Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast

Starship Phenomenology.  Phenomenology is a post-Kantian philosophical school of thought emphasizing conceptual analysis of the objects of your first-person mental experience. In this episode of Meta Treks, Zachary Fruhling leads Mike Morrison on a guided meditation starship phenomenology thought experiment as a Star Trek inspired lesson in phenomenology. Ultimately Mike and Zachary reach the conclusion that all of Star Trek, by pushing against the boundaries of society's norms, can be thought of as a type of phenomenological analysis of the human condition.  Chapters Welcome to Episode 38 (00:01:07) Phenomenology and the History of Philosophy (00:05:01) A Star Trek Phenomenology Thought Experiment (00:13:32) Guided Meditation - Picture a Starship (00:16:46) Bracketing the Nonessentials (00:18:52) A Starship Without Warp-Drive? (00:20:59) Seeing a New Starship (00:27:16) Starship Interiors (Incense and Sitar Music) (00:28:42) Why is Phenomenology Important? (00:36:55) Three Postulates - Consistency, Subject

Deep Space Nine Season 7: Essential Trek Philosophy.   The final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had several jobs to do: from continuing the character arcs of an ensemble cast to wrapping up the Dominion War story line. But in addition to character arcs and story lines, season 7 of Deep Space Nine also continued what Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison have termed "philosophy arcs." From the nature of conjoined consciousness to a look at the best and worst of human nature (through Ferengi eyes), season 7 of Deep Space Nine explores well-trodden Star Trek philosophy territory but with nuances and scenarios unique to Deep Space Nine.  Chapters Welcome to Episode 37 (00:01:07) Initial Thoughts on Deep Space Nine: Season 7 (00:01:25) When It Rains... (00:05:51) Extreme Measures (00:08:43) After Image (00:20:41) Treachery, Faith, and the Great River (00:32:51) The Dogs of War (00:36:02) Honorable Mention: Covenant (00:37:34) Honorable Mention: Tacking Into the Wind (00:47:46) It's Only a Paper Moon (00:49:06

The Philosophy of Star Trek Beyond.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling share their initial thoughts on the philosophical themes and overall message of Star Trek Beyond. From the existential journeys of Kirk and Spock, to Spock's moral obligation to his own endangered species, to Balthazar Edison's resentment-based militarism and perpetual war, Star Trek Beyond continues the ongoing Star Trek tradition of philosophical and character-driven exploration of the human condition.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 36 (00:01:06)  Initial Impressions of Star Trek Beyond (00:03:08)  The Existential Journeys of Kirk and Spock (00:21:51)  Spock's Moral Obligation to His Own Endangered Species (00:41:29)  The Tragedy of Balthazar Edison - Militarism and Perpetual War (01:03:01)  The Message of Star Trek Beyond (01:15:32)  To Absent Friends - Remembering the Past, Living for the Future (01:21:29)  Final Thoughts (01:27:30)   Hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling   Production Mike

The Divine Comedy.   In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the classic work of literature The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri and its relevance to the Star Trek universe. Dante's semi-autobiographical, mythical tale of a redemptive and self-reflective journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, led by the poet Virgil (Dante's symbol of human reason) and the lady Beatrice (Dante's symbol of divine love), has become an archetypal metaphor for going astray and being led back to one's true path.   Many characters in the Star Trek universe have gone astray, whether literally as in the case of the Voyager crew lost in the Delta Quadrant, or metaphorically as in the case of characters with deep personal struggles, such as Wesley Crusher, Worf, and Benjamin Sisko. These and other Star Trek characters who have gone astray are frequently visited by quasi-mystical messengers, analogous to Virgil and Beatrice in The Divine Comedy, who lead them on a journey and back to thei

Nationalism.   It is a commonly-held belief that humans in the 23rd and 24th century world of Star Trek have progressed beyond nationalism. The Federation, however, is only one of many intra-galactic nation states. The Federation, the Romulan Empire, the Klingon Empire, and the Cardassian Empire each has its own "national" symbols, colors, political structure, and cultural values. To what extent has the Federation helped humanity transcend the need for nationalism, and to what extent is it still bound by nationalism but on a larger, galactic scale? In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling debate the role of nationalism in the Star Trek universe, asking the fundamental question, "Is nationalism something to be transcended or to be embraced within the idealism of Star Trek's vision of the future?"   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 34 (00:02:02)  Brexit and Withdrawing from the Federation (00:03:11)  Bajoran Nationalism - To Join the Federation or not

