Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast

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 interpretation

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 B

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:

Star Trek Philosophy of Education.   An advanced future civilization such as the United Federation of Planets would surely have an equally advanced educational system. After all, we are told in Star Trek: The Next Generation that 24th century schoolchildren learn calculus in grade school aboard the Enterprise! But other than an accelerated math curriculum, what are the defining characteristics of the educational system and the philosophy of education within in the Star Trek universe?   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss 24th century philosophy of education. From Wesley Crusher's Starfleet Academy entrance exam and future educational technology, to issues of multiculturalism and pluralism in education aboard Deep Space Nine, Zachary and Mike go back to school for a refresher course on all things education in the Star Trek universe.   Be sure to listen carefully! There will be a quiz afterward, proctored of course by Quark's alternate-timeline schoolteacher avatar

Narratives and Metanarratives in Star Trek.   Throughout Western history, grand narratives, or metanarratives, have been used to define who we are and where we should be going as a people. These metanarratives have included things like the Enlightenment, the Scientific Revolution, Democracy, Marxism, Emancipation, and many other competing metanarratives that have made up the tapestry of Western civilization.   Star Trek, likewise, has its grand metanarratives, which tie together individual stories and narratives into a unified message about the future potential of humankind. These Star Trek metanarratives include things like technological progress, political unification, eliminating economic scarcity, and so on. But having seen the collapse of many of these grand narratives of Western civilization, or at least their dark underbellies, many people in today's postmodern times now take a skeptical view, or even a cynical one, about the plausibility of these idealistic grand metanarratives.   In this episode of

Pen Pals.   When Lt. Commander Data contacts a girl named "Sarjenka" from a pre-warp civilization in distress on his 24th-century space ham radio, it leads to a super-secret philosophical discussion about the nature of the Prime Directive in Captain Picard's quarters. Should the Prime Directive be interpreted strictly or loosely? How should Starfleet officers weigh the high-stakes, life-or-death consequences for an entire civilization against their responsibility and oath to uphold the Prime Directive? Would interpreting Sarjenka's "whisper in the dark" as a formal request for help count as "sophistry," as Captain Picard claims? And what role do friendships and emotions play in determining moral obligation in light of the Prime Directive?   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the second-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Pen Pals." But this is episode 73 of Meta Treks, and the number 73 has a very special meaning in Morse code in ham radio circles:

Enterprise Season 2 - Essential Trek Philosophy.  Season 2 of Enterprise contained numerous fun and interesting and science-fiction concepts and ideas, as the crew of the NX-01 encountered novelty and adventure going where no humans had ever gone before. But this season also explored a number of important philosophical and ethical issues, from the Kantian principle of not using other sentient beings as a means to your own ends in "Dead Stop" to the politics of gender and sexual identity in "Stigma."  In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling recount their choices for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 2 of Enterprise, along with proverbial life lessons learned from this season, such as the importance of getting down in the trenches with people who are struggling, standing up to bullies, and going the extra mile (or the extra light year) to rebuild damaged relationships.  Chapters  Intro (00:01:21) Essential Enterprise: Season 2 (00:09:08) Dead Stop (00:11:04) Stigma (00:22:

Future Human Cultural Evolution with Patrick Devlin.   In the Star Trek universe, the cultural progression of alien races is remarkably deterministic, as cultures proceed from their own versions of the stone age, to the bronze age, to the industrial age, and culminating in warp-capable civilizations that are fully fledged members of the galactic community.   But what reasons do we have for thinking that our own diverse human cultures will progress along the path laid out for us in the Star Trek universe? What are the different possible trajectories of future human cultural evolution? And what are the different causal factors that produce cultural change over time (societal, political, technological, or otherwise)?   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison are joined by Meta Treks associate producer Patrick Devlin to discuss future human cultural evolution, both inside the Star Trek universe and in our own world today.   Chapters  Intro (00:02:12)  Welcome to Patrick Devlin

Cardassian Virtue Ethics.   Throughout the Star Trek universe, the various alien races serve as a mirror for the best and the worst of our own human natures, and the Cardassians are no exception. But which character traits do the Cardassians find most virtuous? And which characters in the Star Trek universe are the best candidates for the ideal or most virtuous Cardassians, based on the unique character traits that Cardassians themselves recognize as virtues?   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling discuss Cardassian virtue ethics and what we can learn about ourselves from a look into Cardassian culture.   Chapters  Intro (00:01:21)  Cardassian Virtue Ethics (00:04:22)  Next Generation Cardassians vs. DS9 Cardassians (00:12:11)  Body Language and Projecting Values (00:18:14)  The Cardassian Übermensch (00:29:37)  Tribunal and the Ethics of the Cardassian State (00:35:08)  Industrial Design as a Reflection of Cardassian Values (00:48:50)  Self Sacrifice vs. Self Service and

"Rapture" and Altered States of Consciousness.  On the eve of Bajor's admittance into the Federation, an accident in one of Quark's holosuites results in the synapses being hyper-stimulated in Captain Sisko's brain. Captain Sisko enters a heightened state of awareness allowing him to locate the legendary Bajoran lost city of B'hala.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophical themes and concepts in the fifth-season Deep Space Nine episode "Rapture." From duck-rabbit Gestalt shifts to ineffable, private moments of clarity and insight, Zachary and Mike explore the the relationship between perception, knowledge, and altered states of consciousness.   Touching on other themes in "Rapture," Zachary and Mike also discuss the ethics of medical intervention and the therapeutic role of faith in healing and well-being. Finally, Zachary and Mike explore the political pros and cons of the Bajorans joining the Federation, when faced with re-surging Cardassian activ

The Original Series Season 2 - Essential Trek Philosophy.  Season 2 of Star Trek: The Original Series playfully explores human nature, what human nature is and what it could become, its place in the cosmos, and its relation to humanity's past, present, and future. From future Space Nazis in "Patterns of Force" to ancient Greek gods and Roman gladiators in space ("Who Mourns for Adonais?" and "Bread and Circuses"), TOS season 2 explores the best and the worst of human nature across the whole of human history. We also see the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise debate ethical questions about our relation to the unknown, from giant space amoebas in "The Immunity Syndrome" to the mystical powers of Korob and Sylvia in "Catspaw," along with the iterative development of one the defining concepts of the Star Trek universe, the noninterference principle known as "The Prime Directive."  In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling continue their philosophical retrospective of every season of Sta

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

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

"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

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)  Fina

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  Welco

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

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)  Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekf

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   Produ

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 Fru