Podcasts by Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast
Meta Treks is a Trek.fm podcast dedicated to a deep examination of the philosophical ideas found in Star Trek. In each episode, Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison take you on a fascinating journey into the inner workings of Star Trek storytelling, deeper into subspace than you've ever traveled before.
Further podcasts by Trek.fm
Podcast on the topic Philosophie
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98: Geordi's Pedagogically Esoteric PowerPoint Presentations from 2020-08-17T09:00
Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Secrecy in Star Trek.
We often take for granted that philosophers and Starfleet officers mean what they say. But there is a rich history of esoteric wr...
97: A Real Butterfly from 2020-04-06T09:00
Philosophical Themes in Star Trek: Picard, Season 1.
The recently completed first season of Star Trek: Picard deals with an impressive amount of philosophical material in a mere ten epis...
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96: Andorian Cowboys from 2019-11-18T10:00
Enterprise Season 1 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
Like the first season of any new television series, Season 1 of Enterprise struggled to find its footing, especially coming out of the th...
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95: Eternity is Passé from 2019-10-29T09:00
Death Wish.
Nineteenth-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche held that Western philosophers from Socrates onward have had a gigantic death wish in the form of philosophical escap...
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94: Where Are the 24th-Century Space Hippies? from 2019-06-04T09:00
Utopianism in Star Trek.
The Star Trek universe is sometimes claimed to be a utopia. From technological progress to an enlightened view of human nature and equal opportunity, the vision...
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93: In a Relevantly Similar Possible Universe, I Would Always Have Been Your Friend, Jim from 2019-05-06T09:00
Alternate Universes and Modal Realism.
The Star Trek franchise is full of alternate universes, from different quantum realities (TNG: "Parallels") and the alternate reality seen in the K...
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92: Prepaid Long-Distance Mind Meld from 2019-01-21T10:00
Discovery Season 1 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
We in the 21st century do not live in an age of mythology as the ancient Greeks and Romans did, with epic heroes and narratives to provid...
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91: Get That Whale Some Gumbo from 2019-01-14T10:00
Equality and Equal Rights.
Equality in the United Federation of Planets is often taken for granted, that alien life forms are entitled to the same rights, privileges, and opportunities ...
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90: ODD (Omniscience Deficit Disorder) from 2018-10-08T09:00
The Q Continuum.
From the The Original Series onward, Star Trek has had a preoccupation with false gods, culminating in the introduction of Q and the Q Continuum in Star Trek: The Next ...
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89: Faustian Horseback Ride from 2018-09-24T09:00
Philosophical Themes in "The Cage."
In the opening scenes of "The Cage," the unaired pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain Christopher Pike is having an existential c...
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88: Spock's Altered States of Consciousness from 2018-07-02T09:00
The Original Series Season 1 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
The entire Star Trek franchise, with over 700 television episodes and 13 feature films (to date), owes its existence to the str...
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87: These Are the Redacted Voyages from 2018-05-28T15:00
Philosophical Themes in "These Are the Voyages."
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison explore the philosophical themes in the series finale of Star Tr...
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86: Pandora's Stasis Chamber from 2018-04-23T09:00
Good vs. Evil in Star Trek.
We generally understand the meaning of "good," whether in the sense of following the rules or in the sense of minimizing the suffering of others. But, parado...
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85: The Pen Is Mightier Than the Bat'leth from 2018-04-10T03:30
The Visitor.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophical themes in the fourth-season Deep Space Nine episode, "The Visitor." Inspir...
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84: Meta-Metaphoric from 2018-03-21T00:00
TNG Season 5 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their top picks for Essential Trek Philosophy from season 5 of ...
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83: Caesar of the Stars from 2018-03-12T13:00
The Conscience of the King.
To what extent does a person remain morally responsible for his or her actions over time, even after many years or after changes in character and experience?...
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82: Hasta La Vista, Baby from 2018-03-05T14:00
Drone Warfare and "The Arsenal of Freedom."
When the Enterprise is sent to the Lorenz Cluster in search of the missing U.S.S. Drake, the crew gets drawn into a life-and-death game of ca...
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81: Katric Six Pack from 2017-10-30T09:00
Vulcan Katras and the Mind-Body Problem.
Episode 6 of Star Trek: Discovery, "Lethe," explored and expanded upon the metaphysics of Vulcan katras beyond what had been seen in previous it...
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80: The Pros and the Khans from 2017-10-23T09:00
Deep Space Nine Season 5 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
When people think of ethics in Star Trek, they often think primarily of ethical dilemmas, such as balancing the greater good of one...
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79: The Redshirt Edition from 2017-10-09T09:00
The Philosophy of Color in Star Trek.