"Cause and Effect" and the Metaphysics of Time.   In this 33rd episode of Meta Treks, "All Threes," hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison use the TNG episode "Cause and Effect" as the starting point for a discussion on the physics and the metaphysics of time. Zachary and Mike consider the core philosophical questions about the nature of time, such as ontology (whether the past and the future really exist), duration (why time moves at the rate it does), movement (whether there is a flow of time or whether events are fixed in time), linear time versus branching time, subjective time versus objective time, reconciling relativistic physics of time with quantum physics of time, and whether time is "out there" or imposed on reality by the mind.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 33 (00:01:20)  Initial Thoughts on "Cause and Effect" (00:04:39)  Spacetime - Time is Malleable (00:14:32)  The Physics of Time and the Metaphysics of Time (00:16:06)  Four Dimensionalism - Do the Present and Future Exist? (00:24:42)  Circ

Voyager Season 7 - Essential Trek Philosophy.  In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their selections for "Essential Trek Philosophy" from season 7 of Star Trek: Voyager. From Cartesian skepticism in "Unimatrix Zero" and "Workforce," to medical ethics and the ethics of bioengineering in "Critical Care" and "Lineage," season 7 of Voyager continues Star Trek's philosophical exploration of the human condition right up until the very end of the Voyager journey.  Chapters Welcome to Episode 32 (00:01:06) Initial Thoughts about Voyager and Season 7 (00:01:43) New iTunes Review of Meta Treks (00:06:30) About our "Essential Trek Philosophy" Series (00:09:57) Critical Care (00:12:29) Unimatrix Zero (00:23:04) Lineage (00:30:08) Repentance (00:41:08) Workforce (00:54:55) Body and Soul (01:02:34) Prophecy (01:21:48) Final Thoughts (01:29:56)  Hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling  Production Mike Morrison (Editor and Producer) Norman C. Lao

Speech Acts and Performative Utterances.  In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophical and linguistic issues of speech acts and performative utterances. Many different kinds of speech acts can be found inside Star Trek, including taking oaths and granting promotions, saying wedding vows and pronouncing marriages, naming androids and christening starships, auto-destruct commands, replicator orders, and transfers of command, to name a few. Zachary and Mike discuss different examples of performative utterances in Star Trek and the role they play in a free society.  In addition, Zachary and Mike consider objections to the concepts of speech acts and performative utterances from the philosophical standpoints of relativism and reductionism.  Chapters Welcome to Episode 31 (00:01:23) What are Speech Acts and Performative Utterances? (00:02:25) Wedding Vows in Star Trek (00:12:32) Speech Acts and Cultural Relativism (00:25:25) Klingons and Ritual Storytelling (00

The Philosophy of Insurrection.   Coming off the heels of the blockbuster success of Star Trek: First Contact, the next TNG-era feature film Star Trek: Insurrection returned to Star Trek's philosophical roots by focusing on a strong moral dilemma, social commentary, and character interaction. Although Insurrection is not usually cited as a fan-favorite among TNG-era Star Trek films, Insurrection is a classic Star Trek morality play containing an impressive number of philosophical layers, given its otherwise lighthearted tone.   In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling explain their fondness for Star Trek: Insurrection and discuss its interwoven philosophical themes, such as the ethics of forced relocation and eminent domain, balancing the needs of the many with the rights of the few, civil disobedience and the responsibility to act on moral conviction, anti-technological social commentary, the themes of family and reconciliation, the Ba'ku Fount

Crime and Punishment.   Many different forms of punishment are depicted in Star Trek. From the Risa-like Federation penal colony in New Zealand to engramatic purges and twenty-year virtual prison sentences, Meta Treks hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the ethics of the various forms of punishment seen in the Star Trek universe. Zachary and Mike debate the different possible justifications of punishment in general, such as punishment as a deterrent, punishment as getting what you deserve, punishment as maximizing social utility, punishment as repaying a debt to society, punishment as redemption, and punishment as education. Given the real-world issues of increasing prison populations and the culture of criminalization, Star Trek provides a model of the best (and sometimes the worst) of human nature and of our ideals about how to handle the ever-present problems of crime and punishment in society.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 29 (00:01:06) New iTunes Review (00:02:45) The Ready Room - 200th Ep

