Angl-Am - User contributions [en]

User talk:Karsten Sill

2009-02-06T18:53:53Z

Karsten Sill: /* Evaporating Genre */

Moin Karsten,

willkommen an Bord,

ahoy [[User:Joern Esch|Joern Esch]] 11:13, 30 April 2007 (CEST)

==Kleines Nachdenken über Deine Genre-Diskussion==

verhake Dich nicht bei der Frage nach SF als Genre. Überhaupt sind Versuche, eine Stabile Genredefinition zu kriegen unsinn - die Dinger leben.

Die wichtigere Frage ist: warum formen Debatten die Genres. Warum bildet sich ein Genre? Einfach nur weil da zufällig gleiches zeig zusammenkommt - bis man sagt: das sieht sich ähnlich, ist ein Genre?

Alternativoption: das Genre funktioniert im Umgang mit dem Kunden und dem Markt und den Kritikern. Versuche nachzudenken, welche genre-Entscheidungen Star Trek trifft. Sie bauen eine Welt in der bestimmtes möglich ist - anderes überlassen sie anderen Genres. Sie können viele Plots integrieren - aber nicht alle. Kommt hinzu, daß sich die Serie verändert und damit das Genre auch. Ich habe den Eindruck, daß bis Voager die alte Crew noch überall auftauchen könnte. Ob sich Spock mit Partnerin einseift (erste Folge "Enterprise"...)??? Da geht irgendwo eine Genre-Grenze, vielleicht - ich habe darüber nicht nachgedacht.

Liefere mir nicht tausend Stimmen aus der Sekundärliteratur. Ich will eher ein Nachdenken am Gegenstand. Wozu dienen den Enterprisemachern die Genre-Grenzen, auf die sie sich einlassen, die sie selbst bauen, die sie verändern. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 11:26, 23 November 2007 (CET)

Hallo Olaf, vielen Dank erst einmal für deine Hinweise/Kommentare. Die Genrediskussion, wie sie in der Literatur dargestellt wird, wollte ich vorerst als Einstieg verwenden. Vielleicht war meine Liste da ein wenig überflüssig.
Dein erster Vorschlag würde auf die gekürzte Genrediskussion folgen, um dann anhand von Beispielen (Episoden, Szenen) zu kennzeichen/diskutieren inwiefern, welche Elemente bei Star Trek zusammenkommen und welche sich im Laufe der Zeit geändert wurden. Ob ein Vergleich mit Star Wars dann noch sinnvolle wäre wage ich zu bezweifeln bzw. vielleicht würde er den Rahmen der Arbeit sprengen. Parallelen und Unterschiede sind dennoch gegeben.

Was die Vulkanier/Menschen Duschszene betrifft, vermute ich mal, dass sich die Macher von 'Enterprise' an aktuellen amerikanischen Serien orientiert haben. Ob da jetzt auch in regelmäßigen Abständen Haut gezeigt wird, kann ich nicht beurteilen. Parallelen finde ich jedoch bei [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_%28TV_series%29 Firefly] und [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_%28re-imagining%29 Battlestar]. Was mir zudem bei 'Enterprise' auffiel, sind die relativ jungen, durchtrainierten(?) Schauspieler, die ebenso ausschlaggebend für ein Genrewechsel sein könnten.

Fernab davon bin ich mit meiner Recherche wesentlich weiter als vor drei Wochen. Nur fühle ich mich von Sekundärliteratur und Star Trek Serien noch recht erschlagen, aber das werde ich die nächsten Wochen ändern. Wann könnte ich die in der Woche außerhalb deiner Sprechstunde im Büro besuchen? Oder bist du am Di länger als 18Uhr in deinem Büro? Viele Grüße --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 20:20, 23 November 2007 (CET)

:Hab da Deine Links korrigiert. Montag Vormittag geht bei mir meist, Mittwoch nach dem Seminar ist noch besser. Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 15:14, 1 December 2007 (CET)

::Hallo Olaf, danke für die Korrekturen. Falls du diesen Kommentar liest, ich wäre morgen früh vorbeigekommen, bin aber ein wenig angeschlagen und muss deshalb morgen einen Arzt aufsuchen. Meine neuen Ideen werde ich im Laufe der Woche hier "bloggen" und dann am nächsten Montag bei dir auftauchen.--[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 17:11, 2 December 2007 (CET)

===Evaporating Genre===
Hab es jetzt auf eine Extra-Seite geworfen (wo es bleiben kann):
http://www.wiki.uni-oldenburg.de/fk3/angl-am/index.php?title=Evaporating_Genres
--[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 15:21, 20 January 2008 (CET)

:: Moin Karsten. Das PDF deiner Arbeit ist leider nicht zugänglich. "This shared file or folder has been removed. If you feel this is by mistake[...]". --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 16:13, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

::: Hi, Nico, habe gerade wenig Zeit. Fehler korrigiert. Sollte jetzt funktionieren --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 18:53, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

User:Karsten Sill

2009-02-06T18:53:05Z

Karsten Sill:

'''Genre Conventions and the Star Trek Universe'''

[http://www.box.net/shared/oturip7hjg | PDF Version]

Please consider the respective copyrights applying.

User:Karsten Sill

2009-02-06T15:36:01Z

Karsten Sill:

'''Genre Conventions and the Star Trek Universe'''

[http://www.box.net/shared/oturip7hjg| PDF Version]

Please consider the respective copyrights applying.

User:Karsten Sill

2009-02-06T15:32:24Z

Karsten Sill:

Genre Conventions and the Star Trek Universe

[http://www.box.net/shared/oturip7hjg| PDF Version]

Please consider the respective copyrights applying.

User:Karsten Sill

2008-12-12T09:58:55Z

Karsten Sill: Removing all content from page

User:Karsten Sill

2008-12-02T13:15:40Z

Karsten Sill:

'''Future Visions'''
*Salmon, William: The London Almanack (1694)
*Madden, Samuel: Memoirs of the Twentieth Century (1733)
*Mercier, Louis-Sébastien: Memories of the Year Two Thousand Five Hundred (1771)
*Woolstonecraft-Shelly, Mary: The Last Man (1826)
*Wells, H.G.: The Time Machine (1895)
*Star Trek: The Original Series: The Enemy Within (6 October 1966)
*Star Trek: The Original Series: City On The Edge Of Forever (6 April 1967)
*Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Emissary (3 January 1993)
*Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: In The Hands Of The Prophet (20 June 1993)

'''Shakespeare'''
*Marlowe, Christopher: The Jew of Malta (1589/90)
*Shakespeare, William: Romeo and Juliet (1591-1595)
*Shakespeare, William: The Merchant of Venice (1596-1598)
*Shakespeare, William: MacBeth (1603-1609)
*Shakespeare, William: The Tempest (1610-11)
*Shakespeare, William: Antony and Cleopatra (1606/7)

'''Sonnets'''
*Donne, John: Holy Sonnet XIV (1633)
*Milton, John: Sonnet VII (1645)
*Milton, John: Sonnet XIX (1673)
…. Poetry reader 2?

and four sonnets mentioned in introduction to lit 2:

''Sidney, Sir Philip. “Loving in Truth”''

''Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 130”''

''Wordsworth, William. “Scorn Not the Sonnet”''

''Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “The Sonnet”''

Might pop by the office hour on tuesday.

User:Karsten Sill

2008-11-29T17:33:29Z

Karsten Sill:

'''Problems with sonnets'''

Couldn't find poetry reader 2, so I assume there are three sonnets in poetry reader 1:

''John Donne: “Holy Sonnet XIV” (1633)''

''John Milton: “Sonnet VII” (1645)''

''John Milton: “Sonnet XIX” (1673)''

and four sonnets mentioned in introduction to lit 2:

''Sidney, Sir Philip. “Loving in Truth”''

''Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 130”''

''Wordsworth, William. “Scorn Not the Sonnet”''

''Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. “The Sonnet”''

Might pop by the office hour on tuesday.

2008-03-10T20:15:08Z

Karsten Sill:

User:Karsten Sill

2008-03-10T20:11:46Z

Karsten Sill:

__NOTOC__

== Questions ==
I rather put them here, before I forget

'''Formal stuff'''
* how do I address the reader? I, we, one..., personal or impersonal (one), I used impersonal before but personal is much easier
* how to quote epsiodes? Time signatures?
*

'''Genre theory'''
* there's a lot about literary and film genre theory
* I'd rather like to give a short account on genre theory discourse and point the stuff that is actually applicable instead of repeating countless voices from theorists - well, that's a large amount and I don't how to deal with it. I already quoted/summarized some opinions: Aristotle, Plato, Goethe, triads, Genette, Croce

''' Chapters '''
* not sure if I should give an overview of science fiction film, seems dispensable (???)
* the overview draft is much too long: currently I am planning three core chapters: virtual realities, time travel and "sui generis" (the Star Trek series & films)
* extra (though this may be too much, irrelevant): parodies, star wars
* I have absolutely no estimation of chapter length, genre theory may fill 20 pages max, virtual realities covers 3 episodes (from the presentation) and some more on the side, time travel maybe 3-4, sui generis probably 20 pages as well... I am really in the dark here...

