Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast

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

"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 (00:08:2

Voyager Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by Kay Shaw (associated producer of Meta Treks and co-host of Trek.fm's dedicated Voyager podcast, To The Journey) to discuss their top picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 6 of Star Trek: Voyager. From questions of personal identity in the death and resurrection of Lyndsay Ballard in "Ashes to Ashes" to the trouble with conspiracy-theory reasoning in "The Voyager Conspiracy," Mike, Zachary, and Kay cover the philosophical themes and highlights of one of Voyager's strongest seasons.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 56 (00:01:09)  Initial Thoughts on Voyager Season 6 (00:04:55)  Memorial (00:07:28)  Dragon's Teeth (00:23:14)  Blink of an Eye (00:32:14)  Ashes to Ashes (00:44:40)  The Voyager Conspiracy (00:54:06)  Child's Play (00:58:36)  Survival Instinct (01:04:47)  Honorable Mentions (01:13:11)  Recap and Final Thoughts (01:27:07)   Hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fr

Ferengi Virtue Ethics.  From the fur-wearing, whip-wielding villains of the early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation to the more developed and nuanced Ferengi in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, profit is the underlying motive for practically all Ferengi action. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss Ferengi virtue ethics, or which character traits uniquely define the Ferengi. But is this drive for profit an essential biological or psychological Ferengi instinct, or is the drive for profit a culturally reinforced learned behavior? Join Zachary and Mike as they discuss the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition and the need for a kinder, gentler Ferenginar.  Chapters Welcome to Episode 55 (00:01:43) Initial Thoughts on the Ferengi (00:02:52) Rules of Acquisition: Rule-Based Ethics or Virtue Ethics? (00:06:25) Profitability as an Underlying Ferengi Virtue (00:11:02) Character Exceptions (00:14:35) Ferengi Ed-Tech: Quark Speak & Spell (00:18:23) Nature vs. Nurture - Instinc

Paradoxes of Motion.   From the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea to the 20th century physicist Albert Einstein, philosophers and scientists for thousands of years have been preoccupied with attempting to understand the seemingly paradoxical nature of motion. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling discuss three of the most famous paradoxes of motion: Zeno's Arrow Paradox, Zeno's Dichotomy Paradox, and the Twin Paradox from Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. Together Mike and Zachary recount their Star Trek themed interpretation of these classic paradoxes of motion: The Photon Torpedo Paradox, the Nenebek Paradox, and the Delaney Sisters Paradox.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 54 (00:01:07)  Initial Thoughts and Defining "Paradox" (00:02:38)  Zeno's Arrow Paradox or The Photon Torpedo Paradox (00:06:16)  Zeno's Dichotomy Paradox or The Nenebek Paradox (00:19:57)  Einstein's Twin Paradox or The Delaney Sisters Paradox (00:28:25)  Recap and Final Thoughts (00:45:28)

Children of Time.   In the Deep Space Nine episode "Children of Time," Captain Sisko and company discover a planet with a colony of 8,000 descendants of the Defiant crew, the Defiant having been marooned 200 years in the past as a result of the attempt to escape the quantum bubble surrounding the planet. Forced to choose between saving the life of Major Kira and preserving the timeline and lives of their 8,000 descendants (dashing any hope of returning home to their lives and families on Deep Space Nine), Captain Sisko must weigh the lives of 8,000 colonists and descendants, the life of Major Kira, and the individual rights of the Defiant crew members to determine their own destiny.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the many philosophical themes and issues in "Children of Time." From phenomenological reflection on genealogy and legacy, to the competing rights at play in this episode's principle ethical dilemma, Zachary and Mike share their perspectives on "Chi

Enterprise Season 3 - Essential Trek Philosophy.   Season three of Enterprise, with its Xindi story arc, is firmly situated in the post-9/11 era, concentrating principally on the ethics of justified warfare as a response to acts of terrorism. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling discuss the philosophical themes and their top picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season three of Enterprise. From consequentalist considerations about preemptive strikes to duplicate crew members and issues of personal identity, season three of Enterprise balances global political relevance, a season-length story arc, and episodic treatment of more abstract philosophical issues.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 52 (00:01:06)  2016 Retrospective (00:02:12)  Initial Thoughts on Enterprise Season 3 (00:11:47)  Similitude (00:14:58)  Chosen Realm (00:25:48)  North Star (00:37:53)  E2 (00:45:04)  Twilight (00:53:18)  Honorable Mentions (00:58:13)  Final Thoughts (01:07:35)   Hosts Mike Morrison an

