Science Is Bad: Difference between revisions

** ''[[Star Trek: Voyager|Voyager's]]'' take on the [[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens|Q]] is interesting. ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|TNG]]'' had previously established that the Q believed humans might one day develop into a civilization comparable to themselves (and were [[Fantastic Racism|not very pleased about it);]] yet, in Voyager, most of the all-but-omnipotent Q are shown to be bored half out of their minds, because life offers no challenges any more.

** Averted in Roddenberry's novelization of the first [[Star Trek: The Motion Picture|movie,]] which claims that most of humanity outside of Starfleet is actually going a transhumanist route, forming into massminds and such. Kirk, as narrator, regards this as a generally good thing and chides himself for being old-fashioned. However, this claim [[Canon Discontinuity|is not supported]] anywhere else in Trek canon.

** The TOS episode "The Ultimate Computer" is a great example of this trope, combined with a little [[Ludd Was Right]]. The Enterprise is testing a brand-new computer that could automate starships completely, making crews and captains all but obsolete. Of course, [[AI Is a Crapshoot]], things go south fast, and our heroes must pull the plug and save the day, but not before the sorrowful moments where Kirk faces the thought he may become obsolete. The scientist who designed the computer also turns out to be insane at the end, just to drive the point home.

* ''[[Fringe]]'' seems to take a stance of science being both bad ''and'' good, since its used to both cause ''and'' help solve the Freaky [[Mystery of the Week]]!