One Religion In Deep Space 9 example essay topic

The television series Star Trek: Deep Space 9 takes place on a space station where different planet's cultures, morals and religious values collide. These differences cause the conflicts that form the basis of the stories. Some people in these cultures lead very nominalistic lifestyles, while others are more realistic and extremely devout in their beliefs in their Gods. These differences can be seen in episodes such as "In The Hands of the Prophets,"The Abandoned", or "Life Support".

The struggle between nominalism and realism has been a familiar idea on earth ever since the theme of a God was introduced. This same struggle will always exist forever unless there is some definitive proof of God. The more realist ideas of Descartes and John Locke assist in one's understanding of Star Trek's themes. Descartes and Locke's epistemological philosophies are reflected in the philosophical aspect of Gene Roddenberry's ideal society. As Star Trek's creator, Gene Roddenberry has had a huge effect on the philosophical beliefs reflected in the show.

Most episodes are a direct mirror image of his thoughts. Since he was a teenager, Roddenberry strongly questioned the validity of religion and became an atheist in "The Humanist Interview", he said "religion was largely nonsense - largely magical, superstitious things. In my own teen life, I just couldn't see any point in adopting something based on magic, which was obviously phony and superstitious". i When commenting on his first experiences doubting religion. His views on religion first appeared on Star Trek: The Original Series when he refused to have a chaplain aboard the starship Enterprise.

Since that early point, Roddenberry rarely addressed the issue of religion. Deep Space 9, the first series that he did not produce, developed episodes using religious themes. Although Roddenberry did not directly influence this series, his beliefs about realism and nominalism still applied in the episodes. Even though Roddenberry was a humanist, he did not completely reject all religions or the people who followed them. Tolerance was one of his best traits, and it was projected in Deep Space 9, through the large diversity of species and religions and the deep personalities of their members. Even though most species did not believe in each others religions, they were still able to learn from each other.

While the religions found in Star Trek are fictional, they still contain value, both to the other characters on the show as well as to the viewers. The lack of any physical truth of these religions does not discredit them because they still may hold psychological value. Descartes also felt that, the 'close and profound union of our mind with the body'; of the body in which the mind is 'immersed'; of the way in which he is 'very closely joined and, as it were, intermingled with' the body, so that 'I and the body form a unit'; that the mind is 'substantially united with the body'; even, that mind and body are 'incomplete substances when they are referred to a human being which together they make up. ' ii The bond between mind and matter that Descartes discusses clarifies the importance of Star Trek's religions. Even though they may not exist in our material world, the ideals they include may still exist within ourselves. The important values from any religion, real or fictional, can be used for our own personal betterment in the physical world, thus proving the strong bond between mind and matter. One religion in Deep Space 9 that stands out as the most important in terms of Descartes views; the Bajoran religion, which is very well described the in episode titled "In the Hands of the Prophets".

The Bajorans are extremely devout to their ancient religion, where they worship beings known as the Prophets. "The will of the Prophets for the Bajoran people is communicated apparently in two ways. First, there is a large volume of scripture, the Prophecies, which may be interpreted in varying ways. Where there is theological discourse, it seems to be on matters of the interpretation of the scripture". The Federation discovered that the Bajoran Prophets were actually aliens living in a wormhole who had certain omnipotent traits such as time travel.

Even though the Prophets turned out not to be true gods, this does not mean they are worthless. Ben Sisko, the commander of Deep Space 9 realizes the importance of these types of situations in this conversation with his son, Jake. Jake Sisko: But they weren't prophets. They were just some aliens that you found in the wormhole. Ben Sisko: To those aliens, the future is no more difficult to see than the past. So why shouldn't they be considered prophets?

Jake Sisko: Are you serious? Ben Sisko: My point is it's a matter of interpretation. It may not be what you believe, but that doesn't make it wrong... ivSisko's view in this situation is similar to that of Descartes because they both realize the importance a belief system, whether it involves some sort of god or not. Without any beliefs, there is no purpose for the physical world, because there is no object to strive for in life.

Neither side, the Bajorans nor the Federation were totally tolerant of each other's opinions about the Prophets. Keiko is teaching the science behind the wormhole to her school kids, when a Bajoran V edek (religious leader) named Winn shows up to challenge her right to teach blasphemy. Keiko sticks to her guns, saying that she is teaching the theories that are supported by evidence and as a teacher should do nothing else. Analogies with the current arguments about creationism in the classroom abound, obviously. Keiko is taking the strictly rationalist view - the wormhole aliens are just that, and the Bajorans are incorrect in their beliefs. these two extremes tend to illustrate the role of the two most common ideas on foreign religions. For the large majority of people, it is nearly impossible to find a compromise between realism and nominalism.

