“Jean-Luc Picard is back”: will new Picard show eclipse Discovery?

[jaime]

Nope, not at all.



The Spore network was inspired by an actual scientific theory.

Threshold wasn't.

Threshold is more plausible...if at warp ten tom was everywhere in the universe, then somewhere in that everywhere was something that mutated him

Is really genuinely an accepted as remotely possible theory that there is a mushroom network underpinning the entirety of existence? That it’s possible to somehow traverse a mushroom network of any scale?
Or is it just Alice In wonderland.

 

[Tuskin38]

Is really genuinely an accepted as remotely possible theory that there is a mushroom network underpinning the entirety of existence?

It's inspired by the connection of earth based mushrooms.

Discovery just sci-fied it by using fictional space mushrooms.

 

[Rahul]

All of these pretty objectively scientifically impossible. I don't quite see how there'd be a hierarchy of things that aren't possible at all.

The hierarchy isn't exactly a strong one, but goes somewhat from

• "Scientific bogus - but if it were true we wouldn't know about it"

to

• "Scientific bogus that we can pretty much exclude by only looking out of the window".

The former would be for example time travel, telepathy, Vampires and a lot of classic SF stuff: It's by all objective means bogus. But yet if they would really exist, they would be pretty hard to find, and are hard to definitely rule out with our current experience.

The latter is alternative Earth scenarios like Transformers fighting in WWII, a whole lot of Anime-realities which are clearly alternate realities of our real universe - and giant space mushrooms on which supersized tardigrades regularly visit our planet and which can be assessed by taking shrooms. While the former takes a level of disbelieve to get into (like accepting demons in Horror movies, or FTL in scifi) - the latter just clearly places the entire construct of cition in the realm of an alternate fantasy universe, like a steampunk world or Middle Earth. Which can be very interesting in it's own right, but completely falls flat if it's intention is to be a realistic depiction of our own future.

Suspension of disbelief is a bitch. It's pretty much different for every single person. But this is one of the common rules of seperating "enhanced realities" (which should take place in our universe - even if it's still fiction) from "elseworld tales" (which clearly depict another realm with different universe rules).

 

[Jinn]

Is really genuinely an accepted as remotely possible theory that there is a mushroom network underpinning the entirety of existence?

Well, there's a, er, fifteen part scientic publication that postulates a scenario like that and is associated with a big name in mushroom research.

 

[dahj]

If a Unicorn and a Twonicorn procreate do we get a Onepointfiveicorn? Or would it be a Halficorn?

Unicorns and Twonicorns are severely racist and don't procreate with the other species, mainly to prevent having a need to invent names like Onepointfiveicorn.

 

[Tuskin38]

the spore drive is more believable then Threshold.

 

[Nerys Myk]

If a Unicorn and a Twonicorn procreate do we get a Onepointfiveicorn? Or would it be a Halficorn?

A Trinicorn. That's just math.

 

[dahj]

A Trinicorn. That's just math.

Beware, that road leads to Infinicorn...

 

[jaime]

Well, there's a, er, fifteen part scientic publication that postulates a scenario like that and is associated with a big name in mushroom research.

So, we haven’t discovered much in the way of higher or lower dimensions, and yet have already postulated that they have something that goes nice in a Bolognese lives there?
I think he really likes some mushrooms better than others....

 

[Jinn]

The hierarchy isn't exactly a strong one, but goes somewhat from

• "Scientific bogus - but if it were true we wouldn't know about it"

to

• "Scientific bogus that we can pretty much exclude by only looking out of the window".

The former would be for example time travel, telepathy, Vampires and a lot of classic SF stuff: It's by all objective means bogus. But yet if they would really exist, they would be pretty hard to find, and are hard to definitely rule out with our current experience.

The latter is alternative Earth scenarios like Transformers fighting in WWII, a whole lot of Anime-realities which are clearly alternate realities of our real universe - and giant space mushrooms on which supersized tardigrades regularly visit our planet and which can be assessed by taking shrooms. While the former takes a level of disbelieve to get into (like accepting demons in Horror movies, or FTL in scifi) - the latter just clearly places the entire construct in the realm of an alternate universe, like a steampunk world or anything. Which can be very interesting in it's own right, but completely falls flat if it's intention is to be a realistic depiction of our own future.