Star Trek: The Original Series is a colorful show, known for its striking set decorations and bold costuming, from the orange highlights on the Ent...
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78: How Do You Say 'Wall' in Klingon? from 2017-10-02T09:00
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 o...
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77: Stewards of the Continuum from 2017-09-25T09:00
Property Ownership in Star Trek.
There may be no money in the 24th century, at least not as we know it. And humankind may no longer be driven by the acquisition of material wealth. But ...
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76: Essential Ennui from 2017-08-14T09:00
Voyager Season 5 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
If you've ever had the urge to replicate yourself some curtains when faced with a late-night existential crisis, then the fifth-season opener...
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75: Kindergarten Calculus from 2017-07-31T13:00
An advanced future civilization such as the United Federation of Planets would surely have an equall... Listen
74: Tell Me a Story from 2017-07-17T13:00
Throughout Western history, grand narratives, or metanarratives, ... Listen
73: Space Ham Radio from 2017-07-03T13:00
When Lt. Commander Data contacts a girl named "Sarjenka" from a pre-warp civilization in distress on his 24th-century space ham radio, it leads to a s... Listen
72: Trojan Catfish from 2017-06-26T13:00
Season 2 of Enterprise contained numerous fun and interesting and science-fic... Listen
71: Borg Butterfly Effect from 2017-06-12T13:00
In the Star Trek universe, the cultural progression of alien races is remarkably deterministic, as... Listen
70: The Clothes Make the Cardassian from 2017-06-05T13:00
Throughout the Star Trek universe, the various alien races serve as a mirror for the best and the worst of our own human natu... Listen
69: Turn On, Tune In, Beam Down from 2017-05-29T13:00
On the eve of Bajor's admittance into the Federation, an accident in one of Quark's holosuites results in the synap... Listen
68: Midwifery Is Our Business from 2017-05-22T13:00
Season 2 of Star Trek: The Original Series playfully explores human ... Listen
67: From Riker to Worf to O'Brien from 2017-05-08T13:00
Kierkegaard and Stages on Life's Way.
This time, we're talking "Soren," but not Dr. Tolian Soren from Star Trek Generations; we're talking about the Danis...
66: Warp 13 with Hair on Fire from 2017-04-24T13:00
Exploration and Expanding Knowledge.
The worldview depicted in the Star Trek universe is grounded in the assumption that the pursuit of increased knowled...
65: Klingon Snipe Hunt from 2017-04-17T13:00
"Birthright," Parts I and II.
In the sixth-season episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Birthright," Parts I and II, there are parallels between Li...
64: Socrates in the Stars from 2017-04-03T13:00
TNG Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling compare their top picks for Essential T...
63: Ugly Bags of Mostly Silicon from 2017-03-27T13:00
The Definition of Life.
"To seek out new life...." Such is the mission statement of Federation starships, to discover and learn as much as possible about life in ...
62: Tricorder of Gyges from 2017-03-20T13:00
Cloaking Devices and the Ring of Gyges.
Invisibility has a long tradition both in fiction and in philosophy, from The Ring of Gyges in Plato's Republic t...
61: Smooth Operator from 2017-03-13T12:30
DS9 Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy with Duncan Barrett, Part 2.
In this second part of a two-part episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and ...
60: Sisko's Folly from 2017-03-06T10:00
DS9 Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy with Duncan Barrett, Part 1.
In this first part of a two-part episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zac...
59: Defying the Badmirals from 2017-02-27T10:00
Disobeying Orders.
Starfleet officers generally respect the chain of command. When an order comes down the pipe from a superior officer or from the Federation cou...
58: Trans-Dimensional Slices from 2017-02-13T14:00
Dimensions.
Reflecting on dimensions has a long history in popular culture, from the geometrically minded satirical novella Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimens...
57: Spiritual Double Dare from 2017-02-06T14:00
"Sacred Ground" and Religious Explanations.
What happens when a scientist has a religious experience not fully explainable by science? When Kes's life falls in je...
56: Recycle, Reclaim, Reuse from 2017-01-30T16:00
Voyager Season 6 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by Kay Shaw (associated ...
55: Quark Speak and Spell from 2017-01-16T14:00
Ferengi Virtue Ethics.
From the fur-wearing, whip-wielding villains of the early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation to the more developed and nuanc...
54: The Nenebek Paradox from 2017-01-09T14:00
Paradoxes of Motion.
From the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea to the 20th century physicist Albert Einstein, philosophers and scientists for thousands of y...
53: Saving Major Kira from 2017-01-02T14:00
Children of Time.
In the Deep Space Nine episode "Children of Time," Captain Sisko and company discover a planet with a colony of 8,000 descendants of th...
52: Ten Second Jon from 2016-12-26T14:00
Enterprise Season 3 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
Season three of Enterprise, with its Xindi story arc, is firmly situated in the post-9/11 era, concentra...