Enterprise Season Four - Essential Trek Philosophy.  In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by fellow Trek.fm hosts Jeffrey Harlan and Norman Lao to discuss their top picks for "Essential Trek Philosophy" from season four of Star Trek: Enterprise. From the ethics of genetic engineering and disease control to the metaphysics of transporters and telepresence-controlled starships, Enterprise season four is loaded with philosophical issues and themes in the highest Star Trek tradition.   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 28 (00:01:06)  Welcome Norman Lao (00:02:23)  Welcome Jeffrey Harlan (00:03:23)  Initial Thoughts (00:04:04)  Home (00:09:48)  Observer Effect (00:20:16)  The Aenar (00:32:16)  Daedalus (00:45:57)  Demons/Terra Prime (01:00:36)  The Forge/Awakening/Kir'Shara (01:05:43)  Affliction (01:14:04)  The Augment Arc (01:22:02)  Norman and Jeffrey's Final Thoughts (01:23:59)  Final Thoughts (01:30:43)   Hosts Mike Morrison and Zacha

The Industrial Design Philosophy of Star Trek.  The tools, manufactured objects, and environments in Star Trek have many influences: futurism, minimalism, mid-century modernism, ergonomics, and transhumanism, to name a few. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison examine the industrial design philosophy of Star Trek. From its technological and social progressivism to its roots in 1960s counterculture, Zachary and Mike explore the implicit values and assumptions behind the industrial design philosophy of Star Trek. Zachary and Mike also debate the transformative potential of technology and its influence on the relationship between leisure and labor, both in the Star Trek universe and for us today.  Chapters Welcome to Episode 27 (00:01:08) Initial Thoughts (00:01:54) The Original Series - Design Philosophy and Technological Progressiveness (00:04:14) The Next Generation - User-friendliness and the Transformative Power of Technology (00:07:55) From TOS to TNG - From Jelly Beans

Euthanasia in Star Trek.  In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, we debate the ethical issue of euthanasia in Star Trek. From the flashback scene of Dr. McCoy removing his father from life support in Star Trek V, to the ritual suicide practices of various alien races, we examine a variety of examples of euthanasia in Star Trek. We also cover several key philosophical distinctions related to euthanasia, such as the distinction between voluntary and involuntary euthanasia and the distinction between active and passive euthanasia, along with competing arguments for and against euthanasia from the different moral standpoints of consequentialism, rule-based ethics, and virtue ethics.   Chapters Welcome to Episode 26 (00:02:02) Greek Etymology of "Euthanasia" - "Good Death" (00:04:45) Examples of Euthanasia in Star Trek (00:05:29) Euthanasia in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (00:07:51) Motivations for Euthanasia - Ending Suffering and Preserving Dignity (00:10:06) Klingon Euthanasia - A G

Risa and Hedonism.  What role does the pleasure planet of Risa play in the ethics of Star Trek? Is Risa the ultimate hedonistic escape from the moralistic constraints of life in the Federation? Or is Risa the ultimate embodiment of the Federation's ideals of tolerance and acceptance? In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss Risa, hedonism, and the clash of Federation values seen in the Deep Space Nine episode "Let He Who Is Without Sin." Zachary and Mike cover the different traditions of hedonism as expressed by the ancient Greek philosophers Aristippus and Epicurus, the value of different kinds of pleasures as expressed by the utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill, and the critique of morality based on fear and pleasure as expressed by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Finally, Zachary and Mike explore the most fundamental Risean question of all, "Is it the quantity of the horga'hns or the quality of the jamaharon?"  Chapters Welcome to Episode 25 (00:01:

The Bonding.   When Lieutenant Marla Aster is killed unexpectedly during an away mission under Lieutenant Worf's command, Worf takes young Jeremy Aster under his wing by participating in the Klingon ritual known as "R'uustai" ("The Bonding"). In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling explore the philosophical themes of death and loss. Mike and Zachary discuss meaning and the existential absurdity of life and death, the sociological and cultural role of rituals, Jeremy Aster's escapism and the illusion of happiness, the finality of death, and the sense of powerlessness in the face of death. Finally, Mike and Zachary continue the turbolift debate between Captain Picard and Counselor Troi about the wisdom of allowing children to live aboard a starship.   Chapters Welcome to Episode 24 (00:01:07)  Synopsis of TNG "The Bonding" (00:06:00)  Initial Thoughts (00:06:46)  Death, Meaning, and the Absurd (00:12:20)  Emotions and Death (00:16:47)  Worf and J

