78: How Do You Say 'Wall' in Klingon?

Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast

Philosophical Themes in Star Trek: Discovery, Episodes 1 and 2.

Every Star Trek television series is a mirror, reflecting and illuminating the moral dilemmas and the political issues of its time. The premier episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars," are no exception. While it is still too early to know yet what Star Trek: Discovery will eventually become, and the ongoing relevance it will have as current events unfold, it is possible, at least tentatively, to identify several philosophical and political themes. From the nature of leadership and political unity, to the gamesmanship of war in a state of mutual distrust, to race relations across political borders, Star Trek: Discovery boldly goes into the social and political unknown, providing 23rd-century commentary on our 21st-century world.

In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling, fresh on the heels of the premier of Star Trek: Discovery, discuss their tentative interpretations of the philosophical and allegorical themes in "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars."

Chapters Intro (00:01:20) Initial Thoughts About Star Trek: Discovery (00:06:16) Analogous Ideas and Hermeneutical Interpretation (00:11:20) Comparing Klingons (00:16:22) Preemptive War and the Hobbesian State of Nature (00:20:13) Klingon Messianic Restorationist (00:30:56) Nationalism vs. Multiculturalism (00:40:10) Touchstones to TOS, ENT, and Kelvin Movies (00:50:49) Michael Burnham and the Traumatic Chain (00:58:56) Striking Balance Between Emotion and Logic (01:05:25) The Contrasting Ethics of Captains (01:12:59) Geopolitical Diversity (01:16:05) Final Thoughts (01:25:19) Closing (01:31:59)

Hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling

Production Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Mark Walker (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager)