Growing up, I’ve never really watched the Star Trek series. I remember seeing it sometimes on the Qatari English TV channel during my childhood days in Qatar.
The Star Trek Movie Trailer
The show seemed silly to me. Weird looking people and space monkeys, wearing weird looking costumes, firing around weird looking lazers. The spaceships were cool though, that’s for sure.
At the time, I didn’t understand or speak English. And given the techie english language of the show, its Arabic subtitles were awkward and hilarious to read
So basically, when the movie came out recently, I wasn’t too excited to see it, but my friends insisted.
Hence, I went, and damn was it awesome! 
Not the greatst movie I’ve watched. It didn’t enter my favorite top 10 list, but nonetheless it was pretty entertaining.
However, besides all the cool action and special effects, what caught my attention was the dominant theme of attempting to reconcile “Logic Vs Emotion, Reason Vs Faith” throughout the movie.
Logic being the Vulcans, Emotions being the Human race, and the struggle to reconcile both being symbolized by Spock, the deeply conflicted child of two worlds, born of a Vulcan father and a Human mother.
It got me thinking about the ongoing fun debate on Islam and faith in my head. It also reminded me of the super cool Foundation book series by Isaac Asimov.
Where does the balance lie in the reconciliation and use of both logic and emotions in our daily lives? How much of each is too much, and how does the answer depend on context?
Too much logic, and you risk being an emotionless computer-like Vulcan. Too much emotion, and you risk becoming an irrational, angry, or even pacifist, dysfunctional “Human.”
Is and can love ever be logical?
What is consciousness?
Are emotions merely the product of electrochemicals released and interpreted by our brains? Such would be a materialist reductionist, and also scientifically incorrect view.
Th movie certainly re-triggered questions that I placed on the shelf and brought them back to the forefront again. It left me wondering about which Star Trek movie character I’d like to be if I had a choice.
I’m thinking the humanized Spock at the very end of the movie after he gave in to feelings and got “emotionally compromised.”
Now, what about YOU?
…
Live long and prosper,
Drima
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Drima,
Sorry to be off topic here but I thought of you when I wrote my latest post at Sudan Watch and wondered if you have a blog post in your archives that explains what Sudanese people use as an alternative to alcohol when partying. Here is an excerpt from the post:
U.S. Senators Isakson and Corker arrive in Khartoum, Sudan
The following commentary by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia tells us that Sudan is an entirely dry country. Even at a dinner with dignitaries, there is no cocktail reception or even a glass of wine with the meal. I wonder if the same applies at wedding receptions and other celebrations in Sudan. Among the thousands of photos that I’ve seen of Sudanese insurgents, quite a few have been photographed smoking or looking dopey. Maybe the Sudanese use herbs as an alternative to alcohol. Note to self to find out more from Drima at The Sudanese Thinker.
http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2009/05/us-senators-isakson-and-corker-arrive.html
Dear Drima
P.S. If you have not written a blog post on the subject of alternatives to alcohol used in Sudan could you please write one to enlighten me so I can link to it at Sudan Watch. Here’s looking to a fun post
Love and peace
Ingrid
We’ve been Star Trek fans from the beginning with the TV series, seen every reincarnation and all the movies. This latest reincarnation was good, not great, but good. Gene Roddenberry, the creator, wanted to teach life lessons through Star Trek, and he did just that.
He and the show were years ahead of humanity in the themes that all are created equal, faith vs reason, etc.
The actors have signed up for at least 2 more movies in this latest reincarnation, can’t wait to see them.
No, we are not Trekkies, ha, don’t dress up or go to conventions. Just enjoy good, clean entertainment.
Sudan Watch,
Although the “herb” is quite popular in Sudan with all social classes, alcohol use is rampant, reminds me of the good old days of prohibition in the states.
The lower and middle classes enjoy an alcoholic beverage made of fermented dates and flavored with assorted fruit essences called arragi, and its might powerful stuff I might add. Less popular is a beer made out of sorghum called “marissa”.
The higher classes enjoy black market booze including the ever popular Johnnie walker, international wines, and all your favorite brands of vodkas/rums/gins/beers.
You have to remember that only 25 years ago Khartoum was full of bars, liquor stores and night clubs. Although it is a social taboo to drink, a significant percentage of the populace does indulge, oxymoronic don’t ya think!!
Well, I enjoyed the movie but what I’m really hoping for is that it will inspire somebody to do a new Star Trek series that doesn’t suck. The last one was “Enterprise” which was so bad I gave up on it in the middle of season two. And I’m a fan of Star Trek, so that’s pretty bad!
You want to be spock? Dude… Kirk was the man back in the early days. Not sure how that happened with William Shatner playing the part, but whatever. I think they did a great job with Kirk, and with all the other characters in this movie. In a lot of cases they didn’t even look similar but they still came across as being the same characters.
Where does the balance lie in the reconciliation and use of both logic and emotions in our daily lives? How much of each is too much, and how does the answer depend on context?
Logic is best used as a tool for discerning truth. Emotion on the other hand is what gives us a reason to even care in the first place. They only conflict when one allows their emotions to influence what they think is true, which in my view is a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, I value emotions tremendously. Without them we would have no values, desires, or purpose. I just think it is better to take into account ones own emotional biases when trying to find factual answers.
Is and can love ever be logical?
Love is not logical but it has no need to be so. Love is an emotion that makes no claim about truth.
I remember the first time I found the show while flipping through the channels. It was on a foreign station in a foreign language and the only way of understanding what was going on was through the English subtitles. As for the character I would want to be? I think I will go with Kirk the guy seems out of control but when you least expect it there he is running the show.
I prefer Doctor Who.
love is what’s left when you let of everything you don’t need..
love is the most logical of all things… to me, it’s why we exist.
random thought…
The Vulcan desire to suppress all emotion is itself an emotionally driven goal and thus illogical.
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