminating the moral dilemmas and the political issues of its time. The premier episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars," are no exception. While it is still too early to know yet what Star Trek: Discovery will eventually become, and the ongoing relevance it will have as current events unfold, it is possible, at least tentatively, to identify several philosophical and political themes. From the nature of leadership and political unity, to the gamesmanship of war in a state of mutual distrust, to race relations across political borders, Star Trek: Discovery boldly goes into the social and political unknown, providing 23rd-century commentary on our 21st-century world.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling, fresh on the heels of the premier of Star Trek: Discovery, discuss their tentative interpretations of the philosophical and allegorical themes in "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars."
Chapters
Intro (00:01:20)
Initial Thoughts About Star Trek: Discovery (00:06:16)
Analogous Ideas and Hermeneutical Interpretation (00:11:20)
Comparing Klingons (00:16:22)
Preemptive War and the Hobbesian State of Nature (00:20:13)
Klingon Messianic Restorationist (00:30:56)
Nationalism vs. Multiculturalism (00:40:10)
Touchstones to TOS, ENT, and Kelvin Movies (00:50:49)
Michael Burnham and the Traumatic Chain (00:58:56)
Striking Balance Between Emotion and Logic (01:05:25)
The Contrasting Ethics of Captains (01:12:59)
Geopolitical Diversity (01:16:05)
Final Thoughts (01:25:19)
Closing (01:31:59)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
Property Ownership in Star Trek.
There may be no money in the 24th century, at least not as we know it. And humankind may no longer be driven by the acquisition of material wealth. But what exactly do you do if you want to own one of those extra-special limited-vintage bottles of Chateau Picard?
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophy and economics of property ownership in Star Trek. What role does property ownership play in a post-scarcity, post-monetary society? And is individual property ownership at odds with the values of 24th-century Federation society?
Chapters
Intro (00:01:27)
Initial Thoughts on the Concept of Property Ownership (00:2:18)
The Tension Between the Post-Monetary Worldview in Star Trek and the Concept of Property Ownership (00:05:03)
Sentimental Property in "The Measure of a Man" (00:12:22)
Property Ownership in the History of Philosophy (00:17:13)
Religion and the Economic Principle of Scarcity (00:23:54)
24th Century Barter System (00:35:03)
Three Interpretations of the Scarcity Problem in Star Trek (00:44:55)
Property Ownership Disputes (00:52:06)
Theft of Property in the Future (00:56:28)
Self-Ownership and Self-Determination (01:03:19)
Responsible Pet Owners in the 23rd Century (01:10:00)
Ownership vs. Stewardship (01:14:36)
Final Thoughts (01:18:41)
Closing (01:22:28)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
Voyager Season 5 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
If you've ever had the urge to replicate yourself some curtains when faced with a late-night existential crisis, then the fifth-season opener of Star Trek: Voyager, "Night" is for you! In "Night" we see perhaps the best example of ennui (boredom) in all of Star Trek, including some guilt-laden soul searching from Captain Janeway.
But an existential crisis alone does not a season of Star Trek make. And Voyager season 5 is also filled with various ethical dilemmas juxtaposing utilitarian concern for the greater good with respect for the rights of individuals.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their recommendations for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 5 of Star Trek: Voyager, from the rights and potential of a souped-up 29th century Borg in "Drone" to balancing the best of the past with the possibilities for the future in "11:59."
Chapters
Intro (00:01:19)
Initial Thoughts on Voyager Season 5 (00:05:14)
Night (00:09:08)
Timeless (00:18:56)
Drone (00:29:44)
Thirty Days (00:35:48)
Nothing Human (00:50:21)
Think Tank (00:56:33)
Equinox Part 1 (01:06:47)
Latent Image (01:08:51)
11:59 (01:16:06)
Final Thoughts (01:23:41)
Closing (01:28:53)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer ) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
Kierkegaard and Stages on Life's Way.
