Best and worst moral dilemmas in Star Trek

[Anwar]

It's implied that they got their tech from the Hurq invasion, yes. But that's no different from how the Narn in B5 got their tech from the Centauri.

It was the same for the Kzinti from the "Known Space" series too, the justification for why the primitive humans kept beating them despite advanced tech. But even the humans needed aliens to give them their more advanced tech in the "Known Space" series.

 

[T'Girl]

Building a functioning interstellar empire, so easy even a caveman can do it.

Didn't they get their tech from the H'urq?

Starships and weapons and such. But the Empire is run, and was built by the Klingons, it was they who decided the form their society and domain would take.

Unless everything they are is a direct copy of the Hurq, which I guess is possible.

 

[7thsealord]

The Prime Directive only sucks when you see it as an absolute. It is not.

I can't believe in the history of the Federation people have not gotten off after breaking the Prime Directive. Starfleet is not so closed-minded.

And I've always felt the Directive is a good policy because it makes us question our motives before interfering with a culture. It prevents us from just jumping in without giving much thought to the consequences of our actions.

I think that is an excellent point. For any law, there can be extenuating circumstances. TNG's 'Justice' dwelt on the results of NOT allowing for this.

It is well to say that killing another sentient is wrong, but most people will make allowances if it was definitely self-defense. Many laws can conceivably be broken whilst one is trying to save lives - stealing, exceeding the speed limit. and so on.

For the Prime Directive, same story. By all means, "Hands Off - At Least Until You Reach A Certain Stage Of Development" is a sound general principle. But, as with any other law, there can be special circumstances (as has been seen) - redressing imbalances caused by prior interference, trying to prevent worse interference later, saving races / cultures from total extinction, etc.. I am not so foolish as to claim that EVERY PD breach in Trek was entirely Right And Proper but, for most, there was at least some justification.