Well then put on your mask, and give them the antidote as if you were one of their own. I mean siriously what is more important? Lives or possible damage in the far future.

btw.. i truly hated the episode where archer decided to not help to create cure, because this other species has a change to become superiour and all that stuff.. It was the episode where two different species have "evolved" from the same planet and the superiour race is getting ill and will die in the future if nothing is done. The views and ignorance of some people is just stupid (i'm talking about the writer(s) of that episode, don't know who is it..)

In my view it is hyporcytical to judge if someone is worthy of survival based solely on the stage of their development. It should make NO difference to Star Fleet which stage of development a sentient being has achieved; they, always and without exception, have two options: Help them or not help them.

In that respect the only difference between the Federation and any other empire is that the Federation has enough birocracy to have the image of wanting to help everyone, but also having enough exceptions in those rules, not to do so.

The episode from ENT you speak of iwulff.
Now that ep had nothing to do with the Prime Directive! I mean, they just went to the planet oblivious as to what's going on, got FAR too involved and in the end did nothing to help either species! Archer was in no position to decide on the fate on either of those two races. That ep just made me think Archer was an arrogant prick.
Still, you have to consider humanity had never faced such a God-like decision. I'd think they were in a transition between of ways of though. On one hand the natural instinct to help a people in need and on the other, all the new philosophy the Vulcans had been putting in their minds for the last 90 years.
Archer simply tried to find (key word, tried) a balance, his IQ aside.

But that might very well be the whole point! Who is a starship captain to play God?

Who said you would play god if you help them? You don't create a new creation or something, you simply help. Playing god are things like DNA alternations, cloning, etc... not making a cure in general.

Yes, but when do you cross the line? You heal someones wound, you cure him of the cold, you help him defeat a virus, then a genetic virus, then a genetic instability... At what point do you say "Maybe this is too far" ?

How do recognise that you are no longer fixing; you are remodeling?

it's taken from the first ep of the second season - "Directives", and is basically my opinion of the arbitrary nature of the prime directive. which i'm just about to explain below...


tbf - that is the entire aim of the prime directive: to take out the god complex from a captains decision making process. it isn't up to the captain to decide on a case by case basis when he/she can't get involved in the internal affairs or development of an alien culture. the decision has already been made. choosing warp flight as a pre-requisite also makes sense, as said culture is more likely to have encountered other alien species with a warp drive than it would without.

so to that end, the PD serves a purpose. however, its inherent inflexibility is the main problem. as i said, what happens if a culture is within fifteen years or so of breaking the warp barrier, but ten years or so from a debilitating plague or virus that could wipe out massive amounts of their populace?

Thats a godd question but its natural it may be inhumane but rules there for a reason you have to stick to them. Janeway didnt !!! she was wrong and thats it! bad catptain changed natural events!

any way this is off topic rely for this thread i set up new thread about prime directive for everyone.