This time, we're talking "Soren," but not Dr. Tolian Soren from Star Trek Generations; we're talking about the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard! Søren Kierkegaard is well-known for his "Stages on Life's Way," or three different approaches to life: the aesthetic approach (novelty, adventure, and experiences); the ethical approach (rules, duty, and responsibility), and the religious approach (sincere commitment, meaningful dedication, and authentic leaps of faith). In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss characters from the Star Trek universe that exemplify these three different modes of living.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 67 (00:01:07)
Søren Kierkegaard and Dr. Soren from Generations (00:03:16)
Programming an Authentic Life (00:14:24)
Kierkegaard's Stages of Life's Way (00:22:15)
The Aesthetic Stage or The Commander Riker Stage (00:31:30)
The Ethical Stage or The Lieutenant Worf Stage (00:49:50)
The Religious Stage or The Chief O'Brien Stage (01:07:39)
Final Thoughts (01:24:51)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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Exploration and Expanding Knowledge.
The worldview depicted in the Star Trek universe is grounded in the assumption that the pursuit of increased knowledge is intrinsically valuable, such that it is worth the risks and dangers inherent to exploration of the unknown. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling examine this underlying assumption of the Star Trek universe: Does knowledge have intrinsic value or merely instrumental value? What ethical and practical constraints should be placed on the pursuit of knowledge? Should all knowledge be open-source and publicly available, or are some forms of knowledge tainted by having been achieved through ethically questionable methods? Join Mike and Zachary as they explore and expose the hidden tensions in the pursuit of knowledge and of the exploration of the unknown in the Star Trek universe.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 66 (00:01:07)
The Intrinsic Value of Knowledge as the Underlying Assumption of the Star Trek Universe (00:06:18)
Intrinsic Value vs. Instrumental Value (00:08:56)
The Risks of Exploration (00:15:10)
Starship Captains and Chutzpah (00:22:05)
Species Authenticity - The Rational Animal (00:23:46)
Ethical Constraints on the Intrinsic Value of Exploration (00:34:13)
Tainted Knowledge vs. Open-Source Knowledge (00:39:54)
Gnosticism and The Omega Directive (00:45:00)
Essential Attributes vs. Non-Essential Attributes (00:52:35)
The Unknown - We Don't Know What We Don't Know (01:07:07)
Science without Scientism (01:14:47)
Final Thoughts (01:17:47)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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"Birthright," Parts I and II.
In the sixth-season episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Birthright," Parts I and II, there are parallels between Lieutenant Worf and the Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. Both Worf and Socrates were accused of corrupting the minds of the youth, both were protesting the perceived injustices and irrationality of the established state, and both were sentenced to death by execution (a fate escaped by Worf more successfully than by Socrates!).
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the similarities and dissimilarities of Worf and Socrates. Had Worf been successfully executed, would Worf have been remembered in future Klingon history as a martyr and as the founder of a new Klingon philosophical movement, Worfism (and eventually neo-Worfism), emphasizing the ideal form of the Klingon Empire?
In addition, Zachary and Mike discuss ancestral and cultural identity, both in the galactic melting pot of the Star Trek universe and in our globalized society here in the real world. Finally, not forgetting the subplot of the emergence of Lt. Commander Data's newfound ability to dream, Zachary and Mike discuss the role and significance of dreams and mythology in a modern, progressive, scientific, and rationalistic society.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 65 (00:01:06)
Worf and Socrates (00:03:08)
Worf the Martyr and Neo-Worfism (00:10:56)
Slavery, Melting Pots, and Cultural Identity (00:28:13)
Fatherless Data and Worf - Identity and Meaning (00:37:10)
Klingon Beatnik - "Hey, Mr. Bat'leth Man, Slay a Targ for Me" (00:48:48)
Modernity, Dreams, and Mythology (00:56:11)
Cosplay and Choosing Your Own Identity (01:07:44)
Final Thoughts (01:11:10)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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TNG Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their top picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 6 of Star Trek: The Next Generation. From Cartesian skepticism of the external world in "Ship in a Bottle" to transporter-related issues of personal identity in "Second Chances," season 6 of Star Trek: The Next Generation contains some of the most well-known and often-cited philosophical episodes in all of Star Trek. Most importantly, though, find out whether Lieutenant Worf drinks the Romulan hemlock for corrupting the minds of the youth in "Birthright, Part II."
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 64 and Essential TNG Season 6 (00:01:07)
Dedication to Beth Ann Allen (00:06:17)
Time's Arrow (00:07:21)
Man of the People (00:13:38)
Rascals (00:17:28)
Tapestry (00:22:31)
Ship in a Bottle (00:34:09)
Frame of Mind (00:35:10)
Birthright (00:39:16)
Rightful Heir (00:48:47)
Second Chances (00:53:46)
Quality of Life (00:58:20)
Final Thoughts (01:01:08)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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The Definition of Life.
