Roddenberry's Vision Of Epistemology

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."iii 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...iv

Sisko'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 Vedek (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.v

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,