Vulcans

[TopperHenly]

Firstly, a short intro. I haven't seen the new series but my favourite of the franchise is Deep Space 9 with long story arcs as well as having darker/morally ambiguous characters and stories.

I've just finished watching Enterprise and I while I skipped a lot of episodes of the first two series due to not finding a lot of characters not interesting enough, I did enjoy the series overall. I liked the world building it created of one with a number of great powers engaged in constant skirmishes and a sort of wild frontier in between that small time operators as well as minor/emerging powers like Earth are able to gain a foothold. I also liked how Klingon society was fleshed out more as well as with Vulcan society.

This post is to ask a few questions about Vulcans.

My understanding of the Vulcans in the Enterprise series is that they have deviated from the teachings of Surak and the Syrrannites onto one approved by the Vulcan High command. Do Vulcans in the later timeline which the other series are based in follow the Syrannites or the Vulcan High command?

In the Star Trek universe, Vulcans are aliens whose physiology causes them to experience extreme emotional reactions and they can only deal with this by dealing with their emotions. In the series, it is mentioned they suppress their emotions. Do they literally do this or is just a figure of speech when describing how they deal with their emotions? Also, is emotion suppression due to the teachings of Surak or by the Vulcan High command?

The impression I had also got was the Vulcan 'worldview' was one of logical black and white absolutions where for example things that didn't fit into that 'worldview' like time travel where deemed not possible and therefore, didn't exist. Am I right in saying that?

Hopefully there is some replies about this and other aspects of Vulcan can be brought up which I have forgotten about and further discuss.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

My understanding of the Vulcans in the Enterprise series is that they have deviated from the teachings of Surak and the Syrrannites onto one approved by the Vulcan High command. Do Vulcans in the later timeline which the other series are based in follow the Syrannites or the Vulcan High command?

Deviation is perhaps too strong a word. It might be better to think of it as having devolved from his teachings. Given that the Enterprise episodes make a point that Archer is making public Surak's actual writings, I woudl surmise that they were orginally preserved through word of mouth, thus easily corrupted through transmission.

In the Star Trek universe, Vulcans are aliens whose physiology causes them to experience extreme emotional reactions and they can only deal with this by dealing with their emotions. In the series, it is mentioned they suppress their emotions. Do they literally do this or is just a figure of speech when describing how they deal with their emotions? Also, is emotion suppression due to the teachings of Surak or by the Vulcan High command?

Suppress has many psychoanalytical connotations to be completely accurate. They aren't burying the memories of things that cause strong emotions. The emphasis has been always on developing mental abilities that allow for the individual to control emotions, most typically through meditation.

The impression I had also got was the Vulcan 'worldview' was one of logical black and white absolutions where for example things that didn't fit into that 'worldview' like time travel where deemed not possible and therefore, didn't exist. Am I right in saying that?

Short answer, there is a diversity of opinions on what role logic plays in daily life as well as in the universe in general. Have you seen The Undiscovered Country?

 

[Henoch]

I didn't think emotional control was at issue between the two sides; both strongly supported it. I thought the major rift/difference was Surak's teaching of pacifism. As for telepathic mind melding etc., I thought both sides still thought of it a dangerous and socially not acceptable.

 

[The Wormhole]

My understanding of the Vulcans in the Enterprise series is that they have deviated from the teachings of Surak and the Syrrannites onto one approved by the Vulcan High command. Do Vulcans in the later timeline which the other series are based in follow the Syrannites or the Vulcan High command?

Yes, according to the Kir'shara arc on Enterprise, the Vulcans of the other Star Treks are ones who embrace the Syrranite interpretation of Surak's teachings.

In the Star Trek universe, Vulcans are aliens whose physiology causes them to experience extreme emotional reactions and they can only deal with this by dealing with their emotions. In the series, it is mentioned they suppress their emotions. Do they literally do this or is just a figure of speech when describing how they deal with their emotions? Also, is emotion suppression due to the teachings of Surak or by the Vulcan High command?

They suppress their emotions in the since that although they still feel emotions, they do not express them or act on them. And yes, this originates from Surak's original teachings.

As for telepathic mind melding etc., I thought both sides still thought of it a dangerous and socially not acceptable.

No, in Enterprise it was only the Vulcan High Command that frowned on mind melding. We see the Syrannites regularly engaged in it. It sounds like you might be thinking of Voyager where mind melding was suddenly a dangerous act with many health risks associated with it according to the Doctor.

 

[Henoch]

It sounds like you might be thinking of Voyager where mind melding was suddenly a dangerous act with many health risks associated with it according to the Doctor.

No, I was thinking of Spock's reluctant reaction to use it in both Dagger of the Mind and The Devil In The Dark. He says it is both dangerous and a hidden, personal thing, etc.

SPOCK [OC]: Enterprise log. First officer Spock, acting captain. I must now use an ancient Vulcan technique to probe into Van Gelder's tortured mind.

[Sickbay]

MCCOY: Spock, if there's the slightest possibility it might help.
SPOCK: I've never used it on a human, Doctor.
MCCOY: If there's any way we can look into this man's mind to see if what he's seeing is real or delusion
SPOCK: It's a hidden, personal thing to the Vulcan people, part of our private lives.
MCCOY: Now look, Spock, Jim Kirk could be in real trouble. Will it work or not?
SPOCK: It could be dangerous. Do you understand? It requires I make pressure changes in your nerves, your blood vessels.

 

[NCC-73515]

VOY Gravity shows how and why they get their anti-emotion abilities

 

[TopperHenly]

Thanks to all who applied.

After watching DS9, I really enjoyed the Klingons. I didn't watch a lot of the Voyager episodes but I enjoyed Tuvok with his mixture of sarcastic comments but serious dedication to duty. Sadly from the episodes I watched, he was badly underused so it was a pleasure watching Vulcans being fleshed out in Enterprise.

It makes sense that with Vulcans, it isn't a case of emotional suppression but a mixture of mental exercises as well as adhering to various forms of philosophy including mainly those of Surak. I had read that Vulcan philosophy was based on rationalism but I wonder if there is an element of Roman/Greek stoicism as expressed by ones including Marcus Aurelius?

Picking up on the Vulcan high command, while their interpretation of Surak's teachings didn't deviate that much from it and of course would be, shall we say corrupted naturally through word of mouth throughout the centuries, would there be an element of the High command interpenetrating it to suit their political agenda?