I still think that the Mycelial Network would fall into the first category. For one it was never said that giant space tardigrades ever visit our planet, just that they're generally around and use the Mycelial network to travel through space. Sure, it's possible that once a space tardigrade landed somewhere on Earth, but the same goes for Gormaganders or any other space lifeform in Trek. There is also no indication that the fungi that is used for the spore drive is native to Earth, it could be native to some other planet. So, I don't see how we could theoretically access the Mycelial network (you know, if it existed), thus it falls in the "Scientific bogus - but if it were true we wouldn't know about it"

Now more importantly:

Unicorns and Twonicorns are severely racist and don't procreate with the other species, mainly to prevent having a need to invent names like Onepointfiveicorn.

That's a good point. But what about the obligatory Romeo and Juliet-esque outsiders that want romance anyway?

A Trinicorn. That's just math.

I like your math skills!

 

[fireproof78]

Yup. Because it’s one and done.

It's called implications. The fact that it is accepted on its face makes it a part of the universe.

Genies out of the bottle though. This is like the reverse of the warp 5 speed limit, but just as damaging, and much harder to get around.

No, it really isn't.

It's Star Trek. The tech only matters when it has to matter. That's why the 24th Century isn't over run with androids, transwarp drives and Genesis planets.

Yup, exactly. The Spore drive is apparently only offensive because it involves mushrooms and that carries with it a lot of preconceived notions and biases.

 

[Rahul]

I still think that the Mycelial Network would fall into the first category. For one it was never said that giant space tardigrades ever visit our planet, just that they're generally around and use the Mycelial network to travel through space. Sure, it's possible that once a space tardigrade landed somewhere on Earth, but the same goes for Gormaganders or any other space lifeform in Trek. There is also no indication that the fungi that is used for the spore drive is native to Earth, it could be native to some other planet. So, I don't see how we could theoretically access the Mycelial network (you know, if it existed), thus it falls in the "Scientific bogus - but if it were true we wouldn't know about it"

That's why it isn't actually a strong hirarchy. You're not the only person willing to accept that idea to belong in one category rather than the other one - you have plenty back-up on this in this forum alone and, also, the creators of the show.

It's just a point of contention. Because many others - me included - don't see it that way, and have some strong arguments for that as well. That's what makes this all so difficult: It's not very clear in which box to put this one, and it depends on the suspension of disbelief of each individual. More than probably any other scientific bogus thing on Trek before.

 

[BillJ]

The Spore drive is apparently only offensive because it involves mushrooms and that carries with it a lot of preconceived notions and biases.

It isn't offensive, it simply doesn't fit with the original Star Trek. I think without being in the "Prime" box, it would be one heck of an interesting sci-fi idea to explore. Instead, we get something with a big red reset button attached to it right from the get go.

 

[fireproof78]

It isn't offensive, it simply doesn't fit with the original Star Trek. I think without being in the "Prime" box, it would be one heck of an interesting sci-fi idea to explore. Instead, we get something with a big red reset button attached to it right from the get go.

It is an interesting science fiction idea to explore. Don't care about the reset as long as I'm in with the story. Otherwise, prequels have zero storytelling value.

 

[BillJ]

Otherwise, prequels have zero storytelling value.

I've not seen too many that I've been enamored with, honestly.

 

[CorporalClegg]

It isn't offensive, it simply doesn't fit with the original Star Trek. I think without being in the "Prime" box, it would be one heck of an interesting sci-fi idea to explore. Instead, we get something with a big red reset button attached to it right from the get go.

This assumes the show is done with the mycelial network/spore drive. I don't think it is. In fact (assuming we get there) I think it will factor prominently in season 3.

Ultimately, the first season was all about building Micheal as a person. Season 2 will be about her interactions with the universe through both the physical and metaphysical. Season 3 will be the big payoff.

 

[Jinn]

That's why it isn't actually a strong hirarchy. You're not the only person willing to accept that idea to belong in one category rather than the other one - you have plenty back-up on this in this forum alone and, also, the creators of the show.

Well, I'm generally a person who just goes along with stuff on TV (as long as it's fairly self-consistent) and I think I'm pretty good at suspending my disbelief for about everything fictional

It's just a point of contention. Because many others - me included - don't see it that way, and have some strong arguments for that as well.

Would you mind laying some out for me? I haven't really been in this particular discussion before, so I'm fairly clueless

That's what makes this all so difficult: It's not very clear in which box to put this one, and it depends on the suspension of disbelief of each individual. More than probably any other scientific bogus thing on Trek before.

Yeah, this is probably true, although I think that the general prevailance of humanoid life also makes for a good contender.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Season 3 will be the big payoff.

With out money of course.

 

[BillJ]

Season 3 will be the big payoff.

Can you imagine the howls of fury if they hit the reset button on Discovery after three seasons?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Can you imagine the howls of fury if they hit the reset button on Discovery after three seasons?

Same at the rest.