The morality of the Prime Directive

[Alucard788]

Yes! Follow the flipping Prime Directive Starfleet, and leave those aliens alone! >_>

If they had done that more often they wouldn't have been in half the trouble they got into....also imposing human beliefs on a species just because they feel it's 'right' was never a good idea.

To me Starfleet should have been teaching diversity and respect, not homogenization and imperialism...like what they were actually doing.

Yea...I never really liked Star Trek. >_<

 

[BlastedTheWorm]

Didn't Mass Effect deal with this? They interfered with the krogan so they could stop the rachni, but then the krogan became the threat?

 

[Thaluikhain]

The rule is absolute, as far as I can tell. No possibly exceptions to the rule are given. There's no discussion of limited interference, or extenuating circumstances.

That's generally not a good idea.

Also, it's a cliche. I think Doctor Who introduced this before Star Trek did...IIRC, wasn't the Prime Directive a TNG thing, not TOS?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Nope, Every civilisation must run it's course and reach their advancements on their own. Think about it, If you are given a really complex mathematical equation and then given then answer by someone, you have not learned anything. If you work it out you have figured out how to solve it.

Pretty much this. Also consider what would happen if you say gave a nuclear warhead to a caveman. The caveman doesn't have the intelligence nor the discretion to use that warhead wisely (although I don't think there is a wise use for a nuclear warhead, but that's beside the point) and will likely blow his enemies, as well as himself, and everyone else to Narnia.

I personally think "developed" *sarcastic air quotes* nations today should have a similar policy in regards to developing or 3rd world nations.

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

Direct involvement would be a bit overboard...but helping them out along the way seems like a good alternative. For instance...nudging that 100 mile wide asteroid out of the way or preventing other rampaging alien civilizations from wiping them out.

What if that asteroid has a deep religious significance, and it's coming was foretold as being the gateway to that civilization's "heaven"?

I would still move the asteroid. That would throw them for a loop.

All hail the new god, Shameduser!

The rule is absolute, as far as I can tell. No possibly exceptions to the rule are given. There's no discussion of limited interference, or extenuating circumstances.

That's generally not a good idea.

Also, it's a cliche. I think Doctor Who introduced this before Star Trek did...IIRC, wasn't the Prime Directive a TNG thing, not TOS?

They actually break it a few times in Star Trek for a few different reasons, including one time when an alien race came to see the Enterprise as a god type object. They had to tell the truth to prevent the race from following a false religion and destroying themselves over it.

 

[Thaluikhain]

The rule is absolute, as far as I can tell. No possibly exceptions to the rule are given. There's no discussion of limited interference, or extenuating circumstances.

That's generally not a good idea.

Also, it's a cliche. I think Doctor Who introduced this before Star Trek did...IIRC, wasn't the Prime Directive a TNG thing, not TOS?

They actually break it a few times in Star Trek for a few different reasons, including one time when an alien race came to see the Enterprise as a god type object. They had to tell the truth to prevent the race from following a false religion and destroying themselves over it.

That's true, but it's supposed to be absolute. It's not supposed to be a guideline to be followed when helpful, it's a set in stone rule that Picard repeatedly has to break...he gets away with it every time because ending the series with them all in prison would sorta suck, not because the rules allow him to.

After the first few times someone has to violate their most important law, either they change the law or stop putting that guy in charge of your flagship.

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

The rule is absolute, as far as I can tell. No possibly exceptions to the rule are given. There's no discussion of limited interference, or extenuating circumstances.

That's generally not a good idea.

Also, it's a cliche. I think Doctor Who introduced this before Star Trek did...IIRC, wasn't the Prime Directive a TNG thing, not TOS?

They actually break it a few times in Star Trek for a few different reasons, including one time when an alien race came to see the Enterprise as a god type object. They had to tell the truth to prevent the race from following a false religion and destroying themselves over it.

That's true, but it's supposed to be absolute. It's not supposed to be a guideline to be followed when helpful, it's a set in stone rule that Picard repeatedly has to break...he gets away with it every time because ending the series with them all in prison would sorta suck, not because the rules allow him to.

After the first few times someone has to violate their most important law, either they change the law or stop putting that guy in charge of your flagship.

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

True...so they should stick "except if you're a French guy with a British accent that makes speeches all the time" on the end of the Directive, at the very least.