51: Dr. Mora's Jello Mold from 2016-12-05T14:00
Scientific and Medical Ethics.
In Deep Space Nine, we learn that the Bajoran scientist Dr. Mora Pol helped Odo achieve his full potential as a sentient, ...
50: Double Dilithium on You from 2016-11-28T11:00
Logical Positivism.
What separates meaningful language from non-meaningful language, genuine science from pseudo-science, and productive philosophy from unproduct...
49: A Kobayashi Maru Kind of Day from 2016-11-21T14:00
Stoicism.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison search for examples of stoicism in Star Trek. As an ancient Gr...
48: Philosophical Zombie from 2016-11-14T14:00
The Original Series Season 3 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
Season 3 of Star Trek: The Original Series is sometimes criticized for having lost its way with...
47: Wackydoodle Paradigm Busting from 2016-11-08T14:00
Larry Nemecek.
Episode 47 of Meta Treks can mean only one thing: Larry Nemecek! As a renowned Trek authority, friend of the Trek.fm network, and creator ...
46: Project Managers of the Federation from 2016-10-26T13:00
Federation Exceptionalism.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling are joined by Duncan Barrett, co-author of Star Tr...
45: Just Another Day on the Enterprise from 2016-10-17T13:00
The Animated Series - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison are joined by Aaron Harvey, Trek...
44: Borg Perfectissimum from 2016-10-10T13:00
Borg Perfection.
Resistance against the Borg quest for perfection is usually futile. But what does perfection mean to the Borg, and how does this quest for perfect...
43: Life Beyond the Mud from 2016-10-04T13:00
The Trill.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison dive into the mud pits for a philosophical exploration of the Trill. F...
42: Making Discoveries from 2016-09-19T13:00
Kevin C. Neece and The Gospel According to Star Trek.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling a...
41: Replant the Flowers from 2016-09-12T13:00
Justice.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the Next Generation episode "Justice." This first-seaso...
40: The Trial Never Ends from 2016-09-05T13:00
TNG Season 7 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
Season 7 of Star Trek: The Next Generation contained innovative and previously unseen visual depictions of abst...
39: Something Borrowed, Something Blue from 2016-08-29T13:00
Return to Tomorrow.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison continue the discussion from The Ready Room episode ...
38: How Many Nacelles from 2016-08-15T13:00
Starship Phenomenology.
Phenomenology is a post-Kantian philosophical school of thought emphasizing conceptual analysis of the objects of your first-person mental ...
37: Take Away Their Root Beer from 2016-08-08T13:00
Deep Space Nine Season 7: Essential Trek Philosophy.
The final season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had several jobs to do: from continuing the character...
36: Stronger Together from 2016-08-01T13:00
The Philosophy of Star Trek Beyond.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling sh...
35: Wesley's Inferno from 2016-07-25T13:00
The Divine Comedy.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the classic work of literature The Divine Comedy
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34: Gotta Represent from 2016-07-18T13:00
Nationalism.
It is a commonly-held belief that humans in the 23rd and 24th century world of Star Trek have progressed beyond nationalism. The Federation,...
33: All Threes from 2016-07-04T13:00
"Cause and Effect" and the Metaphysics of Time.
In this 33rd episode of Meta Treks, "All Threes," hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison use the TNG ep...
32: The Ghost of Chakotay Future from 2016-06-27T13:00
Voyager Season 7 - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison...
31: Performative Bloodletting from 2016-06-20T13:00
Speech Acts and Performative Utterances.
In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the philosophical and linguistic ...
30: Riker Rejuvenated from 2016-06-06T13:00
The Philosophy of Insurrection.
Coming off the heels of the blockbuster success of Star Trek: First Contact, the next TNG-era feature film S...
29: Punishment Protocol 9-Alpha from 2016-05-30T14:00
Crime and Punishment.
Many different forms of punishment are depicted in Star Trek. From the Risa-like Federation penal colony in New Zealand to engramati...
28: Transporter Toenail Clippers from 2016-05-16T13:00
Enterprise Season Four - Essential Trek Philosophy.
In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast, hosts Mike Mo...
27: Ample Conference Table from 2016-05-09T13:00
The Industrial Design Philosophy of Star Trek.
The tools, manufactured objects, and environments in Star Trek have many influences: futurism, minimalism, mid-centu...
26: A Good Day for Euthanasia from 2016-05-02T13:00
Euthanasia in Star Trek.
In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek
Philosophy Podcast, we debate the ethical issue of euthanasia
in Star ...
25: Feed Me Gagh from 2016-04-18T13:00
Risa and Hedonism.
