Vulcans & Empaths

[Hahawaitwhat]

So, in one episode Troi reaffirms that Vulcans have emotions, they just suppress them. I was wondering since she seems to know that on an empathetic level if suppression of emotions is strong/good enough to shield them from empaths or if empaths always know what Vulcans are feeling regardless of their neutral, icy logical exteriors.

You would think Vulcans wouldn't really like being around empaths if the latter is true.

 

[Butters]

I’m not sure it’s just the Vulcans that wouldn’t like empaths knocking about, except when they’re deployed as front line customer service staff.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I think this is just common knowledge to those in the field.

 

[Marynator]

My current feeling is it's not that Vulcans don't have emotions, but they aren't ruled by emotions. Like us as humans, we make most of our decisions from our emotions? That's why our advertising is how it is, and why our politics are such a terrible mess, and why people believe really crazy theories. I feel Vulcans are our opposite, and they use reason and logic instead, and don't act emotional. So if you make a human mad, he might act violently, but a Vulcan would think about it and take a more reasonable course of action, after carefully weighing all her considerations?

 

[Nyotarules]

My theory is reading someone's thoughts and feelings is the same as hearing someone's voice so to put a block on that as a Vulcan they learn to develop telepathic mental shielding.
First Contact with Betazed ...Vulcan officer to navigator 'Turn around now Ensign, avoid this planet at all costs"

 

[Greg Cox]

Vulcans absolutely have emotions. The whole idea is that their emotions are so intense that they have keep them tightly under control at all times.

So, yes, I imagine empaths would make Vulcans uncomfortable since they've been conditioned to hide their emotions and think of them as primitive and shameful.

 

[FormerLurker]

My theory is reading someone's thoughts and feelings is the same as hearing someone's voice so to put a block on that as a Vulcan they learn to develop telepathic mental shielding.
First Contact with Betazed ...Vulcan officer to navigator 'Turn around now Ensign, avoid this planet at all costs"

The problem with this is that full Betazoids are true telepaths, so much more so than Vulcans. Empathic communication is something they can do from birth, and once they learn to put words, or the equivalent, to their ideas, they can do so much more with their minds. Each Betazoid is essentially Professor X.

 

[Nyotarules]

Most Betazoids develop telepathy from puberty, the ones born with it tend to have psychological issues as in the TNG Tin Man episode. So either Vulcans learn to suck it up when they come in contact with a Betazoid or avoid them altogether.

 

[Tim Thomason]

If Vulcan emotions are so intense, and definitely suppressed and bottled up, it's possible that the Empaths are the ones who have trouble dealing with Vulcans.

"I sense great rage, homicidal madness, and murderous thoughts!"
"That would be me. Would you please refrain from probing my mind?"
"Oh. Sorry, sir."

 

[Timo]

...It would have been hilarious for Spock to do the above when Miranda Jones went a-probing.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Refuge]

Most Betazoids develop telepathy from puberty, the ones born with it tend to have psychological issues as in the TNG Tin Man episode. So either Vulcans learn to suck it up when they come in contact with a Betazoid or avoid them altogether.

Betazoids without empathy/telepathy might be even more of an issue - Suder.

I think in the case of Suder who was mind melded by Tuvok (Vulcan) Tuvok came out worse for wear.

("Meld")

EMH: There's a definite neurochemical imbalance in the mesiofrontal cortex.
JANEWAY: Which means what?
EMH: That's where the Vulcan psycho-suppression systems are located. This may be the result of an incompatibility with the Betazoid telepathic neural centre, I'm not sure.

Suder was definitely changed for the better but poor Tuvok had his emotion psycho-suppression system cracked open like an egg. I guess both Betazoids and Vulcans can have telepathic abilities that would make them vulnerable to each other.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Vulcan control isn't just external, but internal as well. Situations will illicit an emotional response on a purely instinctual level, which would inform their decision making process and response, but after the initial spark their training would come into effect and keep it from controlling their behaviour.

 

[Nakita Akita]

I think that a Vulcan would be able to block their emotions,from themselves as well as Betazoids.
Thoughts might be a different issue.
Every thought isn't about homocide.
Someone could be planning out the rest of their day of thinking about having to go to the bathroom. Those aren't emotional thoughts.

 

[Nakita Akita]

My current feeling is it's not that Vulcans don't have emotions, but they aren't ruled by emotions. Like us as humans, we make most of our decisions from our emotions? That's why our advertising is how it is, and why our politics are such a terrible mess, and why people believe really crazy theories. I feel Vulcans are our opposite, and they use reason and logic instead, and don't act emotional. So if you make a human mad, he might act violently, but a Vulcan would think about it and take a more reasonable course of action, after carefully weighing all her considerations?

Do you think we make most of our decisions based on emotion?
I'd venture that I only make about 10% of my decision based on emotion.
I can't think of too many decisions, on a
daily basis that involve emotion.
Do you have examples?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Here's a question: If people on the ship are having sex or masturbating, would any Vulcans or Betazoids on board know about it?

 

[Hahawaitwhat]

Here's a question: If people on the ship are having sex or masturbating, would any Vulcans or Betazoids on board know about it?

Well, Vulcans are touch telepaths, so I doubt they would know unless they were actively helping... Betazoids? Well, are there definite emotions that are happening during sexual activity that don't happen any other time? I'm not sure I would call it emotion, per se.

 

[Nyotarules]

Here's a question: If people on the ship are having sex or masturbating, would any Vulcans or Betazoids on board know about it?

Those quarters should be sound and telepathic proof

 

[FormerLurker]

Well, Vulcans are touch telepaths, so I doubt they would know unless they were actively helping... Betazoids? Well, are there definite emotions that are happening during sexual activity that don't happen any other time? I'm not sure I would call it emotion, per se.

You're mistaking Deanna Troi's abilities for those of a typical Betazoid (her mother, for instance). Deanna is mixed race, half Betazoid and half human. Therefore her abilities are different, and much less, than a pure Betazoid, a race we know empirically to be full telepath. The emotions aside, the average Betazoid would know by reading the thoughts of those involved.