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Would the Prime directive even matter in this situation?

That's why the TOS version was better/superior to the TNG version. It was simply "identification of self or mission. No interference with the social development of said planet. No references to space, or the fact that there are other worlds, or more advanced civilisations." So, no prohibition against interference, just don't get caught. Don't expose yourself as alien.

In TOS finding some way to save a primitive or pre warp civilization from extinction was not a violation of the Prime Directive so long as the natives didn't detect alien involvement. "Paradise Syndrome" is one example.

Agreed. That's a much saner interpretation of the Prime Directive.
 
In TOS finding some way to save a primitive or pre warp civilization from extinction was not a violation of the Prime Directive so long as the natives didn't detect alien involvement. "Paradise Syndrome" is one example.

And I also would argue that saving an alien race from extinction, even if you have to break the PD to do that, is in principle always preferable to not violating the PD and letting them all die. There might theoretically be cases where extinction is the better alternative, but these would be extremely rare, if they even exist at all.
 
And I also would argue that saving an alien race from extinction, even if you have to break the PD to do that, is in principle always preferable to not violating the PD and letting them all die. There might theoretically be cases where extinction is the better alternative, but these would be extremely rare, if they even exist at all.

There would have to be a VERY good reason for throwing an entire species under the bus.
 
After "Homeward", I say piss on the Prime Directive. Either fix it so you're not throwing whole planetary populations under the bus, or dump it like the load of well fermented cow manure it is.

Saving one village out of a planet as Nikolai did seems at best at least as callous as not acting at all.

That's why the TOS version was better/superior to the TNG version. It was simply "identification of self or mission. No interference with the social development of said planet. No references to space, or the fact that there are other worlds, or more advanced civilisations." So, no prohibition against interference, just don't get caught. Don't expose yourself as alien.

The original series showed a number of devastating effects from interference, both comically "A Piece of the Action" and not "Patterns of Force", "A Private Little War", even though the bad interference was usually done by others than Our Heroes.
 
Saving one village out of a planet as Nikolai did seems at best at least as callous as not acting at all.

Nikolai was one man and he had to act in secret. A Federation transport ship could have rescued a thousand times more people. And, a Federation science vessel might have been able to stop the planet's atmosphere from dissipating in the first place. On two occasions the Enterprise has been able to similarly rescue planets.
 
The wording on the Prime Directive begins with "No Starship may" so it seems like anyone not on a Star Ship can do whatever the fuck they want.

##cking TAS.
 
Well I would hope that if say.. Earth ( Now version, not Trek) if an alien species tried to invade or play fun and games, that some more benevolent civilization would intervene.
Now, lets say they kick out the bad guys/girls ..
So say they bomb all the major cities, loss of infustructior, power etc. 1/3 population dead.

The benevolent civilization ..Would they help, or would they just say, Well we kicked out the bad people, so you don't have to worry about that, but were not going to help beyond that. Good luck, we'll see you when you get up here!!
either that or just do humanitarian thing of some food, water, provide some power, but not bring anybody up to "Join" the civilization.
 
The benevolent civilization ..Would they help, or would they just say, Well we kicked out the bad people, so you don't have to worry about that, but were not going to help beyond that. Good luck, we'll see you when you get up here!!
either that or just do humanitarian thing of some food, water, provide some power, but not bring anybody up to "Join" the civilization.

I think (agree) that the sensible and ethical thing for them would probably be to provide help, but not beyond the technological level we already obtained. So help us rebuild our cities (and perhaps use their own replicators to expedite the rebuild), but not give us replicator technology itself or some such thing.
 
I think (agree) that the sensible and ethical thing for them would probably be to provide help, but not beyond the technological level we already obtained. So help us rebuild our cities (and perhaps use their own replicators to expedite the rebuild), but not give us replicator technology itself or some such thing.

They'll slit your throat and take a phaser, and then zap your buddies and take a star ship.

Try saying "no" to a kid in a toy store just before Christmas.

Blood will run.
 
They'll slit your throat and take a phaser, and then zap your buddies and take a star ship.

Try saying "no" to a kid in a toy store just before Christmas.

Blood will run.

I still wonder about that ''FC mirror scene' from In a Mirror, Darkly.

What did those Vulcans think when they landed? They would have studied the history of Mirror Earth and have known these people were dangerous ...
 
I still wonder about that ''FC mirror scene' from In a Mirror, Darkly.

What did those Vulcans think when they landed? They would have studied the history of Mirror Earth and have known these people were dangerous ...
That scene made no sense, Mirror Vulcans would have landed to conquer Earth, not stop by to say hello.
 
I still wonder about that ''FC mirror scene' from In a Mirror, Darkly.

What did those Vulcans think when they landed? They would have studied the history of Mirror Earth and have known these people were dangerous ...

Maybe they were taking a chance that the good side won the war?
 
Oftentimes, the Prime Directive all too often reminds me of Sarah Jessica Parker's all-important main rule in "Failure to Launch" (no banging clients). She bangs Matthew McConaughey before the movie is half over and it's not like it's even a big deal anymore. That's how Prime Directive violations seem to go on Star Trek... one minute, it's unthinkable. The next... Ok, yeah, whatever, let's go have lunch.

At least SJP's rule made sense in the first place (because it kept things professional and reduced the emotional damage caused by the necessary act of ending the relationship). The Prime Directive, as seen in episodes like "Homeward", really did not.
 
That scene made no sense, Mirror Vulcans would have landed to conquer Earth, not stop by to say hello.

I'm not sure.... how aggressive are Mirror Vulcans shown to be on their own? (I mean, when not forced by the Terran Empire to fight on their behalf, or in a rebellion for a good cause).
 
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At least SJP's rule made sense in the first place (because it kept things professional and reduced the emotional damage caused by the necessary act of ending the relationship). The Prime Directive, as seen in episodes like "Homeward", really did not.

That is why I rewrote it. It was a Straw Man in "The Apple" (TOS). It is never clearly stated and left to the writer of the week.
 
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