Aliens disability

[Tora Ziyal]

Yeah, I remember the fire. But did he talk about why he was given the VISOR and not implants?

 

[captcalhoun]

all Mem Alpha says is he got the first VISOR at age 5.

 

[RandyS]

Yeah exactly, we're not living in Star Trek. Glad we could pull you back into reality :-)

Until now, I haven't been able to bear checking back into this thread since the flare-up. I humbly apologize. I was only trying to help. I see now that that was foolish. I wish that you would not all judge me. I certainly do not judge any of you. I took all the remarks very much to heart, and I appreciate the education you have given me. I could hardly sleep at all the next night. I've thought of cancelling my account altogether and leaving this board after many years.

That would be an extreme overreaction. All you did was express an opinion. I realize that in today's overly PC times, we aren't allowed to actually do that anymore, but there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

In the cases where deafness can't be repaired or prevented I'd assume there'd be a prosthetic device they could use sort of like today's cochlear implants only much more advanced.

That would depend on whether the family or species in question viewed it as a defect or instead as a normal variation within the species. I have written in my fanfic a species where such technology was slower in coming because it was not seen as being that much of a big deal. I think that Dave Galanter did a similar thing with the Isitri in his novel, Troublesome Minds.

 

[T'Girl]

One wonders what the doctors who originally treated young Geordi were thinking.

It's possible that the doctor couldn't even give Geordi the use of a VISOR prior to his fifth year, they had to wait until his brain developed to a certain point. We're not just born with small adult brains in our skull, the internal architecture is different, and change through the early years.

In the cases where deafness can't be repaired or prevented I'd assume there'd be a prosthetic device ...

That would depend on whether the family or species in question viewed it as a defect or instead as a normal variation within the species.

You would what, graft a auditory cortex into a aliens brain, where nothing like it ever existed before, and then tie a prosthetic into it?

 

[sojourner]

Headphones that convert sound to vibrations that can be felt on the skin maybe?

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

In the cases where deafness can't be repaired or prevented I'd assume there'd be a prosthetic device ...

That would depend on whether the family or species in question viewed it as a defect or instead as a normal variation within the species.

You would what, graft a auditory cortex into a aliens brain, where nothing like it ever existed before, and then tie a prosthetic into it?

I think you got the reverse of the point I was making, somehow. Let's try again...

If a species does not consider hearing normal, or does not consider it an abnormal variation for some members of the species not to hear, then said species would see no need to restore what they do not view as "broken."

In some ways, that's why I had a problem with Lwaxana Troi's attitude in "Dark Page" about the Cairn species' lack of vocal cords. Why should the Cairn have to get surgery to suit everyone else? Why couldn't others learn to adapt to the Cairn the way they are, by learning sign language, or reading text?

 

[T'Girl]

I think you got the reverse of the point I was making

No, I got you, and agree. Why would a Human need to be "altered" in order to read minds? There might be a variety of sensory inputs that various alien species naturally have, that we don't. However we get along just fine without.

The majority of species on Earth can not see in color, as Humans can, just "shades of grey." How many of the intelligent species in the Star Trek universe lack this ability, which we Humans largely take for granted?

Do we know for a fact that the Cardassians see beyond black and white? Which they are perfectly happy with.

And speaking of alien disabilities, was Deanna Troi considered "disabled" among Betazeds, owing to her mixed ancestry, and her resulting inability to fully communicate telepathically outside of Betazoid species?

Was Deanna considered "sight impaired." With a resulting parking placard.

")

 

[Anji]

I don't have a disability (as defined by our culture) but I have always viewed "a disability" as being a difference from one person to another. And, keep in mind, none of us are born exactly the same.

 

[DaveGalanter]

In the cases where deafness can't be repaired or prevented I'd assume there'd be a prosthetic device they could use sort of like today's cochlear implants only much more advanced.

That would depend on whether the family or species in question viewed it as a defect or instead as a normal variation within the species. I have written in my fanfic a species where such technology was slower in coming because it was not seen as being that much of a big deal. I think that Dave Galanter did a similar thing with the Isitri in his novel, Troublesome Minds.

The Isitir, because they're telepaths, saw deafness as we might see someone lacking the ability to smell: a big "so what?" A large segment of their population was deaf. What they saw as a "disability" for which they invented a gestural language, was those who were not telepathic. To the Isitri, of the Enterprise crew, only Spock wasn't disabled. ;-)