TFF as thematic counterpoint to TMP

[Captrek]

Whatever flaws TFF may have as a movie, I think it provides the TOS film franchise with a key thematic counterpoint to TMP. TMP tells us that “Logic and knowledge are not enough” — we need the human traits of “Other dimensions, higher levels of being,” which we might identify as emotion or spirituality. TFF depicts the folly of someone who allows “I know in my heart that it’s true” to trump his powers of reason.

Taken together they tell the story of two brothers who see two paths ahead of them: the path of logic and the path of emotion.

One brother, Spock, follows the path of logic. He seeks Kolinahr, which would completely separate him from the other path. He does not find his answers there. His encounter with a great consciousness calling to him from space teaches him that he needs something from the “emotion” path.

The other brother, Sybok, follows the path of emotion. He praises his Vulcan ancestors saying they “were ruled by their emotions.... They believed with their hearts.” His encounter with a great consciousness calling to him from space leads him to religious belief in the name of which he does terrible things despite being at heart a good person. His mistake is not taking what he should take from the “logic” path.

The composite theme is about how our “higher levels of being” can give purpose and meaning to our logic but should not supplant it. We need both paths, logic/knowledge and intuition/emotion/spirituality. We should not jump back and forth between them arbitrarily, but rather recognize the necessary role of each. It’s a more complete and interesting theme than either of the two films has without the other.


Postscript: Spock apparently fails to apprehend the lesson of TFF. In TUC he tells Valeris “You must have faith,” and in STXI he tells his alternate self “Put aside logic and do what feels right.”

ETA: I disavow the postscript. Soundly thumped.

 

[Amaris]

Whatever flaws TFF may have as a movie, I think it provides the TOS film franchise with a key thematic counterpoint to TMP. TMP tells us that “Logic and knowledge are not enough” — we need the human traits of “Other dimensions, higher levels of being,” which we might identify as emotion or spirituality. TFF depicts the folly of someone who allows “I know in my heart that it’s true” to trump his powers of reason.

Taken together they tell the story of two brothers who see two paths ahead of them: the path of logic and the path of emotion.

One brother, Spock, follows the path of logic. He seeks Kolinahr, which would completely separate him from the other path. He does not find his answers there. His encounter with a great consciousness calling to him from space teaches him that he needs something from the “emotion” path.

The other brother, Sybok, follows the path of emotion. He praises his Vulcan ancestors saying they “were ruled by their emotions.... They believed with their hearts.” His encounter with a great consciousness calling to him from space leads him to religious belief in the name of which he does terrible things despite being at heart a good person. His mistake is not taking what he should take from the “logic” path.

The composite theme is about how our “higher levels of being” can give purpose and meaning to our logic but should not supplant it. We need both paths, logic/knowledge and intuition/emotion/spirituality. We should not jump back and forth between them arbitrarily, but rather recognize the necessary role of each. It’s a more complete and interesting theme than either of the two films has without the other.

I agree with this.

Postscript: Spock apparently fails to apprehend the lesson of TFF. In TUC he tells Valeris “You must have faith,” and in STXI he tells his alternate self “Put aside logic and do what feels right.”

Here is where I disagree. I believe Spock took away many important lessons from these two events. He has learned to balance them. He was speaking to Valeris in terms of approach. "You must have faith" means that you cannot treat everything as a logic puzzle. "Put aside logic and do what feels right" is his attempt to get Valeris to connect emotionally, to have a vested interest in the Captain and crew of the Enterprise. He wanted her to feel as he did, because he found it so rewarding and both emotion and logic had served him well in their respective duties.

It's all nicely rounded out with "logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end."

 

[Christopher]

That's a fascinating analysis. I never thought of it that way. But I agree with J. Allen -- the final point is overreaching. What Spock learned in TMP, and lived by for the rest of his life (or rather, lives), was that a balance of logic and emotion was the best path. In certain instances, that might mean putting emotion first, but just because he recognizes those instances, that doesn't mean he denies the value of logic in other instances.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Interesting posts. I agree with J.Allen regarding the conversation between Valeris and Spock. Spock by this time in his life had finally achieved balance between logic and emotion and seemed to be in harmony with his self. This is my favorite evolutionary point of the character. The conversation he had with his younger self in "Star Trek" I took as a helpful suggestion to his younger self to avoid the struggles he himself went through. Who knows if Commander Spock will take his older self's advice.