There are qualitatively different levels of technology and civilization don't you know. Once your advanced as I described nature itself is just a conduit for your will.
Species no longer exist 31st century?
- Thread starter Voth commando1
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Okay, if you're suggesting that the transition to incorporeal existence is the result of deliberate technological intervention, i.e. inventing a way to transfer conscious minds to an incorporeal substrate, that I could buy. Although both "Transfigurations" and "Journey's End" imply that it's a naturally occurring process in at least some species.
In Star Trek its heavily implied there exists a soul. That changes everything.
It's implied there's a property of consciousness which is non-physical, and that thought is a form of energy. But Star Trek has always been a secular universe, positing that every phenomenon has a scientific explanation in-universe no matter how fanciful it is in realistic terms. The only times the term "soul" has been used to describe something provably real rather than a belief or a metaphor have been with regard to Vulcan katras and the transfer of consciousness in the Exo III android-making whirlygig, but it's always been phrased in terms like "if you will" or "what you might call," suggesting it's still a metaphorical description.
What about the Zhint'ara ritual the trills do? Klingon heaven? Even the secular federation implicitly accepts I think there is something beyond the physical.
Now of course we have counterexamples Mortal Coil in Voyager for instance.
Now of course we have counterexamples Mortal Coil in Voyager for instance.
Here's how I rationalize that one: Neelix wasn't really dead. There, simple enough.
Obviously there are many belief systems in the galaxy, but they can't all be literally true, since they contradict each other. The fact that people believe in something proves only that they believe in it. To be useful, evidence needs to be independent of belief. And just because the Trek universe has incorporeal intelligences, that doesn't automatically mean they map onto anyone's personal definition of a "soul." I have yet to see the word "soul" even defined in a clear and objective way.
He was dead and that was it. I've never seen a clearer statement of the futility of religion in Star Trek.Here's how I rationalize that one: Neelix wasn't really dead. There, simple enough.
You are just as biased as I am. Just on opposite extremes.
Soul: the incorporeal essence of an individual being. The reflection of who that person really is. Often believed to be attached to the body by a "silver chord". What happens to said essence after death depends on the belief of the person and culture in question.
Key word, "believed." Again, the fact that a belief exists proves only that the belief exists. It doesn't have any bearing on whether it's objectively true. Yes, there are some individuals in the Trek universe who use the word "soul" for incorporeal consciousnesses, but there are others who would disagree with that characterization, precisely because the term is too loaded with subjective beliefs and preconceptions that would get in the way of a scientific assessment.
Considering humans live to 130 plus in the ST universe genetic manipulation has already taken place. The ruling on Khan's type of augmentation seems restricted to the ultra strong, power hungry gene.
In a real world, multi racial society where some people have different ethnic backgrounds there are still folks whose phenotype strongly favours one over the other. If any of my ancestors were Chinese trust me, it ain't showing on my face or skin colour lol However I would expect in the Federation of the 31st century hybrids are as common as water since by then species would have gotten over their racial or species hangups...right? (Pus technology would make it easy for a human and a Caitian to make babies lol)
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Not necessarily; there could simply be medical treatments that can reverse the physical damage of aging. And there are enzymatic treatments that could theoretically reverse telomere shortening. That's how stem cells and cancer cells both work; they produce telomerase, which extends the DNA telomeres and essentially immortalizes the affected cells. In theory you could have the same effect without modifying DNA by some sort of medical procedure that would involve introducing telomerase directly.
It's much more strict than that: the exact quote from "Dr. Bashir, I Presume" is "DNA resequencing for any reason other than repairing serious birth defects is illegal."
Yeah, even the relatively minor genetic augmentation Bashir underwent was still enough to land his dad in prison for two years. And it could have resulted in Julian being dismissed from Starfleet had his parents not made the arrangement with the admiral.
By the 31st century I would assume the Federation would be past such human narrow mindedness. The issues with genetic augmentation was a human issue predating the Federation by over 300 years .To 'force' it on the rest of the Federation, well I am surprised other species let that law pass which exposes the human cultural influence is too high in the canon ST universe IMO.
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Oh, we were responding to you seeming to be talking about the 24th century state of things, what with your reference to people living 130 years.
Sorry my last reply is refering back to the title of species no longer in existence in the 31st century as well as assuming a genetic ban would be long gone by then. Why frame a galactic interspecies law based on what happened on Earth in the 1960's....the canon reason is ridiculous. Humans might turn into meglomanics with a little DNA resequenceing, other species might be just fine. E.G Denobulans
I agree mostly, but I've imagined at times that other founding races brought similar deals into Federation law and we just don't realize the historical context for them.