Welcome to the third blog in the series. Today, we will take a look at two more episodes in the top 10 countdown of Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you have not yet seen the second in the series, you can do so here.
Number 6: Ethics (5.16)
Dr. Russell is summoned to the Enterprise after Worf suffers an injury that leaves him paralyzed from the waist down. When treatment seems bleak, Worf decides to undergo the ritual Klingon suicide so that he can die with honor, asking Riker to perform the ceremony. Dr. Russell approaches Dr. Crusher with an experimental spinal replacement surgery that could kill Worf but does have a chance at fully healing him. Since Worf is not in danger of dying from the injuries, Dr. Crusher objects to this on ethical grounds. Captain Picard allows Dr. Russell to perform the surgery, which Dr. Crusher reluctantly assists. The surgery results in Worf's death, but his robust Klingon nervous system brings him back to life moments later.
Doctors all take the Hippocratic Oath when becoming certified. This centuries old oath includes the famous clause where doctors swear to preserve life to the best of their abilities. This episode touches on an "ends justifies the means" violation of that oath. Should a gamble be made on a patient that has a chance at improving the quality of life when there is a greater chance for death? The ideas of euthanasia and ritual sacrifice jointly come into play, as well. Should a person have the right to assisted suicide when the quality of life is not what that individual wants? If that individual's religious belief calls for suicide in such a circumstance, should a doctor allow it?
Number 5: Who Watches The Watchers? (3.04)
After an explosion reveals a camouflaged outpost of Federation scientists to the primitive population they are studying, Dr. Crusher has to beam one of the natives aboard the Enterprise to the sickbay. Now, both on the planet and on the Enterprise the Mintakan people believe the crew, led by their god "the Picard", can heal wounds and stop death. Before they can sacrifice Deanna Troi to "the Picard" to show their loyalty, Captain Picard comes to the planet to show them that he is not a god but just uses technology. One of the Mintakans does not believe Picard and shoots a crossbow at him, requiring an emergency transport to the Enterprise to save his life. Convinced that a god should not be injured by a crossbow, the Mintakans begin to understand what Picard has told them about the crew being mere mortals.
How far advanced would we seem to someone from just 100 years ago? How about 200 or 1000 years ago? What once seemed like magic to our ancestors is taught in high school, now. After the tsunami in the Indian Ocean a few years ago, relief supplies were flown to the islands via helicopter. As the pilot flew over a group of tribesmen, the people started hurling arrows at the flying beast. They had never seen anything like it. Now let's change perspective: If a super-advanced race came to visit our planet, would the inexplicable technology seem almost magical to us until we learned how it worked? It may to some. Perhaps, we are past that stay and are open to the idea of technology beyond our grasp.
By @HullBreach