== Overview (Draft) ==
1 Introduction
::short introduction and a view on contemporary scifi/Star Trek
::thesis
:::: Forschungsüberblick (do I have write one?)

::1.1 The origins of Science Fiction
::1.2 Star Trek

2 Science Fiction Genre

::2.1 Recent Genre Theory
::2.2 The SF Genre(s)
::2.3 SF Film

3 Virtual Realities

::3.1 Early VR
::3.2 Holodeck Realities
:::3.2.1 Stuck On The Holodeck (?)
::3.3 Time Travel

4 Star Trek sui generis (?)

::4.1 The series'
::4.2 The feature films

(5 Star Trek and other SF universes) (Parodies, Star Wars et al.)

6 Conclusion

== Off Topic ==
Articles on Shakespeare: http://www.independent.ie/education/shakespeare/

http://www.uni-kiel.de/medien/stj/bibliographie/framesseite.htm

[[Literary_Studies:Style_sheet]]

User talk:Nico Zorn

2008-03-07T20:42:35Z

Karsten Sill: /* Evaporating Genres */

Kurz von meiner Seite das Feedback unseres Gesprächs

* Wir legten den Titel fest und besprachen eine mögliche
* Ausrichtung auf die Frage nach der Funktion in der Interaktion mit dem Publikum, die das haben kann, sich dieser Schreiboptionen zu bedienen (evtl. mit einem Gedanken zu einer zu falsifizierenden und einer zu verifizierenden Antwort) (wobei da eben im Verlauf des Schreibens für Dich selbst der stillschweigende Vergleich mit anderen Autoren wie Borges, Coover, Barthelme, Rushdie mehr Klarheit verschaffen mag, was Fforde da ganz anderes und nicht minder modernes mit solchen Schreiboptionen im Blick auf sein eigenes zum Spiel bereites Publikum tut).

Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 16:52, 13 September 2007 (CEST)

Vergleichsfolien wären etwa:
*Coover: Magic Poker, Babysitter
*Barthelme, Glass Mountain oder so
*Raymond Federman, ''Critifictions'' (erinnere mich kaum noch daran - der mann schrieb jedenfalls einen Aufsatz dazu daß jeder Text ein Gewebe aus Zitaten sei...
*Borges, Ficciones - Bibliothek von Babel, der Don Quixote des Pierre Menard... ich weiß gerade nicht, was man da an spannenden Geschichten findet, sollst sie alle nicht unbedingt zitieren, aber sie mögen den Blick schärfen auf das Besondere Deines eigenen Text-Konvoluts. Man sieht mitunter klarer, was der eigene Text da ganz anders macht, wenn man andere Texte vergleichen kann, während man eine Frage durchdenkt.
----

Deinen Star-Trek-Ordner hatte ich hier liegen, wollte ihn Dir noch in die Hand drücken. Soll ich ihn einpacken oder willst Du ihn morgen noch abholen? --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 17:47, 13 September 2007 (CEST)

Hole ich heute offensichtlich nicht mehr ab ;) Den kann ich irgendwann bei Gelegenheit mitnehmen. Die Barthelme "60 stories" habe ich schon bei mir. (Glass Mountain ist....sagen wir mal "interessant"), die anderen werde ich in nächster Zeit bestellen/in anderen Bibliotheken zusammensuchen
--[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 21:05, 14 September 2007 (CEST)

==Kleines Spielzeug==

{{Template:Malory 21 Books}}

In Wikis kann man mit diesen Dingern für gleiche Info auf verschiedenen Seiten sorgen... Gruß und Dank für die Hilfe bei der Organisation, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 15:40, 1 December 2007 (CET)

:Ah, praktisch :) Gibt also doch so etwas wie include(document.name); im Wiki intern - Variablen kann es aber vermutlich nicht verwalten, oder?

==Evaporating Genres==
Hi Nico, vielen Dank! Ich lese mir deine Zusammenfassung gerade durch. Soll ich den Text vorsichtshalber von meiner Diskussionsseite löschen? Oder nicht?--[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 13:34, 17 January 2008 (CET)
Ist mir eigentlich relativ egal - ich denke, er passt inhaltlich nicht wirklich dahin, also lösch ihn bei Gelegenheit. --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 14:24, 17 January 2008 (CET)
:auf der anderen Seite sind solche Statements ja interessant. Vielleicht macht man eine Seite zum Beitrag auf. Bücher und wichtige Artikel eben mal greifbar gemacht zu haben, hat ja auch was... --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 14:43, 17 January 2008 (CET)
::Das wäre natürlich auch eine Option. Wobei ich denke, dass dieser Artikel eben relativ seicht ist und nicht gerade enorm viel Neues bietet. Eine brauchbare erste Zusammenfassung der Genres schon. --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 15:04, 17 January 2008 (CET)
:::Schau mal hier - nicht auf das, was da gemacht ist, das war für die Vorlesung etwas Beispielmaterial, denn auf die Kategorisierung und die Betitelung der Seite: [[Harry Blamires, A Short History of English Literature (1974)]]. Bei Autoren, die von viel größerem Interesse sind (wie eta [[Hippolyte Taine, Histoire de la littérature anglaise (1863)]], habe ich eine umfangreichere Kategorisierung, mit der das Buch dann noch in ein paar anderen Listen auftaucht. Bei regulärer, nicht sonderlich Sekundärliteratur wird die neue Kategorie [[:Category:On Literature|On Literature]] genügen (was uns die allgemeinen Listen wie [[:Category:By author|Texts by author]] etwas entrümpelt). --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 16:54, 17 January 2008 (CET)

Hi Nico, wie geht es dir. Könnte dich interessieren:
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/03/report-gary-gyg.html --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 09:53, 5 March 2008 (CET)

:Moin Karsten. Mitten im Schreiben halt. Schrecklich wenn man was geschrieben hat und dann realisiert dass man es lieber doch nochmal auseinanderpflücken muss. Schlimmer als from-scratch schreiben, im(nsh)o. Habe es auch schon gelesen - per Eilnewsletter gestern Morgen. Sowas macht dann doch sehr schnell die Runde :( --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 16:21, 6 March 2008 (CET)
::Moin Karsten und Nico - mögt Ihr nicht als Studenten in der letzten studentischen Lebensphase mal über diese Seite sehen, die ich für die Afenger baute? [[Literary Studies:Writing academic texts]] - Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 16:38, 6 March 2008 (CET)

Aloah, da schaue ich schon zwischendurch immer rein - Kommentare folgen :O Sieht generell ganz gut aus besonders das "häng dch nciht an die Experten". Davon wird man nie ganz immun :/. Es ist so schön "offiziell akzeptierte" Referenzen zu bringen, die den eigenen Text "objektiv" machen.
Nachtrag zu Gygax: Das Fandom ist schnell... http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0536.html --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 20:20, 6 March 2008 (CET)
::: Mehr Fandom: [http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/archive.asp?nextform=viewcomic&id=1347][http://www.exiern.com/index.php?strip_id=125][http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ffn/index.php?date=2008-03-04][http://www.gucomics.com/comic/?cdate=20080305][http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/04]--[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 21:42, 7 March 2008 (CET)
:: Ich stimme Nico zu, was die Experten betrifft Die Seite habe ich mir heute morgen durchgelesen, bin aber gerade zu müde, um etwas sinnvolles zu schreiben (morgen dann). --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 23:36, 6 March 2008 (CET)

User talk:Nico Zorn

2008-03-06T22:36:40Z

Karsten Sill: /* Evaporating Genres */

Kurz von meiner Seite das Feedback unseres Gesprächs

* Wir legten den Titel fest und besprachen eine mögliche
* Ausrichtung auf die Frage nach der Funktion in der Interaktion mit dem Publikum, die das haben kann, sich dieser Schreiboptionen zu bedienen (evtl. mit einem Gedanken zu einer zu falsifizierenden und einer zu verifizierenden Antwort) (wobei da eben im Verlauf des Schreibens für Dich selbst der stillschweigende Vergleich mit anderen Autoren wie Borges, Coover, Barthelme, Rushdie mehr Klarheit verschaffen mag, was Fforde da ganz anderes und nicht minder modernes mit solchen Schreiboptionen im Blick auf sein eigenes zum Spiel bereites Publikum tut).

Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 16:52, 13 September 2007 (CEST)

Vergleichsfolien wären etwa:
*Coover: Magic Poker, Babysitter
*Barthelme, Glass Mountain oder so
*Raymond Federman, ''Critifictions'' (erinnere mich kaum noch daran - der mann schrieb jedenfalls einen Aufsatz dazu daß jeder Text ein Gewebe aus Zitaten sei...
*Borges, Ficciones - Bibliothek von Babel, der Don Quixote des Pierre Menard... ich weiß gerade nicht, was man da an spannenden Geschichten findet, sollst sie alle nicht unbedingt zitieren, aber sie mögen den Blick schärfen auf das Besondere Deines eigenen Text-Konvoluts. Man sieht mitunter klarer, was der eigene Text da ganz anders macht, wenn man andere Texte vergleichen kann, während man eine Frage durchdenkt.
----

Deinen Star-Trek-Ordner hatte ich hier liegen, wollte ihn Dir noch in die Hand drücken. Soll ich ihn einpacken oder willst Du ihn morgen noch abholen? --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 17:47, 13 September 2007 (CEST)

Hole ich heute offensichtlich nicht mehr ab ;) Den kann ich irgendwann bei Gelegenheit mitnehmen. Die Barthelme "60 stories" habe ich schon bei mir. (Glass Mountain ist....sagen wir mal "interessant"), die anderen werde ich in nächster Zeit bestellen/in anderen Bibliotheken zusammensuchen
--[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 21:05, 14 September 2007 (CEST)

==Kleines Spielzeug==

{{Template:Malory 21 Books}}

In Wikis kann man mit diesen Dingern für gleiche Info auf verschiedenen Seiten sorgen... Gruß und Dank für die Hilfe bei der Organisation, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 15:40, 1 December 2007 (CET)

:Ah, praktisch :) Gibt also doch so etwas wie include(document.name); im Wiki intern - Variablen kann es aber vermutlich nicht verwalten, oder?

==Evaporating Genres==
Hi Nico, vielen Dank! Ich lese mir deine Zusammenfassung gerade durch. Soll ich den Text vorsichtshalber von meiner Diskussionsseite löschen? Oder nicht?--[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 13:34, 17 January 2008 (CET)
Ist mir eigentlich relativ egal - ich denke, er passt inhaltlich nicht wirklich dahin, also lösch ihn bei Gelegenheit. --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 14:24, 17 January 2008 (CET)
:auf der anderen Seite sind solche Statements ja interessant. Vielleicht macht man eine Seite zum Beitrag auf. Bücher und wichtige Artikel eben mal greifbar gemacht zu haben, hat ja auch was... --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 14:43, 17 January 2008 (CET)
::Das wäre natürlich auch eine Option. Wobei ich denke, dass dieser Artikel eben relativ seicht ist und nicht gerade enorm viel Neues bietet. Eine brauchbare erste Zusammenfassung der Genres schon. --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 15:04, 17 January 2008 (CET)
:::Schau mal hier - nicht auf das, was da gemacht ist, das war für die Vorlesung etwas Beispielmaterial, denn auf die Kategorisierung und die Betitelung der Seite: [[Harry Blamires, A Short History of English Literature (1974)]]. Bei Autoren, die von viel größerem Interesse sind (wie eta [[Hippolyte Taine, Histoire de la littérature anglaise (1863)]], habe ich eine umfangreichere Kategorisierung, mit der das Buch dann noch in ein paar anderen Listen auftaucht. Bei regulärer, nicht sonderlich Sekundärliteratur wird die neue Kategorie [[:Category:On Literature|On Literature]] genügen (was uns die allgemeinen Listen wie [[:Category:By author|Texts by author]] etwas entrümpelt). --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 16:54, 17 January 2008 (CET)

Hi Nico, wie geht es dir. Könnte dich interessieren:
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/03/report-gary-gyg.html --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 09:53, 5 March 2008 (CET)

:Moin Karsten. Mitten im Schreiben halt. Schrecklich wenn man was geschrieben hat und dann realisiert dass man es lieber doch nochmal auseinanderpflücken muss. Schlimmer als from-scratch schreiben, im(nsh)o. Habe es auch schon gelesen - per Eilnewsletter gestern Morgen. Sowas macht dann doch sehr schnell die Runde :( --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 16:21, 6 March 2008 (CET)
::Moin Karsten und Nico - mögt Ihr nicht als Studenten in der letzten studentischen Lebensphase mal über diese Seite sehen, die ich für die Afenger baute? [[Literary Studies:Writing academic texts]] - Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 16:38, 6 March 2008 (CET)

Aloah, da schaue ich schon zwischendurch immer rein - Kommentare folgen :O Sieht generell ganz gut aus besonders das "häng dch nciht an die Experten". Davon wird man nie ganz immun :/. Es ist so schön "offiziell akzeptierte" Referenzen zu bringen, die den eigenen Text "objektiv" machen.
Nachtrag zu Gygax: Das Fandom ist schnell... http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0536.html --[[User:Nico Zorn|Nico Zorn]] 20:20, 6 March 2008 (CET)
:: Ich stimme Nico zu, was die Experten betrifft Die Seite habe ich mir heute morgen durchgelesen, bin aber gerade zu müde, um etwas sinnvolles zu schreiben (morgen dann). --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 23:36, 6 March 2008 (CET)

User talk:Nico Zorn

2008-03-05T08:53:09Z

Karsten Sill:

User talk:Nico Zorn

2008-03-05T08:52:53Z

Karsten Sill:

User:Karsten Sill

2008-03-03T21:52:37Z

Karsten Sill: cleanup

User:Karsten Sill

2008-02-28T15:10:57Z

Karsten Sill:

__NOTOC__

== Overview (Draft) ==
1 Introduction
::short introduction and a view on contemporary scifi/Star Trek
::thesis
:::: Forschungsüberblick (do I have write one?)

::1.1 The origins of Science Fiction
::1.2 Star Trek

2 Science Fiction Genre

::2.1 Recent Genre Theory
::2.2 The SF Genre(s)
::2.3 SF Film

3 Virtual Realities

::3.1 Early VR
::3.2 Holodeck Realities
:::3.2.1 Stuck On The Holodeck (?)
::3.3 Time Travel

4 Star Trek sui generis (?)

::4.1 The series'
::4.2 The feature films

(5 Star Trek and other SF universes) (Parodies, Star Wars et al.)

6 Conclusion

== January: Presentation - Genre Conventions in the Star Trek universe ==

'''Presentation:'''
http://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=dfqbdcvf_104fn7gxhf4&skipauth=true

===Relevant episodes:===
==== Crime Fiction ====
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/A_Piece_of_the_Action A Piece Of The Action] (2x20)
*TNG [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Elementary%2C_Dear_Data Elementary, Dear Data] (2x03)

====World War II====
*VOY [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Killing_Game The Killing Game, Part I] (4x18)
*VOY [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Killing_Game%2C_Part_II The Killing Game, Part II] (4x19)
*ENT [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Storm_Front%2C_Part_I Storm Front, Part I]
*ENT [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Storm_Front%2C_Part_II Storm Front, Part II]

==== Other ====
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Catspaw Catspaw] (2x01)
*TNG [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Ship_in_a_Bottle Ship In A Bottle] (6x12)

== Thoughts: First week of December 2007 ==

==== Virtual Realities ====
*found this out while reading the first chapter of Shapiro's work: TOS 'The Cage' introduced a virtual reality that Capt. Pike had to cope with but which he decidedly denied. In the pilot the Talosian virtual reality shows Pike's past life
*interestingly, the writers came up with the [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Holodeck Holodeck] which exactly is of the same purpose but slightly different as it helped the writers to incoporate intextual references, that is references to other genres. For example:
:::*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Big_Goodbye The Big Goodbye]: Picard trapped in 1940s gangster San Francisco
:::*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes References to Sherlock Holmes] (Data) and entire episodes that deal with crime novels
:::*various other holograms
* so I am asking myself: Why did the writers put so many other genres(references) into TNG? Probably this was a way to make the series more attractive, diverse
* also, this relates to Picard as a character being of French origin and an avid reader/user of "old" literature and languages (Latin). Did the writers pursue to attract ''an educated audience''?
* while the holodeck becomes part of the entire series but in Voyager and DS9 it is hardly noticeable. Why did the holodeck disappear?

==== Gender roles/Women/Soap Fiction? ====
* Soap Fiction is an interesting term... Well, in later series, namely ''Voyager'' and ''Enterprise'' the writers put more stress on female characters
* the ''Voyager'' pilot promotes strong, authoritative and dominant women like Janeway and the half-Kling '''B'Elanna Torres''' who is also suffering from racial separating in some way. They are extremely talented , always in charge and as heroic as the male officers (also the Borg Seven of Nine)
* on the other hand, and this is the crucial point, they are all single but more than once involved in romances. Somehow I got the impression Voyager is more or less a romantic cruiser with its various lovers, rivals and short term relationships...
* Janeway somehow sacrifices her relationship on the odyssey of the Voyager as her financé chooses to marry another woman. Additionally, the actor of Janeway, played in various Soap operas before and after the filming of Voyager. This cannot be incidentally!?!?

==== Emotionality Issues ====
*ok, something short on the emotions of robots, aliens etc.:
:*'''Spock''' does not show his emotions and does not seem to have much emotions compared to humans
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Data#Romance Data]''', being an android, somehow tries to feel like a human and implants himself a emotion chip later in TNG
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Seven_of_nine#Relationships Seven of Nine]''' in Voyager does have an anti-emotion implant but is eager to experience sexuality with other crew members (which she does... quote)
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/T%27Pol#Romance T'Pol]''' with reference to the infamous shower scene, that I watched again :), is probably the first Vulcan to have romances with Vulcans and humans (the guy from the shower). This in a way breaks with all conventions of the older series. Still, there are some conventions that remained intact throughout the series: the cyborgs/alien's attempt to feel emotions, to become part of human culture and/or a perfect human

==== Notes ====
* you don't have to comment on every paragraph, I might focus on aspects that are more suitable for a fruitful discussion and that clearly show genre changes
* bits and pieces on Enterprise will follow soon as I started watching the first season
* as there is so much material dealing with the various series of ST I would rather leave out a comparison with Star Wars though it migh still be an interesting topic.

== Off Topic ==
Articles on Shakespeare: http://www.independent.ie/education/shakespeare/

http://www.uni-kiel.de/medien/stj/bibliographie/framesseite.htm

[[Literary_Studies:Style_sheet]]

2008-01-18T09:52:27Z

Karsten Sill: /* Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot? */

{|align=right width=500px
!bgcolor=#FFFF80|Open Accounts: First name, blank, second name
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think of topics of your interest, put them under the headlines we have discussed, sign <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> and safe
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note that we will have a guest on Dec. 12. See you, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 20:01, 11 November 2007 (CET)
|}
* '''Time:''' We 4-6 pm
* '''Place:''' A10 1-121a
* '''Contact:''' [[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]]

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''Star Trek'' is far more than a TV-series. It is a cultural phenomenon with enormous ramifications marked by substantial plot developments, and it is a powerful piece of fiction due to its wide range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political allusions. The original series became a cult classic, the Star Trek universe it created does in retrospect bridge generations and political gaps such as the Cold War with its East/West-confrontation (mirrored within the series by disruptions of original interstellar confrontations).

The Seminar will deal with the following topics. If you have plans for seminar papers list them bellow. (Discuss the present course outline on the course's discussion page if you feel you cannot see under which heading your topic could appear).

Do mention individual episodes (refer to english wikipedia - you find links bellow) wherever you feel that this is a sequence we must deal with under the given headline (I am not so well informed about the later sequels):

__TOC__

==Oct 24 2007: Brainstorming==

==Oct 31 2007: The Star Trek Universe I: ''The Original Series'' (1966–1969)==
'''Preparation:'''
* Production background
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cage_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Cage''], the unsuccessful pilot - filmed in November-December 1964, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until 1988.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Trap_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Man Trap''], aired on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

'''Topics to discuss:'''
* Captain Kirk vs. Captain Pike - types, roles, heroism
* Women
* Spock I and Spock II

'''Possible topics of Seminar papers:'''
*Comparison of The Cage - the original pilot - and and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Menagerie_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Menagerie''] pts. 1-2 aired November 17 and November 24, 1966.
*The composition of a successful team - a seminar paper which might take a special look at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 ''Mirror, Mirror''] broadcast on October 6, 1967 - where we get a positive and a negative Enterprise crew.

==Nov 10, 2007: The Star Trek Night - The Movies==
As I have to disappoint you on Wed 7: a night at my place (Tannenkampstr. 12) - we'll try to see as many of the movies as possible, eat and drink wine (you might provide the latter).
:We might begin around 6pm - those who will have to arrive later can do so and join us any time - it will probably be a long night. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 21:08, 6 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 14, 2007: The Star Trek Universe II: ''Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999)==
The Sequels ''The Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
----

Next Generation

Hi everybody! Since we were not able to present all the information of our presentation in the session, here are some points that might be interesting.

'''Info about the series'''

• First episode: 1987 in the US

• 7 seasons, 176 episodes

• It was longer on screen than TOS (80 episodes – 176 episodes)

• Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot): received by 94 % of all households in the US

• Later still very successful, 1st place of the TV series (18-49 years)

=> Advertisement

=> 1 Mio $ per episode

=> Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Hawkins, Dwight Schulz (A-Team) etc. acted in some of the episodes

'''Content:'''

• Single episodes with an action which is self-explanatory

o But: some episodes refer to the content of other episodes, e.g. Season 3, “The best of both worlds”, season 7, “Bloodlines”

• 100 years later

• Different characters

• Some episodes (e.g. the second episode) have similar plots as episodes of TOS or refer directly to them

• Sometimes visits from characters of the old Enterprise

'''Introduction of the main characters'''

• '''Picard''': Captain of the new Enterprise, different to Kirk, strictly sticks to the Prime Directive, total loyalty to his crew, dislikes children, develops to a more sympathetic man during the series

• '''Riker''': 1st Commander, love affairs, attractive to female characters, sympathetic

• '''Data''': 2nd Commander, the only Android of the Starfleet, counterpart to Spock (e.g. does not understand any sarcasm), asks for definitions, tries to be human

• '''Troi''': Counsellor, Beta Zoid, feelings/emotions, very attractive, later she is the only woman on the bridge

• '''Dr. Crusher''': Doctor, family values, “mother” of the crew, together with Troi: more female power on the ship than in TOS

• '''Worf''': Lieutenant Commander, Klingon, high moral Klingon values, later chief security officer, integrated, sympathetic, represents action and strength on the Enterprise

• '''LaForge''': Lieutenant Commander, later chief engineer

'''Family'''

• families on board who are being evacuated (in the pilot)

• Wesley: child becomes a main character

• Picard dislikes children

• Throughout the series: the crew appears more and more like a family

=> Riker refuses to ship commands several times to stay with the crew of the enterprise

=> Crusher as mother

• Other family-topics in the series:

=> Worf + son

=> Data + daughter

=> Picard + son

In The Next Generation, which was produced at the end of the 1980s, and the beginning of the 1990s, the family as a topic has been used more often than in TOS of the 60s.

'''Other references to our reality:'''

They try to conserve the earthly culture, they drink Earl Grey tea, they read and cite James Joyce, Shakespeare, and Sherlock Holmes, they listen to classical music and talk of the 80s and 90s as the good old times.

''Question'': The crew of the Enterprise presents our reality in a positive way. What kind of message does the producer convey?

Hi folks,
it would be nice, if you watch the first two episodes ("The Emissary pt.1 &2") of DS9 as a preparation for the Wednesday session. They should be available at the Mediathek... If you want to see more episodes, feel free to watch some post-season-three stuff, because the plot dramatically changed then. Watch out for topics like Religion, Interpersonal conflicts and differences between DS9 and other Star Trek stuff...Manuel Saralidis 14:58, 12 November 2007 (CET)

Hello,
just to remind you... I put the Deep Space Nine Introduction slides and summary as a PDF on StudIP where you can download them... Cheers... [[User:Manuel Saralidis|Manuel Saralidis]] 22:05, 29 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 21, 2007: The Star Trek Universe III: ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005)==
The Sequels ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005) same question: Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
´

Voyager
Interesting subjects could be that of terrorism, fear of communism (as the Borg play an important role in voyager), Human values, the Prime Directive, a parallel Universe (Species 8472), Collaboration of species that are enemies but that become allies when a species more powerful than them appears,

Also: Female positions
- Voyager is the first of all Star Trek Series, that has a female Captain!
- Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is the first Chief Engineer on board of a Star Trek Vessel

Also: The Maquis rebellion

Dear Participants.
I put the presentation on "Voyager" on Stud IP under "Dateien"

Ann-Kathrin Uden

==Nov 28, 2007: God in a World of Miracles - Star Trek and Religion==
Is there a God out there? What is the Federation's religion? None or that of a secular state granting religious freedom? Why don't we have Arabs on board of the Star Trek vessels? How do the Federation's travelers react when confronted with religions out there?

I would like to write a paper on Star Trek and Religion. As i haven't read any literature yet, my ideas are still pretty general. But mainly I think i will be dealing with questions like: what view on religion and belief is conveyed in Star Trek (pro or con religion, atheist?) and HOW is it conveyed? This could probably be based on DS 9 and the whole "wormhole aliens vs. phrophets (bajoranian belief)" issue. ([[User:Stephan Schmidt|Stephan Schmidt]] 14:16, 7 November 2007 (CET))

Hey. I just skipped through some webpages to find pieces of information about the religious content in Star Trek and its spin-offs. Here are some webpages that deal with religion. While the majority is fan-made, others document the topic from a more objective point of view.

*http://www.star-trek-religionen.de/index1.htm
*http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm
*http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human_religion
*http://www.newstrekker.com/archiv/startrek_02_03.htm
*http://www.ibka.org/node/603
** and here the speech: http://ibka.org/en/files/Braga.mp3

Just take a look [[User:Tobias Penski|Tobias Penski]] 22:10, 21 November 2007 (CET)

'''TOS on Religion'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Mourns_for_Adonais_%28TOS_episode%29 Who Mourns for Adonais, September 22, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apple_%28TOS_episode%29 The Apple, October 13, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_World_Is_Hollow_and_I_Have_Touched_the_Sky For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, November 8, 1968]

'''Movies'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_V:_The_Final_Frontier The Final Frontier, 1989]

'''Literature'''
*Ros S. Kraemer, "Is there a God in the Universe?", in Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. (eds.), ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001, p.15-56 [http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2001_religions_of_star_trek_p15-57.pdf link]

==Dec 5, 2007: Technotopia==
Star Trek is (from warp-drives to beaming facilities) full of inventions we are still waiting for - and peculiarly lacking others we developed instead (like those mobile phones we use for normal conversations rather than short commands). It is said to have motivated research - yet it is too simple to see it as a simple glorification of technological progress...