"To seek out new life...." Such is the mission statement of Federation starships, to discover and learn as much as possible about life in the universe. But given the diversity of life forms in the Star Trek universe, here on Earth in the real world, and possibly elsewhere in our own galaxy, how do you recognize a new lifeform as life when you first encounter it, especially exotic or non-carbon-based lifeforms?
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophical and scientific challenges of determining a precise definition of "life," both inside and outside of the Star Trek universe. Is it possible to give a definition of "life" that is broad enough to include radically different forms such as silicon-based life (e.g., the Horta in Star Trek: The Original Series) and non-corporeal life (e.g., the wormhole aliens in Deep Space Nine), but also narrow enough to exclude nonliving entities that merely mimic signs of life?
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 63 (00:01:07)
Dr. Crusher's Definition of Life (00:02:01)
Defining "Definition" (00:02:40)
Silicon-Based Lifeforms (00:47:30)
Non-Corporeal Lifeforms (01:12:09)
Other Fringe Lifeforms (01:19:30)
Closing (01:30:05)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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Cloaking Devices and the Ring of Gyges.
Invisibility has a long tradition both in fiction and in philosophy, from The Ring of Gyges in Plato's Republic to The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells, from the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien to the Klingon and Romulan cloaking devices seen throughout the Star Trek universe. In this episode of Meta Treks hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling discuss the ethics of invisibility. Do these fictional invisibility devices reveal the true darkness of our inner nature, or is the power of invisibility a seductive and corrupting force that leads to a spiral of moral decay? Is it possible, through the cultivation of moral virtues, habits, and training, to shield oneself against the influence of the temptations of anonymity? And speaking of invisibility rings and cloaking devices, Mike and Zachary ask the deepest question of all: what exactly would Captains Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, and Archer do with unfettered access to a personal cloaking device or an invisibility ring?
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 62 (00:01:07)
The Ring of Gyges and the Ethics of Invisibility (00:03:32)
Romulan and Klingon Cloaking Devices (00:11:38)
Star Trek VI - It Has to Have a Tailpipe (00:13:56)
Klingon Honor - Don't Fire While Cloaked (00:15:59)
Romulans - Thieves in the Night (00:19:12)
Federation Cloaking Devices in TNG and DS9 (00:21:16)
WWCD - What Would the Captains Do? (00:29:06)
Does Invisibility Corrupt or Reveal Human Nature? (00:35:30)
The Sonic Shower Stipulation (00:44:31)
Just One Little Step - The Nature/Nurture Debate (00:50:12)
Cultivating Moral Habits - Defeating Temptation (00:55:10)
"The Pegasus" and "Equinox" - A Slippery Slope (01:03:49)
Lightness, Darkness, and Privacy (01:09:28)
Closing (01:18:02)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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DS9 Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy with Duncan Barrett, Part 2.
In this second part of a two-part episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison continue their discussion with author Duncan Barrett about their top picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 6 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 61 (00:01:08)
Profit and Lace (00:03:08)
Far Beyond the Stars (00:14:47)
Waltz (00:34:60)
Honorable Mentions (01:09:56)
Recap and Final Thoughts (01:15:13)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Guest
Duncan Barrett
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Norman Lao (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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DS9 Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy with Duncan Barrett, Part 1.
In this first part of a two-part episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by author Duncan Barrett to discuss their picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 6 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Much of Season 6 of Deep Space Nine can be framed in terms of Thomas Hobbes's conception of a State of Nature outside of civilized society, in which actions in war are not bound by ethical consideration. Duncan Barrett, however, explains Season 6 of Deep Space Nine and the Cardassian occupation of Bajor by comparison with the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 60 (00:01:09)
Introducing Duncan Barrett and Initial Thoughts (00:02:56)
Rocks and Shoals (00:14:49)
In the Pale Moonlight (00:40:33)
Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night (00:50:34)
Statistical Probabilities (01:05:00)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Guest
Duncan Barrett
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Norman Lao (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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Disobeying Orders.