Vulcan Philosophy and Spinoza.   Meta Treks hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss aspects of Vulcan philosophy, such as logic and IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations). Zachary and Mike examine the philosophical roots of Vulcan philosophy in the work of the Western rationalist philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Spinoza's greatest work, Ethics, contains many aspects of Vulcan philosophy, such as logical deduction from first principles and axioms, determinism (or faith that the universe will unfold as it should), infinity and diversity within one infinite and unbound substance, and the suppression of harmful emotions. Given the many connections between Vulcan philosophy and Spinoza, Zachary and Mike are left wondering, "How exactly did those first Vulcan visitors to Earth manage to snag a copy of Spinoza's Ethics to take with them back home to Vulcan?"   Chapters  Welcome to Episode 23 (00:1:07)  IDIC in The Animated Series (00:02:07)  Vulcan Stoicism (00:03:18)  Star Trek VI - "Logic is the

Star Trek IV and Environmental Ethics.   In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling explore the issues of animal rights and environmental ethics in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In the wake of a recent announcement that Sea World is ceasing its captive orca (killer whale) breeding program, Mike and Zachary consider the possible justification for considering whales (and fire ants!) as beings entitled to moral consideration. From whale consciousness and intelligence, to whales' ability to feel pain, to whale pods and the ethics of care, Mike and Zachary have a whale of a time discussing environmental ethics down in Cetacean Ops. Chapters Welcome to Episode 22 and Initial Thoughts (00:01:10)  Changing Sensibilities - Whale Shows and Breeding in Captivity (00:04:56)  Synopsis of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (00:10:00)  Whale Consciousness and Intelligence - Kantian Ethics (00:12:22)  Whale Pain and Pleasure - Utilitarian Ethics (00:22:27)  Whale Com

Manu Intiraymi.   In this episode of Meta Treks, we're joined by Manu Intiraymi, also known as "Icheb" on Star Trek: Voyager. Together we talk about Manu's experiences joining the Voyager cast, the role of Icheb in the Voyager family, and the evolution of Icheb's character in the fan film Star Trek: Renegades. We also talk about Manu's latest film project, The Circuit, a multi-genre anthology film starring several Star Trek alumni. We conclude with some philosophical musings on the best and worst of human nature, and with some final thoughts on the differences and similarities between Manu the person and Icheb the fictional character. Chapters Welcome to Episode 21 (00:01:10) Introducing Manu Intiraymi (00:04:10) A Clint Eastwood Story (00:05:03) Joining the Voyager Cast (00:07:32) Icheb and the Voyager Family (00:11:56) The Meaningfulness of Being in Star Trek (00:18:40) Character Evolution for Icheb in Renegades (00:25:21) Future Directions for Star Trek (00:29:40) The Best and Worst of Human Nature (00:3

Preemptive War and Star Trek Into Darkness.   Star Trek has a long tradition of dealing with ethical, social, and political issues in the real world, and Star Trek Into Darkness is no different. One of the most important issues in the world today is how far a society should go to protect itself. What freedoms should we be willing to give up for sake of safety and security? Should a government be allowed to spy on its own citizens? And is it morally and ethically permissible to start a preemptive war with a real or perceived enemy? Star Trek Into Darkness tackles this last question head-on through Admiral Marcus's attempt to start a preemptive war against the Klingons. In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling examine the ethical issue of preemptive war as the principle ethical dilemma in Star Trek Into Darkness.   Chapters Welcome to Episode 20 (00:01:07) Preemptive War and Star Trek Into Darkness (00:03:12) The Portrayal of Khan (00:07:28) Synop

Hermeneutics in Star Trek.   Hermeneutics is the art and science of meaning and textual interpretation. In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss issues of meaning and interpretation in Star Trek. From how to interpret Bajoran sacred texts and prophecies, to the interpretation of Federation law and Starfleet regulations, to the meaning of the Star Trek franchise itself for us today, Zachary and Mike cover a range of philosophical issues related to meaning in Star Trek, such as: original meaning vs. new interpretations, literal meaning vs. metaphorical meaning, the relationship between interpretation and hierarchical power structures, changes in meaning due to evolving language, and various analytical techniques used in hermeneutics.   Chapters Welcome to Episode 19 (00:01:07) Finding New Meaning in Classic Trek (00:04:37) Hermeneutics - Meaning and Textual Interpretation (00:09:39) Original Meaning vs. New Interpretations (00:12:44) Inte