*[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2004_shapiro__star_trek.pdf Alan Shapiro, ''Star Trek. Technoloies of Disappearance (2004)]
*[[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/ds9-ep20.divx DS9 Special Episode on with religious emphasis]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_to_Eden_%28TOS_episode%29_TOS_#75 ''The Way to Eden''] Spock makes friends with a sect of hippies.

==Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities==

Debate with [[Alan N. Shapiro]]. Course reading: Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004.

'''Summary: Chapter Two "THE LAST COMPUTER"''' (John Müller)

In chapter two, “The Last Computer“, Shapiro talks about computers and their functions/capabilities in the 23rd century. In a second step, he compares those future computers to our late 20th century computer technology and draws some interesting conclusions as far as own perception is concerned. In order to support his point, Shapiro takes a look at two episodes from TOS (“A Taste Of Armageddon” [Ep. 23] and “The Ultimate Computer” [Ep. 53]).

In “A Taste Of Armageddon” there are two computers which are war with one another, or, in other words, there are two neighboring planets which have been at war for centuries, but, instead of waging a real war with real weapons, they have chosen to let computers simulate their war for them. The computers on both worlds are linked and independently launch attacks on each other. But even though the fighting remains in the realms of virtual reality, the consequences do not: The perfection of this war is taken so far that both computers calculate damage and casualties on their home worlds and force the people who are registered as victims in the simulation to also become victims in real life. Once a citizen is “killed” in the simulation through a hostile attack, he/she has to report to a “disintegration machine” and then vanish in order to obey to the rules of the simulated computer-war.

Apart from the moral implications of this virtual war and the stance Kirk and his crew take towards it (needless to say the computers are dismantled in the end and the warring parties start real peace negotiations for the first time), Shapiro compares the computer-war with our late 20th century reality and the role computers play in it. He uses the example of the 1991 Gulf War and, citing philosopher Boudrillard and his works, Shapiro states that the allied actions taken against dictator Hussein are not too different from the computer-war displayed in “A Taste Of Armageddon”. Before even one missile was launched in the Gulf region, hundreds of military strategists were “endlessly analyzing scenarios” (p. 87) and the many casualties they foresaw in their simulated attacks became to be viewed as inescapable losses that served a greater cause. “Their deaths are pre-calculated. They are ‘collateral damage’” (p. 87). Besides this cold and “mechanical” view at the lives of innocent citizens, the Gulf War and the computer war in the TOS episode have one more thing in common: Like with the two computers in the episode there hardly was any “real” encounter between the two warring parties in the Gulf War: For the far more technologically advanced allied forces the war was won in advance in realm of simulations, for the far less advanced Iraqi soldiers the war had already been lost before it fully broke out at all.
In Shapiro’s opinion the same logic also works for the “war on terrorism”: The American idea of the preemptive strike against anyone who might support or become an ally to Al-Qaida or the even more elusive concept of the “axis of evil” show that, at the beginning of the 21st century, US military operations are more and more withdrawn into the realm of calculations and probability, where a “potential attacker and enemy [...] exists as informational entity or statistical propensity, endlessly speculated on and reported in the virtual realm of the media” (p. 88).

In the second episode, “The Ultimate Computer” the TOS crew is once again faced with a situation not unlike the one described above: An all-new computer, “M-5” designed to be capable of replacing an entire starship crew, is to be installed and tested aboard the Enterprise by its creator, the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Daystrom. During the test the “M-5” takes over for the humans and then performs a variety of standard procedures, including both scientific and strategic operations – which at first work well. During the strategic drill, however, the “M-5” mistakes an unarmed and unmanned freighter for a real enemy and destroys it. Due to the fact that, for some reason, the computer cannot be switched off at that point, things start to turn for the worst: The computer assumes complete control over all of the ship’s systems, displays an arrogant and superior “personality” (not unlike that of its creator) and then attacks the four sister ships of the Enterprise which had been gathered for the simulated drill. After the “M-5” has almost destroyed the ships and many lives have been lost, Captain Kirk finally has a talk with the resilient piece of machinery. Convinced that it is the “ultimate achievement in computer evolution” (p. 93) the “M-5” believes that it must survive by all means in order to be able to protect man. Kirk finally manages it to convince the “M-5” that it has already committed murder, and, by doing so, it has lost its rights to survive. The “M-5” eventually sees the logic in Kirk’s words and, in an act of self-punishment, destroys itself.

“The Ultimate Computer” deals with the human fear to one day be replaced and/or threatened by super-intelligent computers that exceed human capacities by far. Shapiro states that in TOS there generally was a rather negative attitude towards super-intelligent computers (be it false-god-computers like Vaal in “The Apple“ and the Oracle in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” or be it the superior machines like M-5 in “The Ultimate Computer” and Nomad in “The Changeling”). He points out, however, that this fear of being outwitted and replaced one day only “deters us from the fact that we are already computerized (or deeply enmeshed with digital technology)” (p. 94). Despite the fact that his thesis makes sense to some extent (i.e. Internet, cell phones, computer games etc.) he fails to give the reader some clear cut examples to support his idea. I can only guess that it has something to do with the digital and computerized world we live in today. However, his point (if there is any) remains much more elusive than with the comparison between the Gulf War(s) and the computer war – which makes a lot of sense and, in my opinion, is a very interesting way of looking at post-modern (and western) warfare.

'''Summary: Chapter three “The Transporter” [How the Transporter “Really Works”]

Episode serving as an example: “The Enemy Within”'''

(written by Arne Poller)

On a routine geological survey on the planet Alpha 177 the landing party has discovered a doglike creature. A member of the crew gets injured and yellow stains from a magnetic ore are all over his clothes. Probably those are interrupting the beaming process when he tries to beam back up. After doubts whether the transporter machinery is safe Captain Kirk beams up and reappears with a weakened look. While Scotty helps the ‘weak’ Kirk he leaves the Transporter Room unattended. A second ‘savage looking’ Kirk appears in the Room. It turns out that an accident in the transporting process has caused the rematerialisation of a ‘Weak Kirk’ and an ‘Evil Kirk’.
While ‘Weak Kirk’ rests in his room ‘Evil Kirk’ walks around within the ship and is doing silly things (grabs Dr. McCoy by the scruff, seizes Yeoman Rand fiercely by the shoulder…).
At the same time Scotty has figured out that a ‘complete breakdown’ of the operational condition of the transporter has taken place. After Captain Kirk was beamed aboard they tried to beam up the doglike creature with the result of having nonidentical twins. One is gentle and timid, the other is widely agitated and violent. Afraid of the consequences they don’t dare to beam up the rest of the crew. That leaves the landing crew stranded on the planet with the life-threatening prospect of an oncoming freezing nightfall. After interviewing ‘Weak Kirk’ Spock realizes that there must be an imposter aboard the ship. Spock and McCoy hypothesize that ‘Weak Kirk’ is lacking his negative side, which, when ‘properly controlled and disciplined’, endow the Captain with his special ability to command a starship. They catch ‘Evil Kirk’ on one of the lower decks.
“I have to take him back inside myself” ‘Weak Kirk’ recognizes. “I can’t survive without him.”
As Scotty gets the system up and running they first try a test. The two duplicate doglike creatures are send through. Out of the two only one reappears which is dead. The creature was rejoint into a single being, it did not outlive the shock of reunification due to its fear. Finally the duplicate Kirk’s have to take the risk in order to safe the stranded crew. They hope that human intelligence disciplining his trepidation will make a difference. As they get ready to energize, ‘Weak Kirk’ smiles to Spock, Bones, and Scotty, signalling that he has no fear. Finally the ‘real Kirk’ reappears and the stranded crew will be rescued, too.

Shapiro argues that “the mishap of the transporter, the Holodeck, or warp speed is emphasized on Star Trek above the normal operation of the system. ‘Evil Kirk’ is the intrinsic accident that belongs by necessity to the transporter. Every technology has both a rational purpose and a build-in accident ‘waiting to happen’.”
Created by Roddenberry as a convenient way of saving money, Star Trek expresses its profound ambivalence towards the technology of the transporter.
Following Shapiro the trickery of technology rouses the principle of evil, of the vital necessity of evil for the survival of good. ‘Evil Kirk’ is a required and integral portion of Captain Kirk. “The deep-rooted accident of the duplicate Kirk turns a questioning spotlight on the ‘essence’ of the transporter, which is the absolutist phantasmagoria of total knowledge of a person captured in a digital pattern image or ‘quantum physics’ snapshot of their subatomic particles.”
Shapiro asks if techno-scientific enthusiasm truly is Star Trek’s worldview.