Starfleet officers generally respect the chain of command. When an order comes down the pipe from a superior officer or from the Federation council, that order is usually obeyed out of duty, honor, loyalty, and respect. But when is it appropriate for a Starfleet officer to disobey orders or defy the chain of command? When an unjust order comes from one of the many "badmirals" in the Star Trek universe? When the lives of your shipmates are in imminent danger? Out of friendship or conflicting loyalties? In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the ethics of rule-breaking and disobeying orders in the Star Trek universe and beyond!
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 59 (00:01:07)
Initial Thoughts and Examples (00:01:48)
Motivations for Disobeying Orders (00:06:42)
The Chain of Command - Intrinsic Value vs. Pragmatic Value (00:16:40)
Philosophical Justification for Following Orders (00:45:50)
Inquiries and Courts-Martial (01:00:54)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Norman Lao (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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Dimensions.
Reflecting on dimensions has a long history in popular culture, from the geometrically minded satirical novella Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott to the 1937 film The Fourth Dimension by director Jean Painleve. But how is the relationship between different dimensions explored in the Star Trek universe? From a plane of two-dimensional beings in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Loss," to higher-dimensional beings like members of the Q continuum with their ability to pop in and out of three-dimensional space at will, Star Trek is replete with examples of dimensional interplay.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by Trek.fm Patreon manager and host of Melodic Treks and Warp Five, Brandon-Shea Mutala, to discuss the physics, the philosophy, and the geometry of dimensions in the Star Trek universe.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 58 (00:01:09)
Introducing Brandon-Shea Mutala and Patreon (00:01:58)
Flatland and The Fourth Dimension (00:15:26)
Time as a Dimension vs. Higher Spatial Dimensions (00:18:46)
Lower-Dimensional and Higher-Dimensional Beings (00:21:01)
Bending Space - Warp Drive and Wormholes (00:30:28)
Higher-Dimensions and Omniscience (00:43:20)
Slices of Cheese - Alternate Three-Dimensional Realms (00:45:51)
Four-Dimensionalism and Wormhole Aliens (00:50:23)
The Motion Picture and Visualizing Dimensional Slices (00:57:28)
Fluidic Space - A Different Kind of Cheese (00:59:07)
Captain Proton and The Fifth Dimension (01:03:12)
Dimensions in Theoretical Physics - String Theory (01:04:46)
The Paranormal and Pseudoscience (01:08:26)
From Theoretical Physics to Experimental Physics (01:12:14)
Dimensions, Transporters, and Personal Identity (01:14:06)
The Mathematics of Higher Dimensions (01:16:57)
Final Thoughts (01:18:14)
Hosts
Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling
Guest
Brandon-Shea Mutala
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Norman Lao (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
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"Sacred Ground" and Religious Explanations.
What happens when a scientist has a religious experience not fully explainable by science? When Kes's life falls in jeopardy, Captain Janeway, with tricorder in hand and eagerly willing to face any challenge she might face, volunteers to participate in a religious ritual to petition the Ancestral Spirits of the Nechani (or rather, the Bajorans of the Delta Quadrant...) and plead for Kes's life.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss Captain Janeway's journey of self-discovery, as she learns to reconcile her faith in science with her openness to new experiences, including the question of whether the relationship between scientific explanations and religious explanations is one of contradiction, complementariness, or coherence.
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 57 (00:01:06)
Initial Thoughts on Sacred Ground (00:01:50)
The Nechani - Delta Quadrant Bajorans (00:06:00)
Sciencing the Religion - Bring Your Tricorder (00:08:27)
Is Science a Type of Faith? (00:10:56)
Modes of Explanation (00:14:16)
The Voyager Files - Kathryn Mulder and Dr. Scully (00:18:39)
Scientific Explanations for Miracles - Spirits of the Gaps (00:22:23)
Falsifiability and Private Religious Experience (00:35:58)
Kirekegaard and Religious Conviction - Comparison of Janeway/Kes to Abraham/Isaac (00:38:10)
Physical Challenge! The Mouth of Truth (00:41:57)
Analyzing Past Religious Experiences (00:47:21)
Janeway's Expectations and Waiting on the Spirits (00:50:10)
One Universe = Unified Explanations (01:00:55)
Final thoughts (01:02:27)
Hosts
Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
Production
Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Norman Lao (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)
Send us your feedback!
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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