5 Comments

  • NewbieDotCom.Com
    Comments: 9

    That song was brilliant 5 stars.

    I like reimagining this dilemma in terms of: what if the flower had just altered Tuvok and Neelix so that they were only a merged entity as long as they were touching with no physical transformation. Then all that would be required to unmerge them would be to physically separate their bodies. Also I envisage this being realized by Tuvok carrying Neelix on his shoulders at all times, with Tuvok in a tank top and Neelix in shorts, so it is mostly just a joke. However I think it illustrates an issue.  If Janeway had just ordered some security to tackle Tuvix to separate them would anyone have found that a compelling dilemma? I don’t think so, I think the force of the dilemma rests on one’s uncertainty over whether Tuvix leaves Tuvok and Neelix distinct physical things as parts of Tuvix, or whether Tuvok and Neelix were put through a blender and Tuvix is constructed out of the slurry that comes out, so there is no distinct Tuvok or Neelix to unmerge. Although maybe that should not matter and Tuvix should be left to piggyback ride through life, eh?

    So in original Trek episode the Enemy Within when the transporter split Kirk into a wimpy version and a hyper aggressive version, they merged the two back together without too much thought about the ethical implications.

  • Goldstar
    Bat Hero
    Comments: 84

    So in original Trek episode the Enemy Within when the transporter split Kirk into a wimpy version and a hyper aggressive version, they merged the two back together without too much thought about the ethical implications.

    Except that in that case, those were different parts of the same person (Kirk). That’s not the same as merging two entirely separate beings into a single entity, as was the case with Tuvix.

    • NewbieDotCom.Com
      Comments: 9

      That is not avoiding the ethical question that is just assuming an answer, if we do that the dilemma in Tuvix is equally easily resolved. Were they really two parts of Kirk, or were they two new people? As I recall aggressive Kirk did not want to undergo the merger, he thought he was a different person, maybe he was wrong. However if he was wrong then why couldn’t Tuvix be wrong to think he was a different person from Tuvok and Neelix. If we allow this two fully functional individuals are two parts of the same person idea, why not allow that Tuvix was just two people in one place and so splitting him did not destroy anyone.

      I think my real point is that Enemy Within is at least a little goofier and less thought out than what Voyager did. Both are goofy in different ways, where did the mass come from to have two Kirks? Where did the extra mass of Tuvok and Neelix go in Tuvix. Are there really good and evil (aggressive and passive) atoms or whatever inside us the transporter can split and so on.

      • Goldstar
        Bat Hero
        Comments: 84

        That was well put. Clearly you’ve given this more thought than I have. However, I still say that the two issues are too fundamentally different for the same thoughts and arguments to be given to them. I’m not going to argue the point because it’s not worth arguing about.

        Agree to disagree.

  • rando
    I'm THE BEST!
    Comments: 100

    I loved the Opposites Attract parody. And then there was an encore? LOL.