'''How the Transporter “Really works”'''

Over the decades there was a paradigm shift in Star Trek’s beaming technology and how it works.

The original notion: Dematerialization – rematerialization, matter-to-energy conversion and back to physical transporter.

Digital transporter: The concept of blueprint formula-like, cloning – or information-based digital transporter.

Quantum teleporter: The idea of ‘entangled photon pairs’ (already been built experimentally by physicists for light particle ‘passengers’.

[For exact function look at Shapiro p.102 l.5]

“The newer postmodernist digital transporter and hypermodernist quantum teleporter gesture towards a paradigm shift in the predominant definition of what it means to be human. Within this posthuman paradigm, it is conceded that a copy of myself, either created from the same model informational digital pattern or emanating from an initiatory quantum mechanical techno-scientific coupled entanglement, is identical to me.”

'''Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes'''

In chapter six Shapiro discusses wormholes in Star Trek and general SF as well as the scientific practicability of wormholes in reality. Firstly, he gives a broad overview on the DS9 pilot [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Emissary Emissary] that is the basis of his discussion. By doing so, he stresses Commander Sisko's encounter with the wormhole aliens that in Shapiro's words, ultimately leads to a ''“true symbolic exchange between Commander Sisko and the wormhole aliens […] (p. 200)”''.

Secondly, he begins his discussion on the physics of wormholes by commenting publications dealing with Star Trek technologies such as Lawrence M. Krauss' ''The Physics of Star Trek''. In opinion those publications endorse Star Trek's key technologies in order to satisfy the fanbase and at the same time they refer to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataphysics pataphysical] praticability - that is, some sort of philisophical physics. Furthermore, Shapiro brings to light that in many papers on the subject wormholes are regarded as time travel devices (p. 202). Especially, in Voyager and DS9 beaming and wormholes are combined in order to travel in time as it is shown in the episodes [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Trials_and_Tribble-ations Trials and Tribble-ations] and [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Eye_of_the_Needle Eye of the Needle]. Technically, time travel scenarios are created with digital recomposition, set reconstruction, frame-by-frame shadow masking and the likes.

Looking at SF film in general Shapiro points out that many film makers and writers have been obsessed with time travel stories and parallel dimensions for decades (see Dr. Who, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Back to the Future etc.). And often they pursued the psychological goal to exterminate the ''"radical otherness of history and other cultures, to short-circuit the difficult course of mourning, to meet up with none other than myself (yourself ?) (p. 202)"''

Moreover, he explains this psychological goal by outlining the scientific works of so-called philosopher physicists like Richard Feynman who have dealt with wormholes and time travel on a scientific level refering to the frontier possibilities of the laws of physics (Einstein's theories of 1905 and 1915). As he further emphasizes the development of time travel pataphysics up to the 1970s and 80s, Shaphiro argues if these theories cannot be held up in a real world context, even if they seem plausible in generic SF settings (p. 211).

Lastly, leaving all scientific theories on time travel and wormholes behind, Shaphiro poses the question if time travel in Star Trek rather presupposes a specific human notion of time: ''One example of this is the idea implicit in the "block universe model" of spacetime that the future is already "out there" or already exists. This is the future-orientation of time in the statistical worldview, or the the future's simulation. It is opposed to the existential view that the future is yet to be decided. The whish for time travel to the past is another, complementary component of the human and hyper-real notion of time. (p. 213)'' --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 15:42, 11 December 2007 (CET)

'''Summary: Chapter Eight " Android Data"''' (Hanno Jansen)

Chapter eight deals with android beings in movies and literature. Shapiro explains how the character of Data in TNG was developed and which purpose androids in general and especially Lt. Data serve on a meta level. He does so by refering to three chosen episodes of The Next Generation. The following links lead to the summaries of the mentioned episodes.

1.Datalore [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datalore] (p.250)
2.The Measure of a Man [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Measure_of_a_Man_%28TNG_episode%29] (p.268)
3.The Offspring [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Offspring_%28TNG_episode%29] (p.278)

The idea of a humanoid android in search of his creator, striving to become human was first used by Gene Roddenberry in the TV-movie "The Questor Tapes" (1974).
It was planned as the pilot of a television series but due to differences between Roddenberry and both Universal and NBC canceled before an episode was produced.
After the original show was canceled, Roddenberry planed to bring back Star Trek as a prime time TV show with fresh episodes. Star Trek Phase II should reunite the old cast exept Nimoy who refused to partake. His character was replaced by the "full Vulcan" Lt. Xon. Xon, having no human emotions, should always struggle to simulate human traits. The pilot of this series was never made but contentwise resumed in the first Star Trek movie. Lt. Data is the readoption and mixture of Xon and the Questor.

Shapiro compares different Science Fiction stories to show two main categories of androids. ''"Either it is a question of androids attaining human-like characteristics, and therefore accepting to have as their goal to become equivalent to humans. Or it is about androids exceeding human intelligence and skillfulness, and therefore becoming an ominous menace to humanity as they seek to dominate us. Never is it about humans and androids co-existing in difference or otherness"'' (p. 255)

Using "Blade Runner" as well as "The Measure of a Man" as examples, Shapiro shows the difficulty of categorizing androids that closely resemble us. The question is raised what defines a lifeform as such. Is it self awareness, autopoiesis or the coupling of perception and action?
In Blade Runner the comparison of android and human even goes as far as seeing a human as a "meat machine" replicating itself by replicating everything around him over and over again with just minor changes.

According to Shapiro, androids like Data therefore serve as a mirror to explore ourselves. ''"Human nature and the definition of the human are never fixed. This is why the android can be an anamorphic mirror to us, in the sense of enabling the maker to see elements of his true appearance of which he was not aware, and in the sense of inducing an actual transformation in us."'' (p. 261)

In "Android Data" Shapiro picks up a subject that is dealt with in many Star Trek episodes throughout all series. What is the reality of existence? or What makes us human? To do so he touches many different subjects, from sociological and philosophical approaches (J.Baudrillard p.259/ R. Hanley p.274) to android epistemology dealing with the creation of A.I..(p. 261)

Interestingly, Shapiro gives us information on why he thinks Star Trek is so successful.
''"The discourse of "hyper-rational skepticism" is one pole of the operational duality- between modernist orthodox scientific model and postmodernist fandom hyper-reality - that the Star Trek gravy train rides on."'' (p.267)

He ends this chapter by telling us how to evaluate Star Trek.
''"Star Trek is a movement of the real that has actively changed the world and knowledge. It has already destabilized and transformed all of these sciences. To grasp this shaking of the ground beneath our feet, we must commit ourselves to internal readings of stories, characters and technologies. We must search for their inner logic and ask how they operate in their original context."'' ( p. 286)

==Dec 19, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek I: From the United States of America to the Federation==
*What happened between 1966 and the year 2300?
*A culture that does not (want to) rely on imperialism, technical superiority or the strength of its capitalism - and a winner even though.

==Jan 9, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek II: Power on Board==
* Power on board: Collisions of interests, personal loyalty and professional obedience
* Power on a universal scale: Star ship vs. Federation
* Different races
* Gender politics

Show suggestions:
*TOS: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 Mirror Mirror, October 6, 1967]
*TOS: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnabout_Intruder_%28TOS_episode%29 Turnabout Intruder, June 3, 1969]
*TNG: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_Pals_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation%29 Pen Pals, May 1, 1989]
*Voyager: [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Worst_Case_Scenario Worst Case scenario] A holodeck program simulates a maquis mutiny.

==Jan 16, 2008: Is the "Prime Directive" the prime directive?==
What are the real ideals of the Start Trek Universe?

==Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot?==
*The original shows were not really free when it came to the way of how stories had to be told. The episode had to be over within 45 minutes, it had to offer a problem and a solution. We shall look at generic questions and narratology: What kinds of episodes existed (from comedy to drama), what perspectives do we get on the plotlines? How did the art of story telling evolve from TOS to DS9?
*Is Star Trek a Utopian series? What is Science Fiction compared to Fantasy? What otions within the genre does the Star Trek universe realise?

Show suggestions:
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Shore_Leave Shore Leave (1x17)], 29th, Dec 1966
*TNG [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Big_Goodbye The Big Goodbye (1x12)], 11th, Jan 1988
*(TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Bread_and_Circuses Bread and Circuses (2x14)], 15th, March 1968)

*we will focus on ''The Big Goodbye'' and ''Shore Leave'' in terms of virtual realities (holodeck etc.) and episodes that may scratch generic boundaries
*for the second part of the discussion please concentrated on the episodes from the various episodes and try to think about the differences between the series (TOS, TNG... etc.)

For more information on the topic and my presentation take a look at my user page --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 11:37, 14 January 2008 (CET)

==Jan 30, 2008: The Fan World==
*On the interaction between the Star Trek Universe and its fan community.
*Startrek and kids - a special look on children and adolescents in the Star Trek universe
*Perhaps most outrageous fan project: [http://www.startreknewvoyages.com Star Trek: New Voyages] - a continuation of TOS.

