who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"?

xvicente · May 15 2013, 03:31 PM

I the real world, I mean. Certainly It was not invented in ST II , like the Klingon proverb.

Christopher · May 15 2013, 03:42 PM

I've found some sites claiming it's a quote from A Tale of Two Cities, which is referenced elsewhere in the film, but I searched the whole text at Project Gutenberg and it's not there.

Although the concept certainly predates The Wrath of Khan, it does seem that the exact phrasing did originate there.

King Daniel · May 15 2013, 03:49 PM

Surak. Dur.

Mysterion · May 15 2013, 05:14 PM

According to answers.com:

answers.com wrote:

Answer:

It wasn't a philosopher, but was first spoken by Leonard Nimoy's Spock in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. However, philosopher Jeremy Bentham had a similar quote: "It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong."

R. Star · May 16 2013, 12:22 AM

It was Shakespeare in the original Klingon text.

horatio83 · May 16 2013, 12:37 AM

King Daniel wrote:

Surak. Dur.

It definitely sounds like something Surak could have said or written. Given that the few later became the Romulans his line might not have been that smart.

Seriously, I like that Trek used different ethical ideas. On the one hand this utilitarian stuff, on the other hand the very opposite, liberal "human" rights, in "I, Borg".

cardinal biggles · May 16 2013, 06:49 AM

Christopher wrote:

I've found some sites claiming it's a quote from A Tale of Two Cities, which is referenced elsewhere in the film, but I searched the whole text at Project Gutenberg and it's not there.

Given the references at the beginning and end of the film (plus the references to other authors including Laclos and Melville), it's not surprising some viewers figured this was Meyer sneaking in yet another literary reference.

Christopher · May 16 2013, 01:53 PM

^Yeah, but they still guessed instead of checking, and that's a mistake.

sonak · May 16 2013, 07:57 PM

Mysterion wrote:

According to answers.com:

answers.com wrote:

Answer:

It wasn't a philosopher, but was first spoken by Leonard Nimoy's Spock in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. However, philosopher Jeremy Bentham had a similar quote: "It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong."

yeah, the idea is basically classical utilitarianism.

Greg Cox · May 16 2013, 08:26 PM

Yeah, I don't think it's a quote or allusion. Just a bit of Vulcan logic.

May 15 2013, 03:31 PM	#1
xvicente Lieutenant Commander	who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"? I the real world, I mean. Certainly It was not invented in ST II , like the Klingon proverb. __________________ ----------------------------------------------------------- I am here to talk about Star Trek and chew bubble gum. and I'm all outta bubble gum.

May 15 2013, 03:42 PM	#2
Christopher Writer	Re: who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"? I've found some sites claiming it's a quote from A Tale of Two Cities, which is referenced elsewhere in the film, but I searched the whole text at Project Gutenberg and it's not there. Although the concept certainly predates The Wrath of Khan, it does seem that the exact phrasing did originate there. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

May 15 2013, 03:49 PM	#3
King Daniel Admiral Location: KingDaniel has fallen Into Darkness (in England)	Re: who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"? Surak. Dur. __________________ Star Trek Imponderables, fun video mashups of Trek's biggest continuity errors. Episode One Episode Two

May 16 2013, 12:22 AM	#5
R. Star Commodore Location: Terra 3	Re: who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"? It was Shakespeare in the original Klingon text. __________________ "I was never a Star Trek fan." J.J. Abrams

May 16 2013, 01:53 PM	#8
Christopher Writer	Re: who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"? ^Yeah, but they still guessed instead of checking, and that's a mistake. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

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May 16 2013, 08:26 PM	#10
Greg Cox Vice Admiral Location: Oxford, PA	Re: who said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"? Yeah, I don't think it's a quote or allusion. Just a bit of Vulcan logic. __________________ www.gregcox-author.com