What role does the pleasure planet of Risa play in the ethics of
Star Trek? Is Risa the ultimate hedonistic escape from the...
24: Making R'uustai from 2016-04-11T13:00
The Bonding.
When Lieutenant Marla Aster is killed unexpectedly during an away
mission under Lieutenant Worf's command, Worf takes young Jeremy
As...
23: Spocknoza from 2016-04-04T13:00
Vulcan Philosophy and Spinoza.
Meta Treks hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison
discuss aspects of Vulcan philosophy, such as logic and ID...
22: Down in Cetacean Ops from 2016-03-28T13:00
Star Trek IV and Environmental Ethics.
In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy
Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Z...
21: Uncle Manu's Cool Arm Cannon from 2016-03-21T13:00
Manu Intiraymi.
In this episode of Meta Treks, we're joined by Manu
Intiraymi, also known as "Icheb" on Star Trek: Voyager.
Toge...
20: Bay of Targs from 2016-03-14T13:00
Preemptive War and Star Trek Into Darkness.
Star Trek has a long tradition of dealing with ethical,
social, and political issues...
19: Suffer Horribly or Eat Fruit from 2016-03-07T14:00
Hermeneutics in Star
Trek.
Hermeneutics is the art and science of meaning and textual
interpretation. I...
18: The Poker Game of Life (on the Enterprise) from 2016-02-29T14:00
Poker, Virtue Ethics, and the Prisoner's Dilemma.
In Star Trek: The Next Generation, we see a lot of poker:
from Commander Riker cleaning...
17: 23rd Century Dashcam from 2016-02-22T14:00
Media Ecology with Dennis Castello.
In the 24th century, is the holodeck the primary mode of media
creation and consumption? And if so, what effect doe...
16: All the Bubbles from 2016-02-15T14:00
Alternate Realities vs. Alternate Timelines.
In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy
Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zacha...
15: The Philanthropist Nagus from 2016-02-08T14:00
The Paradox of the Philosopher King.
In the third-season TOS episode "Plato's Stepchildren," the
Platonians claim to have modeled their society on the ideals of the
14: Black is the New Purple from 2016-02-01T14:00
"Living Witness" and Historical
Evidence.
Meta Treks hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling discuss
historical evidence and the philosophy of his...
13: Spock's Pineal Gland from 2016-01-25T14:00
The Nature of Consciousness.
What is the nature of consciousness and what is its relation to the
physical world? In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Za...
12: Just a Simple Question from 2016-01-18T14:00
The Meaning of Life.
Perhaps the most fundamental philosophical question, the most
important question of the human condition, is the question, "What
11: Fair Pay for Exocomps from 2016-01-04T14:00
Exocomps and Artificial
Intelligence.
Is it possible for non-biological beings such as androids, robots,
or holograms to think? In this episode of Meta ...
10: There's Always a Glitch from 2015-12-21T14:00
The Problem of the External World.
How can you know that the physical world you perceive around you is
real and not an illusion, a dream, or a holodeck...
9: Just Say No from 2015-12-14T14:00
The Prime Directive and
"Symbiosis."
In the first-season TNG episode "Symbiosis," Captain Picard cites
the Prime Directive (Starfleet's noninterfer...
8: It's Turtles All The Way Down from 2015-12-07T14:00
The Science/Religion Debate.
Star Trek is often interpreted to have a negative view of religion,
in favor of a humanistic and atheistic vision of the ...
7: Klingon Emily Post from 2015-11-30T14:00
Klingon Virtue Ethics.
For Klingons, the key ethical question is whether one's heart is
truly Klingon. In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary
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6: Whacking Vreenak from 2015-11-23T14:00
Consequentialism vs. Deontological Ethics.
In the Deep Space Nine episode "In the Pale Moonlight," was
Captain Sisko justified in using less-then-honorable means ...
5: Rocking the Goatee from 2015-11-16T14:00
Personal Identity.
As characters in Star Trek change over time (think TV Picard versus
Movie Picard), what accounts for the persistence of those
ch...
4: Starship of Theseus from 2015-11-09T16:00
The Problem of Identity.
In this episode of Meta Treks, part one of a two-part
discussion on the problem of identity in Star Trek, hosts Mike
3: I Don't Want a Thinker at the Helm from 2015-11-02T14:00
Crews.
on thei... Listen
2: Picard in Blue from 2015-10-26T09:00
Free Will and Compatibilism.
In this episode of Meta Treks, part two of a two-part
discussion about free will vs. determinism in Star Trek, hos...
1: Where No Philosophers Have Gone Before from 2015-10-18T10:59:03
Free Will vs. Determinism.
Welcome to the premier episode of Trek.fm's new show about Star
Trek and philosophy, Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy Podcast. In
this episode, pa...