Scientific and Medical Ethics.   In Deep Space Nine, we learn that the Bajoran scientist Dr. Mora Pol helped Odo achieve his full potential as a sentient, shape-shifting life form. Odo, however, carried deep-seated resentment for his initial treatment under Dr. Mora and for some of Dr. Mora's more invasive research methods. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss issues of scientific and medical ethics in Star Trek, including whether one is ever justified in causing harm to another living being for benefit of that being itself, for the benefit of other living beings, for a society's greater good, or for the sake of increasing scientific and medical knowledge.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 51 (00:01:07)  The Four Stages of Odo and Dr. Mora (00:02:25)  Sentience, Suffering, and Informed Consent (00:05:21)  Competing Ethical Theories on Scientific Research (00:13:56)  The Cardassian Factor - Comparing Dr. Mora Pol with Dr. Crell Moset (00:24:46)  Virtue Ethics - Clinica

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 cont

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 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) 

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) 

Federation Exceptionalism.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by Duncan Barrett, co-author of Star Trek: The Human Frontier, to discuss the concept of exceptionalism in Star Trek. Mike, Zachary, and Duncan consider various forms of exceptionalism, both here in the real world and in the Star Trek universe. Are humans exceptional lifeforms with unique properties and abilities compared to other life forms here on Earth? In the Star Trek universe, do humans have unique or exceptional abilities compared to members of various alien species? Is the Federation an exceptional political entity compared with neighboring political organizations such as the Romulan Empire or the Ferengi Alliance? How does Federation Exceptionalism compare and contrast with so-called American Exceptionalism? And is there a positive sense of exceptionalism that can avoid the pitfalls of superiority, cultural assimilation, colonialism, and hegemony while allowing for genuine progress toward

The Animated Series - Essential Trek Philosophy.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison are joined by Aaron Harvey, Trek.fm's art director and host of Saturday Morning Trek, to discuss their top picks for "Essential Trek Philosophy" from Star Trek: The Animated Series. Although Star Trek: The Animated Series is written off by some fans as a mere cartoon with no official place in the Star Trek canon, Zachary, Mike, and Aaron show that The Animated Series is filled with big ideas for growing minds, children and adults alike, and that The Animated Series is firmly inline with the philosophical issues and ideals that constitute the essence of Star Trek.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 45 (00:01:07)  Welcome Aaron Harvey (00:02:24)  Initial Thoughts about Star Trek: The Animated Series (00:03:45)  One of Our Planets is Missing (00:13:16)  The Infinite Vulcan (00:20:13)  Beyond the Farthest Star (00:23:22)  The Pirates of Orion (00:33:50)  The Survivor (00:40:07)  Bem (00:46:20) 

Borg Perfection.  Resistance against the Borg quest for perfection is usually futile. But what does perfection mean to the Borg, and how does this quest for perfection compare with the human quest for betterment? In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling share a philosophical analysis of the concept of perfection, including its meaning for the Borg, its relation to the human condition, the spiritual role perfection plays for the Borg, and arguments from the history of philosophy relying on the concept of perfection to prove the existence of an ens perfectissumum, or "most perfect being."  Chapters Welcome to Episode 44 (00:01:07) Initial Thoughts (00:01:58) The Borg Quest for Perfection vs. the Human Quest for Perfection (00:04:32) The Hubris of Perfectionism vs. Human Limitations (00:08:04) Humanism and Perfection (00:13:17) Defining Borg Perfection (00:18:52) Calling BS on the Borg Queen (00:23:14) The Symbolic and Spiritual Role of the Omega Molecule (00:26:02) Perfection an