==Feb 5, 2008: A Look Back on our Seminar==
===Topics===
* Concepts of Evolution and Progress

===Literature===

*Engel, Joel. ''Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind'' Star Trek. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
::One of the first critical biographies that appeared after Roddenberry's death.

* Shatner, William/ Kreshi, Chris. ''Star Trek Memories''. New York: Harper & Collins, 1993.
:: Offers insight into the production.

* Tulloch, John/ Jenkins, Henry. ''Science Giction Audiences: Watching'' Doctor Who'' and ''Star Trek. London: Routledge, 1995.
:: On the fan community and interaction.

*Solow, Herb and Justman, Robert H. ''Inside'' Star Trek: ''The Real Story''. New York: Pocket, 1996.
::One of the critical revisoions which appeared after Roddenbery's death.

* Gentejohan, Volker, ''Narratives from the'' Final Frontier: ''A Postcolonial Reading of the Original Star Trek Series''. Frankfurt a. M./ Berlin: Peter Lang, 2000. 161 pp.
:: Dissertation, German in its structure: What is postcolonialism? Then apply the theory an see it works. The readings create a congruity where there might be not so much of it. Character analysis and special questions revealing the basically American cultural centre, the phalLogocentrism of the series.

* Gregory, Chris. Star Trek: ''Parallel Narratives'' Houndsmills/ Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.
:: Good Bibliography. Central idea: Star Trek evolving into a mythological system. Written with the awareness of immense changes within the Star Trek universe – changes due to changing options under which TV-shows and movies could be produced over the years. Analysis of interaction and differences between main producers of TOS Roddenberry Coon (he produced much of the Federation’s political framework) and Frieberger (third season with its many recycled shows).

* Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001. 246 pp.
:: Multi facetted and extremely inspiring.

*Kanzler, Katja. ''"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations", The Multicultural Evolution of STAR TREK''. Heidelberg, Winter, 2004.
:: Explores the multiculturalism of the Star Trek universe – as a popular and commercial concept. Written with a good deal of fascination.

* Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004. 369 pp. ISBN 3-930064-16-2.
:: Technologies of the Star Trek universe from "beaming" to ''warp'' spead. Question what they betray if read by a cultural historian.

* Broderick, James F. ''The literary galaxy of'' Star Trek: ''An analysis of references and themes in the television series and films''. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2006. vi, 233 pp. ISBN 0-7864-2571-7
:: Intertextuality and literary motives from quest to vampirism.

* Relke, Diana M. A. ''Drones, Clones, and Alpha Babes: Retrofitting'' Star Trek's ''humanism, post-9/11''. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press, 2006. xx, 168 pp. ISBN 1-552-38164-1, ISBN 978-1-552-38164-9
:: What does ''Star Trek'' tell us about the US?

* Geraghty, Lincoln. ''Living with'' Star Trek: American culture and the Star Trek universe (London [etc.]: Tauris, 2007), VIII, 232 pp.
::Esp. on fandom.

* Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). ''The influence of'' Star Trek ''on television, film, and culture''. [=''Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy'', 4]. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7864-3034-5
:: "Examining Star Trek from various critical angles, the essays in this collection provide vital new insights into the myriad ways that the franchise has affected the culture it represents, the people who watch the series, and the industry that created it" (Publisher).

===Links===
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek Star Trek on en.wikipedia.org]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes The Original Series episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_episodes The Next Generation episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine_episodes Deep Space Nine episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Voyager_episodes Voyager episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Enterprise_episodes Enterprise episodes]
*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/TOS Memory Alpha, Star Trek Wiki]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5285732.stm Which is the definitive Star Trek?]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/ BBC Star Trek Cult Page]
*[http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=star+trek&tab=all&recipe=all More BBC Star Trek Results]
*[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2069660,00.html Guardian Article: Beam me up Scotty: Star Trek actor's ashes sent into space]

[[Category:Abschlussmodul]]
[[Category:Winter 2007-2008|2008-1]]

User talk:Nico Zorn

2008-01-17T12:34:30Z

Karsten Sill: /* Evaporating Genres */

User talk:Nico Zorn

2008-01-17T12:34:21Z

Karsten Sill:

User:Karsten Sill

2008-01-14T10:59:34Z

Karsten Sill:

== January: Presentation - Genre Conventions in the Star Trek universe ==
Further relevant episodes:

=== Crime Fiction ===
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/A_Piece_of_the_Action A Piece Of The Action] (2x20)
*TNG [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Elementary%2C_Dear_Data Elementary, Dear Data] (2x03)

===World War II===
*VOY [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Killing_Game The Killing Game, Part I] (4x18)
*VOY [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Killing_Game%2C_Part_II The Killing Game, Part II] (4x19)
*ENT [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Storm_Front%2C_Part_I Storm Front, Part I]
*ENT [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Storm_Front%2C_Part_II Storm Front, Part II]

=== Other ===
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Catspaw Catspaw] (2x01)
*TNG [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Ship_in_a_Bottle Ship In A Bottle] (6x12)

== Thoughts: First week of December 2007 ==

==== Virtual Realities ====
*found this out while reading the first chapter of Shapiro's work: TOS 'The Cage' introduced a virtual reality that Capt. Pike had to cope with but which he decidedly denied. In the pilot the Talosian virtual reality shows Pike's past life
*interestingly, the writers came up with the [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Holodeck Holodeck] which exactly is of the same purpose but slightly different as it helped the writers to incoporate intextual references, that is references to other genres. For example:
:::*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Big_Goodbye The Big Goodbye]: Picard trapped in 1940s gangster San Francisco
:::*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes References to Sherlock Holmes] (Data) and entire episodes that deal with crime novels
:::*various other holograms
* so I am asking myself: Why did the writers put so many other genres(references) into TNG? Probably this was a way to make the series more attractive, diverse
* also, this relates to Picard as a character being of French origin and an avid reader/user of "old" literature and languages (Latin). Did the writers pursue to attract ''an educated audience''?
* while the holodeck becomes part of the entire series but in Voyager and DS9 it is hardly noticeable. Why did the holodeck disappear?

==== Gender roles/Women/Soap Fiction? ====
* Soap Fiction is an interesting term... Well, in later series, namely ''Voyager'' and ''Enterprise'' the writers put more stress on female characters
* the ''Voyager'' pilot promotes strong, authoritative and dominant women like Janeway and the half-Kling '''B'Elanna Torres''' who is also suffering from racial separating in some way. They are extremely talented , always in charge and as heroic as the male officers (also the Borg Seven of Nine)
* on the other hand, and this is the crucial point, they are all single but more than once involved in romances. Somehow I got the impression Voyager is more or less a romantic cruiser with its various lovers, rivals and short term relationships...
* Janeway somehow sacrifices her relationship on the odyssey of the Voyager as her financé chooses to marry another woman. Additionally, the actor of Janeway, played in various Soap operas before and after the filming of Voyager. This cannot be incidentally!?!?

==== Emotionality Issues ====
*ok, something short on the emotions of robots, aliens etc.:
:*'''Spock''' does not show his emotions and does not seem to have much emotions compared to humans
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Data#Romance Data]''', being an android, somehow tries to feel like a human and implants himself a emotion chip later in TNG
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Seven_of_nine#Relationships Seven of Nine]''' in Voyager does have an anti-emotion implant but is eager to experience sexuality with other crew members (which she does... quote)
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/T%27Pol#Romance T'Pol]''' with reference to the infamous shower scene, that I watched again :), is probably the first Vulcan to have romances with Vulcans and humans (the guy from the shower). This in a way breaks with all conventions of the older series. Still, there are some conventions that remained intact throughout the series: the cyborgs/alien's attempt to feel emotions, to become part of human culture and/or a perfect human

==== Notes ====
* you don't have to comment on every paragraph, I might focus on aspects that are more suitable for a fruitful discussion and that clearly show genre changes
* bits and pieces on Enterprise will follow soon as I started watching the first season
* as there is so much material dealing with the various series of ST I would rather leave out a comparison with Star Wars though it migh still be an interesting topic.

== November 2007 ==

==== DS9 religions and politics ====
#compared to other Star Trek series DS9 seems clearly based on religious conflicts and civil war. Some scholars even think the Cardassians have fascist traits as far as politics is concerned.
#I am still trying to find out why ST writers introduced that many religions and if they tried it to put the series into a historical context
#currently I assume that the theme of religious war fitted into the contemporary hist. context and that the writers tried to attract a larger audience by depiciting more warlike conflicts
#if I might still compare Star Trek to Star Wars it might be of interest to find out the differences between Star Trek and SW religions and their origins (magic, nature) as well the connections between religion and politics.

