When Worf controlled Quark, what was that "rig" really for?

[Guy Gardener]

Think about it, what possible use would there be for one person to have complete control of another persons motor functions unless... The Federation had been growing vats of brainless clones that they would be able to send into battle remotely under the direction of their most skilled warriors... Or?

Ethical uses of such technology would be hard not to be put to the weigh side compared to playing the ultimate game of "Stop Hitting Your Self" ...I suppose we haven't seen a really bad prison where the Federation keeps it's nasty violent foreigners? And similar devices could be used for riot control and making the Klingons wash daily.

But what the hell was that thing? Worf was going to use it to (*&^ grilka which opens a completely different avenue of immoral exploitation that lovers can do it through proxy?

 

[Dale]

Yeah, it was a pretty lumpen plot device... technology that's hard to justify.

 

[mrs260]

Re: When Worf controlled Quark, what was that "rig" really f

That's a good question, and I never even thought of it. Thanks.

I'm trying to think of any practical ethical uses, and... nope, not finding any.

Ooh, just thought of one. Depends on range, though. Master surgeon using a less skilled surgeon's body for remote surgery. If the range is great, it would eliminate travel delays. If the range is small, then it might be useful as a teaching tool.

Was there any indication that it might be one of those magical "spur of the moment" jury-rigs that magically do whatever's needed for the plot? Because, in reality, that's all it is.

 

[Photon]

Mrs O'Brien for Mr O'Brien

 

[Bill Morris]

It's just something Jadzia designed and explained to the computer, which then replicated it for her.

 

[Timo]

Re: When Worf controlled Quark, what was that "rig" really f

Ooh, just thought of one. Depends on range, though. Master surgeon using a less skilled surgeon's body for remote surgery. If the range is great, it would eliminate travel delays. If the range is small, then it might be useful as a teaching tool.

That's the classic one, an argument often used today. There are performance artists who slave their muscles to the internet, too.

Of course, the existence of a device like this would nicely tie in with, you guessed it, "Spock's Brain" (and "The Magnificient Ferengi", too). The medical technology to remotely control an uncooperative body would have plenty of applications in prosthetics, and in helping paralysis victims recover.

What I especially like about "Looking for Par'mach" here is the fact that there is no attempt made to "explain" the device or justify its existence. It's just one of those things that are trivially available to 24th century people, and rather justly so. Why not have a trinket like this? There are plenty of those around even today, in cruder form, created by Silicon Valley nerds and Toyota employees just for the fun and challenge of seeing whether it can be done.

Timo Saloniemi