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

True...so they should stick "except if you're a French guy with a British accent that makes speeches all the time" on the end of the Directive, at the very least.

"With an awesomely shiny bald head."

Can you believe I know someone who thinks Riker is cooler? Fool!

 

[Thaluikhain]

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

True...so they should stick "except if you're a French guy with a British accent that makes speeches all the time" on the end of the Directive, at the very least.

"With an awesomely shiny bald head."

Can you believe I know someone who thinks Riker is cooler? Fool!

Hmmm...someone who's heard too many French jokes?

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

True...so they should stick "except if you're a French guy with a British accent that makes speeches all the time" on the end of the Directive, at the very least.

"With an awesomely shiny bald head."

Can you believe I know someone who thinks Riker is cooler? Fool!

Hmmm...someone who's heard too many French jokes?

Someone who... admires William's way with the ladies. *cough*

 

[Thaluikhain]

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

True...so they should stick "except if you're a French guy with a British accent that makes speeches all the time" on the end of the Directive, at the very least.

"With an awesomely shiny bald head."

Can you believe I know someone who thinks Riker is cooler? Fool!

Hmmm...someone who's heard too many French jokes?

Someone who... admires William's way with the ladies. *cough*

Meh...that's an Informed Ability. And shouldn't be going on with people in the service anyway.

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

Picard is just too damn cool to conform.

But seriously, he is awesome, lol.

True...so they should stick "except if you're a French guy with a British accent that makes speeches all the time" on the end of the Directive, at the very least.

"With an awesomely shiny bald head."

Can you believe I know someone who thinks Riker is cooler? Fool!

Hmmm...someone who's heard too many French jokes?

Someone who... admires William's way with the ladies. *cough*

Meh...that's an Informed Ability. And shouldn't be going on with people in the service anyway.

He did do an awesome job with that episode about the aliens who have no gender. Remember the one? He meets one of them who wants to be female and stuff? Anyway, it was a really good metaphor for the whole LGBT community and I loved it.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Meh...that's an Informed Ability. And shouldn't be going on with people in the service anyway.

He did do an awesome job with that episode about the aliens who have no gender. Remember the one? He meets one of them who wants to be female and stuff? Anyway, it was a really good metaphor for the whole LGBT community and I loved it.

Ok, that one worked, because it was part of the story, not the usual (fairly weak) mucking about everyday interaction stuff.

 

[bombadilillo]

Michio Kaku often talks about the types of civilizations on this scale

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kardashev_scale

The transition between a type 0 and type 1 society is the most dangerous because you invent things like nuclear power and literally gain the ability to destroy yourselves. This is a very real possibility and he suspects that we will find many remnents of species that failed to make the transition. (it remains to be seen if we will)

Star Trek uses warp travel as its abritrary defining moment for a civilizations transition in type and ready for acceptance. 1. Because they can travel now and will discover things eventually. 2. Because it is assumed that they are stable enough of a species to be around.

Its partly darwinian, as in. If a species will destroy itself who are we to interfer so see if they do before contact. As stated before it is believed the the 0 to ttype 1 transition is the most dangerous. Its also party practical, as not wasting time and resources on a species that may or may not be around in a short while (cosmicly speaking)

 

[Snowy Rainbow]

Meh...that's an Informed Ability. And shouldn't be going on with people in the service anyway.

He did do an awesome job with that episode about the aliens who have no gender. Remember the one? He meets one of them who wants to be female and stuff? Anyway, it was a really good metaphor for the whole LGBT community and I loved it.

Ok, that one worked, because it was part of the story, not the usual (fairly weak) mucking about everyday interaction stuff.

They ended up giving him his own ship once the Enterprise retired, right? I imagine the prime directive might have something to say about him sexy up all those alien species >_>

Is your avatar from Blade Kitten or something like that? I remember seeing that kitty on a game in Steam.

 

[Thaluikhain]

They ended up giving him his own ship once the Enterprise retired, right? I imagine the prime directive might have something to say about him sexy up all those alien species >_>

Only ones that are at different levels of development (note there's nothing to stop the Federation from gaining new technologies). Though, I didn't know he got a new ship...he kept coming back for the movies.

Is your avatar from Blade Kitten or something like that? I remember seeing that kitty on a game in Steam.

Yeah, I wanted a game related avatar that'd stand out and figured few other people would be fans of Blade Kitten, for various reasons.