The most confused morals in Star Trek (and other scifi)

[Darth Wedgius]

It could be that the implication was that that the initial fraud would not have been enough to ruin Tarses, but it does contradict the literal interpretation. Picard's speechifying, not writing a computer program, so you can consider a bunch of things are being left unspoken.

Note two scenes early he had this exchange with Satin.

SATIE: And how, may I ask, have you managed to determine that?
PICARD: I've talked with him.
SATIE: I see. And he told you he was a victim of circumstance, blameless and pure.
PICARD: No, he admits his mistake in falsifying his application. That does not make him a traitor.

I actually looked that up before I responded to you earlier. So Satin knows that Picard has admitted the guys guilt of the falsifying his application charge, the later Picard speech has to be understood in light of that earlier admission.

If he were talking just to Satie in the court proceedings later, I might agree. But he seems (to me) to be talking to the entire audience. It's strictly a matter of how I perceived that, of course.

[AllanO]

If he were talking just to Satie in the court proceedings later, I might agree. But he seems (to me) to be talking to the entire audience. It's strictly a matter of how I perceived that, of course.

Well if the audience is the people watching the show we all saw that scene a few minutes earlier. Its clumsy writing for Picard to take what he said in private two scenes earlier as understood by everyone in this public court room scene. Still, why have that scene earlier if we are supposed to be ignoring it in understanding what Picard is thinking?

[Darth Wedgius]

If he were talking just to Satie in the court proceedings later, I might agree. But he seems (to me) to be talking to the entire audience. It's strictly a matter of how I perceived that, of course.

Well if the audience is the people watching the show we all saw that scene a few minutes earlier. Its clumsy writing for Picard to take what he said in private two scenes earlier as understood by everyone in this public court room scene. Still, why have that scene earlier if we are supposed to be ignoring it in understanding what Picard is thinking?

Sorry, I meant the entire audience in the proceedings where he made the show. The Starfleet guys, not the audience watching the TV.

And as far as that being poor writing, that's what I was thinking of it. There were a couple other things in that episode that made me unwilling to give it the benefit of the doubt. YMMV, of course.

[Durandal_1707]

On the theme of confused morals that are clearly the intended morals. The Cage/The Menagerie morals are that if your deformed best to live in a world of illusions (that "normal" people would die rather than be trapped in) rather than put up with the disgust and pity of those around you, (and in Menagerie) doubly so if you are also disabled (no other chance for a fulfilling life). Not just according to wishy washy human sentiment but rather to cold Vulcan logic. This has a partial external explanation by being a product of writers from a time when people were less accepting of visible deformity and the potential of people with disabilities to have fulfilling lives less appreciated, although I have to wonder if people at the time found it clueless and insulting.

Edit: Not sure this is a hopeful vision of the future...

An unintended confusion is why 20th century scientist Stephen Hawking has better technology to deal with his paralysis and inability to speak than 23rd century hero of the Federation Captain Pike?

Not to mention that line about going to Talos IV being the only death penalty left on the books. What twisted sense of priorities came up with that one?

What's the punishment for:

Murder? New Zealand.

Rape? New Zealand.

Genocide? New Zealand.

Blowing up star systems? New Zealand.

Trying to destroy the entire universe with antimatter? New Zealand.

Assisting the Borg so they can destroy countless entire civilizations? Become an Admiral.

Trying to go to this one planet with aliens on it that probably won't let you leave but will largely leave the rest of the galaxy alone? GET OUT THE FIRING SQUAD!

[TGLS]

I dunno. Mudd was punished with psychiatry for his hooliganism, so presumably they only send well-balanced renaissance men like Tom Paris to New Zealand.

[Durandal_1707]

I dunno. Mudd was punished with psychiatry for his hooliganism, so presumably they only send well-balanced renaissance men like Tom Paris to New Zealand.

Commit high treason; try to assist the Klingons in destroying the Federation: Psychiatry.

Try to go to that one damn planet: YOU HANG AT DAWN!!!

[TGLS]

And only if your Human. Andorians? Vulcans? Ferengi? Gorn? Cardassians? Totally Cool.

[Durandal_1707]

And only if your Human. Andorians? Vulcans? Ferengi? Gorn? Cardassians? Totally Cool.

Wait, how do you figure? Wasn't Spock the one who was in danger of getting executed by the draconian Talos Travel Ban?

[TGLS]

I thought that was why Spock put "Half-Vulcan" on the letter he and Pike wrote to the Feds. Must have remembered wrong.

[CharlesPhipps]

We can thank Gene Roddenberry for making it so dealing drugs wasn't punishable by death in City on the Edge of Forever.

Harlan Ellison (RIP) believed it was reasonable in the future.