The Trill.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison dive into the mud pits for a philosophical exploration of the Trill. From the etymology of the term "symbiont," to the precise nature of the shared consciousness between a symbiont and its host, to gender fluidity and identity, Zachary and Mike share multiple lifetimes of philosophical experience about all things Trill.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 43 (00:01:07)  Initial Thoughts on Dax and Trill Consciousness (00:02:07)  The Greek Roots of "Symbiont" (00:05:01)  Analyzing Trill Consciousness - One Consciousness or Two? (00:07:31)  Exploring the Boundary Conditions - Death of a Trill Host (00:24:33)  Personal Identity - Memory and Continuity of Experience (00:28:18)  Gender Identity, Gender Fluidity, and 1990s Gender Politics (00:40:05)  Personality Dominance - Host or Symbiont? (00:52:22)  Consciousness and Remote Sensory Apparatus (01:00:01)  Long Life Spans and Perspectives on Life (01:09:55)  Final Thoughts and Essent

Kevin C. Neece and The Gospel According to Star Trek.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by author and speaker Kevin C. Neece to discuss his new book, The Gospel According to Star Trek: The Original Crew. This first book in the Gospel According to Star Trek series explores the constructive connections between Star Trek and Christian theology. Kevin C. Neece argues that the humanism expressed in Star Trek is compatible with a rich tradition of Christian humanism, and that Star Trek's relationship with religion is more complex and nuanced than the typical atheistic interpretation recognizes. From Spock as a Christ metaphor in Star Trek II, III, and IV, to false Gods in The Original Series, Kevin C. Neece, Mike Morrison, and Zachary Fruhling explore the many-layered connections between the adventures of the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise and the worldview held by people of faith.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 42 (00:01:07)  Introducing Kevin C. Neece (

Justice.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the Next Generation episode "Justice." This first-season TNG episode deals with a range of issues in philosophy of law and punishment, such as the concept of strict liability, intrinsically wrong crimes versus statutory crimes, ignorance of the law as a defense, the death penalty as a deterrent, and the role of intentionality in determining culpability.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 41 (00:01:07)  Initial Thoughts on "Justice" (00:01:48)  Strict Liability (00:05:35)  Proportional Punishment (00:10:17)  Intrinsic Wrongs [malum in se] vs. Statutory Crimes [malum prohibitum] (00:13:18)  Eden and Original Sin - Balancing Tranquility and Justice (00:17:36)  Ignorance of the Law as a Defense (00:25:33)  Punishment Zones and Speeding Tickets (00:28:31)  The Death Penalty as a Deterrent (00:33:18)  Intentionality and Culpability (00:43:27)  Consequentialism - One Life versus a Thousand Lives (00:50:52)  The Prime Directive a

TNG Season 7 - Essential Trek Philosophy.   Season 7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation contained innovative and previously unseen visual depictions of abstract philosophical concepts such as the concept of emergent properties (TNG: Emergence) and the concept of an infinite number of possible worlds (TNG: Parallels), along with consideration of important ethical and environmental issues such as conservation of natural resources (TNG: Force of Nature). In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 40 (00:01:07)  Force of Nature (00:09:12)  Parallels (00:19:44)  Inheritance (00:26:22)  Journey's End (00:34:01)  Emergence (00:43:57)  All Good Things (01:01:33)  Homeward (01:04:07)  The Pegasus and Firstborn (01:13:19)  Lower Decks and Masks (01:16:17)  Final Thoughts (01:18:53)   Hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling   Production Mike Morrison (Editor a

Return to Tomorrow.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison continue the discussion from The Ready Room episode 201 about the Original Series episode "Return to Tomorrow." Zachary and Mike discuss the core philosophical themes of this TOS episode, including mind-body dualism, trans-humanism and future evolution, dependence on technology, sensualism and physical embodiment, and this TOS episode's commentary on religion and the afterlife.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 39 (00:01:06)  Initial Thoughts on "Return to Tomorrow" (00:02:06)  Synopsis of "Return to Tomorrow" (00:10:21)  Mind-Body Dualism (00:14:28)  Trans-humanism and Future Human Evolution (00:18:47)  Dependence on Technology (00:28:09)  Sensualism and Embodiment (00:35:29)  Oblivion and the Afterlife (00:44:16)  Risk is Our Business (00:59:53)  Final Thoughts (01:06:44)   Hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison   Production Mike Morrison (Editor and Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Execut