• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

The needs of the many...........

exodus

Fleet Admiral
Admiral
..outweigh the needs of the few.

If that is true, should Janeway have saved Icheb from the Borg in "Child's Play"?

If Icheb was born to kill Borg and his sacrifice could have saved the lives of billions, even those in the Alpha Quaderant, should Janeway still have saved him?


If you were in Janeway's shoes, would have let him be assimilated for the greater good or would you have rescued him too?
 
There's a thought provoker.

I would say I would probably let Icheb die...maybe. I mean you're pretty much asking, "Would you sacrifice a child to kill the borg?" That's a toughie alright.

But, if you let Icheb die, then there goes your series finale for Voyager right??? Then we'd be stuck with them for the next 50 or so years they had left. Woohoo! :brickwall:
 
In Federation speak, I think the needs of the many are moot when a child is the 'few'.

I really don't see any Captain or commander sacrificing a minor by any definition for a cause.
 
That is a Vulcan clause, not a Federation clause. Janeway would never sacrifice a child to the collective... of course we still don't know what happened to that Borg baby...
 
^
Quite.

Anyway, this is a classic example of how Federation humanism and Vulcan logic really don't add up, an issue that was never seriously addressed in any of the series (aside from various jibes). The logical thing, per that maxim, would be to send Icheb in: But just as with Hugh in "I, Borg", the Feds take a decidedly more humanitarian approach.

Or, to quote Captain Kirk:
'The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.'
 
greenmystik said:
^
So then back to the question...if you were in Janeway's shoes, what would you do???

I let the kid die and hope to God that it works. Those people in the Borg are already dead anyway. I'd just be putting them out of their misery. But I feel really bad about it and I step down as Captain.
 
There's a difference between sacrificing an innocent child vs having an adult make the choice to sacrifice themselves. The second is definately a viable option but the first is morally reprehensible.
 
Is Icheb a child still or is he of the age of consent?

In other words, is he 18 or is he under?

He's old enough to attend Starfleet Academy, so I assumed he was over 18.
 
exodus said:
Is Icheb a child still or is he of the age of consent?

In other words, is he 18 or is he under?

He's old enough to attend Starfleet Academy, so I assumed he was over 18.

Perhaps by the end of the show but the year the episode with his parents aired he appeared to still be below the age of consent.
 
kimc said:
exodus said:
Is Icheb a child still or is he of the age of consent?

In other words, is he 18 or is he under?

He's old enough to attend Starfleet Academy, so I assumed he was over 18.

Perhaps by the end of the show but the year the episode with his parents aired he appeared to still be below the age of consent.
...and you're determining this how?

I'm not challenging you, I just wanna know what brought you to this conclusion. Like what factors or possable hidden clues.
 
exodus said:
kimc said:
exodus said:
Is Icheb a child still or is he of the age of consent?

In other words, is he 18 or is he under?

He's old enough to attend Starfleet Academy, so I assumed he was over 18.

Perhaps by the end of the show but the year the episode with his parents aired he appeared to still be below the age of consent.
...and you're determining this how?

I'm not challenging you, I just wanna know what brought you to this conclusion. Like what factors or possable hidden clues.

The "clues" weren't so "hidden" from my viewpoint. A grown adult is not referred to as one of the "borg children" by other adults.
 
kimc said:
exodus said:
kimc said:
exodus said:
Is Icheb a child still or is he of the age of consent?

In other words, is he 18 or is he under?

He's old enough to attend Starfleet Academy, so I assumed he was over 18.

Perhaps by the end of the show but the year the episode with his parents aired he appeared to still be below the age of consent.
...and you're determining this how?

I'm not challenging you, I just wanna know what brought you to this conclusion. Like what factors or possable hidden clues.

The "clues" weren't so "hidden" from my viewpoint. A grown adult is not referred to as one of the "borg children" by other adults.
Being refered to in a group he would.

For example, when Westly was by himself he was refered to as "a young man", when he was with a group of children he was labeled within the group as a "child". Janeway refered to Icheb as "a fine young man" but within the group he was still seen as one of the "Borg children".
 
Whether Icheb was a child or adult, whiny or not--in "Shattered" he ws plain hot. Grew up to be an apparently good man (and officer)--still respectful of a former Captain and Commander believed dead for 17 years.

And doesn't canon have Chak at the Academy at age 15?
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top