Is Troi ethical?

[Guy Gardener]

Why don't the Federation have a full blooded Betazoid on every capital ship as a matter of policy?

The Betazoid has to have a lens or context to understand what they are feeling on hearing on the opposing ship, whether that means that they are a trained therapist, soldier or engineer.

A Betazoid with a degree in modern poetry would be %ucking useless in that position.

Meanwhile how big is the jump from all Captains must check in with their telepaths before making a decision, to all Captains must be Telepaths.

 

[somebuddyX]

Why don't the Romulans just remind themselves they used to be Vulcans and just use their own mind powers?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Why don't the Romulans just remind themselves they used to be Vulcans and just use their own mind powers?

They need skin to skin contact.

Although, it's suggested only logic can create a mind orderly enough to process telepathy.

My head canon is that living in a radioactive wasteland caused enough mutation that Vulcans meld and Romulans don't.

Maybe that head bone the Romulans have, blocks or suppresses telepathy?

 

[Farscape One]

Why don't the Federation have a full blooded Betazoid on every capital ship as a matter of policy?

I was actually pondering that once, and I think the answer is because there may not be enough Betazoids in Starfleet to make this feasible.

If you look at the shows, we don't really see full Betazoids as Starfleet officers. They tend to work with Starfleet or the Federation in other roles (ambassadors like Lwaxana or scientists like in "Night Terrors"), but not as commissioned officers.

Whether that's just a coincidence or simply a societal thing, I don't know.


Regarding whether Troi's use of her powers is ethical... I'm going to say no. Emergencies like an attack from a hostile force, I can see it being fine. But for day to day use? Hell no, because that's an invasion of privacy. It's the same thing as some outside company having full access to everything on your phone or bank accounts without your consent.

somebuddyX mentioned being likely pro-Psi Corps, and I'm with you. If we have laws in place to protect our data and our privacy, there should be something in place that protects brain privacy, too.

 

[BillJ]

Why don't the Federation have a full blooded Betazoid on every capital ship as a matter of policy?

Not enough to go around? Or Betazoid's largely aren't interested in Starfleet service?

They need skin to skin contact.

Vulcans don't.

 

[Oddish]

Not enough to go around? Or Betazoid's largely aren't interested in Starfleet service?

There's a planet full of them, figure at least a few hundred million, more likely a few billion. More if they've got colonies. I think that out of a population base of that many, you could find enough for a few hundred capital ships.

 

[BillJ]

There's a planet full of them, figure at least a few hundred million, more likely a few billion. More if they've got colonies. I think that out of a population base of that many, you could find enough for a few hundred capital ships.

Maybe they aren't interested in Starfleet because they know Starfleet will abuse their abilities.

 

[valkyrie013]

Maybe they don't like being around non telepaths since they are literally screaming everything they think of.
That and Maybe as I said earlier, they might have to sign some sort of "Code of Conduct" where they promise not to scan the crew unless they consent.

 

[Oddish]

Maybe they aren't interested in Starfleet because they know Starfleet will abuse their abilities.

If they think that keeping their crew alive and maybe using their telepathy to prevent a violent incident before it occurs constitutes "abuse", then they have a strange outlook.

 

[BillJ]

If they think that keeping their crew alive and maybe using their telepathy to prevent a violent incident before it occurs constitutes "abuse", then they have a strange outlook.

Have you not paid attention to Starfleet over the last 55 years?

 

[Lynx]

Ah well, it's a dangerous space out there and you'll need all the advantages you can get.

 

[fireproof78]

Regarding whether Troi's use of her powers is ethical... I'm going to say no. Emergencies like an attack from a hostile force, I can see it being fine. But for day to day use? Hell no, because that's an invasion of privacy. It's the same thing as some outside company having full access to everything on your phone or bank accounts without your consent.

This is my biggest struggle with telepaths in Star Trek, especially Betazoids. We're given mixed information on the limits of this ability, and information is freely shared with or without consent. It's absurd of course, but that's the drama of the moment. But, in real life? Yeah, no thank you on the intruding in to my thoughts part. Laws and such please and thank you.

 

[BillJ]

This is my biggest struggle with telepaths in Star Trek, especially Betazoids. We're given mixed information on the limits of this ability, and information is freely shared with or without consent. It's absurd of course, but that's the drama of the moment. But, in real life? Yeah, no thank you on the intruding in to my thoughts part. Laws and such please and thank you.

I think we see it as being invaded, Betazoids see it as you are emanating your thoughts, they are just receivers.

 

[Farscape One]

I think we see it as being invaded, Betazoids see it as you are emanating your thoughts, they are just receivers.

You can't have your phone wiretapped without a warrant. You can't have a conversation you are having being recorded without your consent.

Why should it be any different with reading someone's mind?

 

[BillJ]

You can't have your phone wiretapped without a warrant. You can't have a conversation you are having being recorded without your consent.

Why should it be any different with reading someone's mind?

Because the above are conscious actions taken to trap someone. Betazoids are using what is a normal sense for their people. To ask them to turn it off would be like asking a human to turn off their hearing.

 

[Farscape One]

Because the above are conscious actions taken to trap someone. Betazoids are using what is a normal sense for their people. To ask them to turn it off would be like asking a human to turn off their hearing.

Do you go around listening to other people's conversations? At the office? On the street? In a McDonald's? At a grocery store?

I sure as hell don't, because that's called eavesdropping. Their conversations are not my business. And I don't need to shut off my hearing to not listen to other people's conversations.

 

[BillJ]

Do you go around listening to other people's conversations? At the office? On the street? In a McDonald's? At a grocery store?

Depends on how close in proximity I am to someone. Is it something I actively seek out? No.

I sure as hell don't, because that's called eavesdropping. Their conversations are not my business. And I don't need to shut off my hearing to not listen to other people's conversations.

Might want to throttle down a bit. Just shooting the shit.

 

[Farscape One]

Depends on how close in proximity I am to someone. Is it something I actively seek out? No.



Might want to throttle down a bit. Just shooting the shit.

Throttle what down? I made a simple statement.

 

[fireproof78]

Do you go around listening to other people's conversations? At the office? On the street? In a McDonald's? At a grocery store?

I sure as hell don't, because that's called eavesdropping. Their conversations are not my business. And I don't need to shut off my hearing to not listen to other people's conversations.

This might be why not a lot of Betazoids go off world. They are used to communicating telepathically, and limited engagement vocally. So, to them, it's very off-putting to primarily communicate verbally. Perhaps they are more comfortable serving with Vulcans though?

 

[BillJ]

Throttle what down? I made a simple statement.

My mistake.