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What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?

Instead of a blanket ban on all genetic engineering and allowing such a ban to prohibit an entire civilization from joining the Federation, make such bans more pointed and limited.
It’s not a blanket ban. Sisko says in DS9 that genetic engineering is allowed to correct “serious birth defects.” You’re just not allowed to use it give your kid superpowers.

Think about it this way. DS9’s “Accession” establishes that Federation will not allow one of their member states to have a caste system, when the Bajorans flirt with the idea after the question of who is the real Emissary of the Prophets happens. To the Federation, genetic engineering hits the same problematic area as caste systems. It’s a practice which they’ve decided is so in conflict with their values that they can’t allow it or even give the appearance of condoning it.
 
Instead of a blanket ban on all genetic engineering and allowing such a ban to prohibit an entire civilization from joining the Federation, make such bans more pointed and limited.

A nuclear weapons ban is a good example. No I do not recall humanity in Trek banning nuclear weapons, but let's say they did. Should such a ban extend to all forms of nuclear technology? Should such a ban be broad and include nuclear power?

Surely it's possible to ban the weaponizing of genetic modifications while allowing other forms of genetic engineering, especially if that technology is used to save lives and repair damage.

The AI or synth ban was also cited as a blanket ban that needn't have gone as far or be as broad as it was.



Now give us the same list regarding the transporter, holodecks, or warp reactors. Seriously, the way that holodeck breaks down and allows risk of life or bodily harm should result in it's removal. Heck, those exploding consoles are deadly enough.

But transporters, holodecks, and warp cores are NOT altering your actual genes.
 
The Federation handicaps itself by being too conservative when it comes to technology and science. They could have subspace beaming that allows transporting over light-years, for example, but research was discarded and never picked up again.

Time travel could open up a new frontier of exploration, but it's kept under wraps by the DTI, and later banned entirely in the far future.

And so on..
More like the writers.
 
It’s not a blanket ban. Sisko says in DS9 that genetic engineering is allowed to correct “serious birth defects.” You’re just not allowed to use it give your kid superpowers.

Think about it this way. DS9’s “Accession” establishes that Federation will not allow one of their member states to have a caste system, when the Bajorans flirt with the idea after the question of who is the real Emissary of the Prophets happens. To the Federation, genetic engineering hits the same problematic area as caste systems. It’s a practice which they’ve decided is so in conflict with their values that they can’t allow it or even give the appearance of condoning it.
Exactly.

It's not a blanket ban because we see it used.

Just in an extremely limited form.

In other words, there are restrictions. As any tool should be.
 
But at least it isn't messing with your genes. You know, the things you pass on to your children.

Since it breaks a person down to the quantum level and then puts them back together on the other side, we have no real idea what kind of deviations can creep into the body through years of use.
 
Which we see the Federation do.

Someone forgot to tell the Illyrians

Due to the ban on genetic augmentations in the United Federation of Planets, in the 23rd century, they were considered outcasts in the Federation. Illyrians could not join the Federation or Starfleet, and there was a directive against mixing Human and Illyrian blood. The Federation also banned the use of any Illyrian medical Technology. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Illyrian

Banning an entire civilization from joining the Federation is pretty broad. Allowing the individual member to be a Starfleet officer doesn't make narrow and targeted.
 
I just don't care for the aliens who look like human trope, even though I like No. 1. Guinan and Pelia.

Personally I prefer if the look semi humanoid at most (Cardassian, Andorian, Jem'Hadar, Ferengi)
 
I was hoping Una was just a human from Earth or an Earth colony but I can live with her being a human-looking Illyrian. At least they didn't retcon her appearance to be more like the ENT Illyrians.
 
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