He regularly expresses skepticism or outright hostility toward advanced technology and artificial intelligence—odd for someone practicing medicine in the 23rd century.
No rational mind would ever blindly accept AI as if it is some flawless wonlder of the age never to be doubted or questioned. Allow me to introduce you to Nomad, Landru, the M-5, Vaal, and so on. Not the greatest record and many innocent individuals died interacting with each.
McCoy occasionally makes decisions that would violate contemporary medical ethics—such as treating patients without consent
I suppose McCoy should have waited for the Horta to give her consent before he saved her life. Perhaps he should have waited for Joe Tormolen to wake up from his self-inflicted stab wound before treating him? Sound medical approach...? Maybe he should have said,
"Jim, I can't operate on Spock's flintlock wound! I don't have his consent!!" Apply the same to the Denevan neural parasites' tendrils which intertwined itself in Spock's nervous system. I guess McCoy crossed a line there, right?
Nope.
In reality, every day, people are treated without consent. It is often necessary in the...I don't know...job of improving or saving lives, especially when working against time.
experimenting with untested treatments
Do I really need to go
there? What part of real world medicine did not--in one way or another--do exactly what you're talking about?
3. Bones is often seen jabbing people with hyposprays without warning or explanation. While it makes for quick TV scenes, it could be seen as hasty and not compassionate.
Warning? Count how many times he used it against a person's will--and one who did not need the treatment.
4. He frequently challenges Captain Kirk in emotionally charged ways, sometimes undermining the chain of command. While his moral compass is admirable, this behavior can be disruptive during critical missions.
"Challenging" Kirk was part of his job, and Kirk--more often than not--leaned on / listened to McCoy's advice, as he was not only one of Kirk's best friends, but served as a psychologist / counselor before the job officially existed on starships on Star Trek. It is no wonder Kirk's final message (as seen in
"The Tholian Web") had Kirk giving Spock a suggestion which helped him out in his own command:
"Use every scrap of knowledge and logic you have to save the ship. But temper your judgment with intuitive insight. I believe you have those qualities, but if you can't find them in yourself, seek out McCoy. Ask his advice. And if you find it sound, take it."
Further, the relationships that see challenges and strains are far more realistic than the throne-occupying types such as Picard and his "Ambition? What''s that? I'm planting my butt right here!" lackey Riker.
5.His Racism towards Vulcans has always rubbed me the wrong way. McCoy frequently makes sarcastic or demeaning remarks about Spock’s Vulcan heritage. This could be seen as unprofessional and culturally insensitive, even if it's supposed to be friendly banter.
I've pointed out the following in other threads, but I'm calling BS on McCoy being a racist (in any way bearing similarities to real world racism which i've personally experienced throughout my life), but Spock relentlessly insulted the
entire human race throughout all three seasons of TOS in a manner most would see as undeniably racist. However, because Spock is the "outsider" amongst humans, some observers develop politically selective glasses through which the series is analyzed. Spock was rarely searching for answers based on false assumptions about humans. He damned humans and barely tolerated them save for a few.
6. There are a few episodes where Bones misdiagnoses or fails to catch something until it's nearly too late. For example, he sometimes doesn't detect alien influences or diseases until things escalate dangerously.
Plots need danger, not 5-minite grocery store clinic solutions.