Ben Sisko is a Descartes type character who introduces controversial ideas that are initially rejected by the common person. Even his own son thought Sisko was crazy to take the Bajoran beliefs at all seriously. Jake Sisko's closed mindedness is the opposite of what Roddenberry wanted to see in a perfect society. The Bajorans are not the only religion whose gods were discovered to be living beings by the Federation. The Dominion solders, the Jem " Hadar believe that the Founders, who are shape shifting beings, are their supreme beings. The Jem " Hadar spend their entire lives training for combat.

Genetically, they are coded to be fighters for the purpose of conquest and protecting the Founders and are destined to fight no matter how they are raised. The crew of Deep Space 9 (DS 9) encountered a young Jem " Hadar and tried to convince him to lead a less aggressive way of life. Odo, the security officer aboard Deep Space 9 is the same species as the Founders, and he questions the young Jem " Hadar in this conversation: Odo: Is that all you can think about? Killing?

Isn't there anything else you think about? Young Jem " Hadar: I don't think so. vi The DS 9 Crew is faced with a dilemma regarding the validity of this child's beliefs. They appear to be completely against every moral standard that is accepted by the majority of other species, however these situations are not always as they seem. While this boy has drastically different views from the Bajorans, his beliefs are based on his culture and his views about the Founders, his gods. His beliefs contradict the DS 9 crew's beliefs, and their first reaction is contempt for the Jem " Hadar beliefs. The Jem " Hadar boy also feels that everybody else's beliefs are wrong, so the problem arises, which belief is actually correct?

The answer to that question from a John Locke point of view is neither. John Locke would say that the associations that the Federation personnel make are just as valid as the associations of the Jem " Hadar, but they come from totally different cultures. The issue of genetic engineering complicates the issue because under normal circumstances, Descartes philosophy would allow the power of the Jem " Hadar's mind to convert to a different view. In this situation, the boy is stuck with his beliefs no matter what Odo and Sisko try to do to change him.

Although this contradicts Descartes' views, it actually reinforces Locke's blank slate theory, which perhaps was the purpose of the episode. Cultural differences are not the only epistemological problems in Star Trek. Advanced technology also brings many moral questions into perspective. One such example is in the episode called "Life Support", where a certain Bajoran named Bareil has his body parts are replaced by artificial body parts as his own deteriorate and fail. Eventually, almost his whole body was replaced. At a certain point only Bareil's brain still exists, the doctor, Julian Bashir, questions continuing medical procedures because, "If I remove his brain and replace it with a machine, he might look like Bareil, he might even talk like Bareil, but he won't be Bareil.

The spark of life would be gone. He'd be dead. And I will have killed him". vii Doctor Bashir makes a valid point that just because Bareil still looks and talks the same, does not mean it is the same person. According to John Locke, "God has made our souls so, and so united them to our bodies, that, upon certain motions made in our bodies by external objects, the soul should have such and such perception or ideas". vs. The union of body and soul is important to having a complete personality; if only one part exists, the result is a totally different person. Though every part of the body makes up the whole person, the mind makes up the soul.

Changing every single organ in the body, if done perfectly, leaves a person's body intact. Even though the body parts are all different, changing the mind changes the entire personality and soul. Once again, Descartes' theory of mind over matter proves itself true. The body is controlled by the mind, but it is still important to the relationships and connections that humans form about their environments. The physical side of a person serves as an identifier used in John Locke's blank slate belief. The associations humans make on the slate of the mind mean nothing if there is no physical constant.

Thus, not only does a change of the mind effect the makeup of a human, as is exemplified in "Life Support", but the body can also change a person. "Life Support" teaches the epistemological lesson of the importance of both mind and soul in the completion of a whole human being. "The Abandoned" and "In the Hands of the Prophets" both stress the importance of a reliable belief system. Together, the three episodes summarize of some of Descartes and Locke's most important philosophies in a way that common people can understand. Roddenberry shared the beliefs reflected in these episodes. He felt: There will always be the fundamentalism and the religious right, but I think there has been too much of it.

I keep hoping that it is temporary foolishness. Some of it will always be around because there will always be people who are so mean-spirited and such limited thinkers that their religious beliefs seem so logical - that there is a god, and so forth - that nothing else in their limited concept can explain what the existence of a god can. ix The closed mindedness of people that Roddenberry discusses was explored in most detail in "The Abandoned", and "In the Hands of the Prophets". His beliefs are reinforced further by understanding Locke and Descartes. These philosophies are used to create entertaining and interesting Star Trek episodes that provide epistemological insights that can be applied to modern life..