Even there, Archer provides medical aid to extend their species life cycle, so they can continue to search for a cure.
Even there, Archer provides medical aid to extend their species life cycle, so they can continue to search for a cure.
It's not just Picard's stance though. Janeway seems to say pretty much the same thing.
Seems more like a fundamental shift in Prime Directive application from Kirk's era
It does make Picard's argument to Berlinghoff Rasmussen in seem a little ironic, however. He seems to change his tune when the shoe is on the other foot.
RASMUSSEN: However you come to terms with your beliefs, Captain, I must tell you that I'm quite comfortable with mine.
PICARD: How can you be? How can you be comfortable watching people die?
RASMUSSEN: Let me put it to you this way. If I were to tell you that one of those people died, you'd easily conclude that you tried your solution and it succeeded. So, you'd confidently try again. No harm in that. But what if I were to tell you they all died? What then? Obviously, you'd decide not to make the same mistake twice. Now, what if one of those people grew up...
PICARD: Yes, Professor, I know. What if one of those lives I save down there is a child who grows up to be the next Adolf Hitler or Khan Singh? Every first year philosophy student has been asked that question ever since the earliest wormholes were discovered. But this is not a class in temporal logic. It's not theoretical, it's not hypothetical, it's real. Surely you see that?
Someone should have quoted that to him during "Homeward."
RASMUSSEN: However you come to terms with your beliefs, Captain, I must tell you that I'm quite comfortable with mine.
PICARD: How can you be? How can you be comfortable watching people die?
RASMUSSEN: Let me put it to you this way. If I were to tell you that one of those people died, you'd easily conclude that you tried your solution and it succeeded. So, you'd confidently try again. No harm in that. But what if I were to tell you they all died? What then? Obviously, you'd decide not to make the same mistake twice. Now, what if one of those people grew up...
PICARD: Yes, Professor, I know. What if one of those lives I save down there is a child who grows up to be the next Adolf Hitler or Khan Singh? Every first year philosophy student has been asked that question ever since the earliest wormholes were discovered. But this is not a class in temporal logic. It's not theoretical, it's not hypothetical, it's real. Surely you see that?
Someone should have quoted that to him during "Homeward."
So, what would the second(ary) directive be? Doesn't quite have the same dramatic flair to it now does it?
(Of course, since the Omega Directive we know that the Prime Directive really is only the Second Directive, at best.)
(Of course, since the Omega Directive we know that the Prime Directive really is only the Second Directive, at best.)
What comes after prime? - #3 by psychonaut - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board
Inspired by the designation of Nimoy in the new Trek film as “Spock Prime” - what comes after prime if I wanted there to be several Spocks? Wiki says “double prime” and “triple prime” but this seems to be for a different…
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I wouldn't be surprised myself if the second directive ran something like
When you do contact an alien civilization for whatever reason, either pre-or post-warp, don't be a dick.
(reading the 47² subclauses probably would be quite amusing (e.g. don't pretend to be a god, don't try to model their society on some long gone Earth historical era, don't try to get all their latinum, etc.))
When you do contact an alien civilization for whatever reason, either pre-or post-warp, don't be a dick.
(reading the 47² subclauses probably would be quite amusing (e.g. don't pretend to be a god, don't try to model their society on some long gone Earth historical era, don't try to get all their latinum, etc.))
One of the key reasons Picard was an insufferable character, which walked hand-in-hand with the soulless, clinical "looking down the nose" at others behavior seen on TNG (behavior even aimed at the resident dumb pet Worf--or he was treated that way from time to time).
Honestly, the Prime Directive of TNG and forward never made a bit of sense. We can invade your star system, put people on the ground and all of this without consent of the inhabitants of said planet. Then, if found something may destroy you, we wash our hands of it and fly away. Leaving you to your eventual demise.
Even though I liked the Picard character generally, one the scenes I'm sorry we never got was Picard delivering one of his pontificating speeches, only for it to be utterly demolished by a few cutting cynical Garak remarks about reality.
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