== Off Topic ==
Articles on Shakespeare: http://www.independent.ie/education/shakespeare/

http://www.uni-kiel.de/medien/stj/bibliographie/framesseite.htm

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2008-01-14T10:37:25Z

Karsten Sill: /* Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot? */

{|align=right width=500px
!bgcolor=#FFFF80|Open Accounts: First name, blank, second name
----
think of topics of your interest, put them under the headlines we have discussed, sign <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> and safe
----
note that we will have a guest on Dec. 12. See you, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 20:01, 11 November 2007 (CET)
|}
* '''Time:''' We 4-6 pm
* '''Place:''' A10 1-121a
* '''Contact:''' [[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]]

----

''Star Trek'' is far more than a TV-series. It is a cultural phenomenon with enormous ramifications marked by substantial plot developments, and it is a powerful piece of fiction due to its wide range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political allusions. The original series became a cult classic, the Star Trek universe it created does in retrospect bridge generations and political gaps such as the Cold War with its East/West-confrontation (mirrored within the series by disruptions of original interstellar confrontations).

The Seminar will deal with the following topics. If you have plans for seminar papers list them bellow. (Discuss the present course outline on the course's discussion page if you feel you cannot see under which heading your topic could appear).

Do mention individual episodes (refer to english wikipedia - you find links bellow) wherever you feel that this is a sequence we must deal with under the given headline (I am not so well informed about the later sequels):

__TOC__

==Oct 24 2007: Brainstorming==

==Oct 31 2007: The Star Trek Universe I: ''The Original Series'' (1966–1969)==
'''Preparation:'''
* Production background
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cage_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Cage''], the unsuccessful pilot - filmed in November-December 1964, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until 1988.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Trap_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Man Trap''], aired on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

'''Topics to discuss:'''
* Captain Kirk vs. Captain Pike - types, roles, heroism
* Women
* Spock I and Spock II

'''Possible topics of Seminar papers:'''
*Comparison of The Cage - the original pilot - and and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Menagerie_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Menagerie''] pts. 1-2 aired November 17 and November 24, 1966.
*The composition of a successful team - a seminar paper which might take a special look at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 ''Mirror, Mirror''] broadcast on October 6, 1967 - where we get a positive and a negative Enterprise crew.

==Nov 10, 2007: The Star Trek Night - The Movies==
As I have to disappoint you on Wed 7: a night at my place (Tannenkampstr. 12) - we'll try to see as many of the movies as possible, eat and drink wine (you might provide the latter).
:We might begin around 6pm - those who will have to arrive later can do so and join us any time - it will probably be a long night. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 21:08, 6 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 14, 2007: The Star Trek Universe II: ''Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999)==
The Sequels ''The Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
----

Next Generation

Hi everybody! Since we were not able to present all the information of our presentation in the session, here are some points that might be interesting.

'''Info about the series'''

• First episode: 1987 in the US

• 7 seasons, 176 episodes

• It was longer on screen than TOS (80 episodes – 176 episodes)

• Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot): received by 94 % of all households in the US

• Later still very successful, 1st place of the TV series (18-49 years)

=> Advertisement

=> 1 Mio $ per episode

=> Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Hawkins, Dwight Schulz (A-Team) etc. acted in some of the episodes

'''Content:'''

• Single episodes with an action which is self-explanatory

o But: some episodes refer to the content of other episodes, e.g. Season 3, “The best of both worlds”, season 7, “Bloodlines”

• 100 years later

• Different characters

• Some episodes (e.g. the second episode) have similar plots as episodes of TOS or refer directly to them

• Sometimes visits from characters of the old Enterprise

'''Introduction of the main characters'''

• '''Picard''': Captain of the new Enterprise, different to Kirk, strictly sticks to the Prime Directive, total loyalty to his crew, dislikes children, develops to a more sympathetic man during the series

• '''Riker''': 1st Commander, love affairs, attractive to female characters, sympathetic

• '''Data''': 2nd Commander, the only Android of the Starfleet, counterpart to Spock (e.g. does not understand any sarcasm), asks for definitions, tries to be human

• '''Troi''': Counsellor, Beta Zoid, feelings/emotions, very attractive, later she is the only woman on the bridge

• '''Dr. Crusher''': Doctor, family values, “mother” of the crew, together with Troi: more female power on the ship than in TOS

• '''Worf''': Lieutenant Commander, Klingon, high moral Klingon values, later chief security officer, integrated, sympathetic, represents action and strength on the Enterprise

• '''LaForge''': Lieutenant Commander, later chief engineer

'''Family'''

• families on board who are being evacuated (in the pilot)

• Wesley: child becomes a main character

• Picard dislikes children

• Throughout the series: the crew appears more and more like a family

=> Riker refuses to ship commands several times to stay with the crew of the enterprise

=> Crusher as mother

• Other family-topics in the series:

=> Worf + son

=> Data + daughter

=> Picard + son

In The Next Generation, which was produced at the end of the 1980s, and the beginning of the 1990s, the family as a topic has been used more often than in TOS of the 60s.

'''Other references to our reality:'''

They try to conserve the earthly culture, they drink Earl Grey tea, they read and cite James Joyce, Shakespeare, and Sherlock Holmes, they listen to classical music and talk of the 80s and 90s as the good old times.

''Question'': The crew of the Enterprise presents our reality in a positive way. What kind of message does the producer convey?

Hi folks,
it would be nice, if you watch the first two episodes ("The Emissary pt.1 &2") of DS9 as a preparation for the Wednesday session. They should be available at the Mediathek... If you want to see more episodes, feel free to watch some post-season-three stuff, because the plot dramatically changed then. Watch out for topics like Religion, Interpersonal conflicts and differences between DS9 and other Star Trek stuff...Manuel Saralidis 14:58, 12 November 2007 (CET)

Hello,
just to remind you... I put the Deep Space Nine Introduction slides and summary as a PDF on StudIP where you can download them... Cheers... [[User:Manuel Saralidis|Manuel Saralidis]] 22:05, 29 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 21, 2007: The Star Trek Universe III: ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005)==
The Sequels ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005) same question: Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
´

Voyager
Interesting subjects could be that of terrorism, fear of communism (as the Borg play an important role in voyager), Human values, the Prime Directive, a parallel Universe (Species 8472), Collaboration of species that are enemies but that become allies when a species more powerful than them appears,

Also: Female positions
- Voyager is the first of all Star Trek Series, that has a female Captain!
- Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is the first Chief Engineer on board of a Star Trek Vessel

Also: The Maquis rebellion

Dear Participants.
I put the presentation on "Voyager" on Stud IP under "Dateien"

Ann-Kathrin Uden

==Nov 28, 2007: God in a World of Miracles - Star Trek and Religion==
Is there a God out there? What is the Federation's religion? None or that of a secular state granting religious freedom? Why don't we have Arabs on board of the Star Trek vessels? How do the Federation's travelers react when confronted with religions out there?

I would like to write a paper on Star Trek and Religion. As i haven't read any literature yet, my ideas are still pretty general. But mainly I think i will be dealing with questions like: what view on religion and belief is conveyed in Star Trek (pro or con religion, atheist?) and HOW is it conveyed? This could probably be based on DS 9 and the whole "wormhole aliens vs. phrophets (bajoranian belief)" issue. ([[User:Stephan Schmidt|Stephan Schmidt]] 14:16, 7 November 2007 (CET))

Hey. I just skipped through some webpages to find pieces of information about the religious content in Star Trek and its spin-offs. Here are some webpages that deal with religion. While the majority is fan-made, others document the topic from a more objective point of view.

*http://www.star-trek-religionen.de/index1.htm
*http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm
*http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human_religion
*http://www.newstrekker.com/archiv/startrek_02_03.htm
*http://www.ibka.org/node/603
** and here the speech: http://ibka.org/en/files/Braga.mp3

Just take a look [[User:Tobias Penski|Tobias Penski]] 22:10, 21 November 2007 (CET)

'''TOS on Religion'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Mourns_for_Adonais_%28TOS_episode%29 Who Mourns for Adonais, September 22, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apple_%28TOS_episode%29 The Apple, October 13, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_World_Is_Hollow_and_I_Have_Touched_the_Sky For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, November 8, 1968]

'''Movies'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_V:_The_Final_Frontier The Final Frontier, 1989]

'''Literature'''
*Ros S. Kraemer, "Is there a God in the Universe?", in Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. (eds.), ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001, p.15-56 [http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2001_religions_of_star_trek_p15-57.pdf link]

==Dec 5, 2007: Technotopia==
Star Trek is (from warp-drives to beaming facilities) full of inventions we are still waiting for - and peculiarly lacking others we developed instead (like those mobile phones we use for normal conversations rather than short commands). It is said to have motivated research - yet it is too simple to see it as a simple glorification of technological progress...

*[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2004_shapiro__star_trek.pdf Alan Shapiro, ''Star Trek. Technoloies of Disappearance (2004)]
*[[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/ds9-ep20.divx DS9 Special Episode on with religious emphasis]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_to_Eden_%28TOS_episode%29_TOS_#75 ''The Way to Eden''] Spock makes friends with a sect of hippies.

==Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities==

Debate with [[Alan N. Shapiro]]. Course reading: Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004.

'''Summary: Chapter Two "THE LAST COMPUTER"''' (John Müller)

In chapter two, “The Last Computer“, Shapiro talks about computers and their functions/capabilities in the 23rd century. In a second step, he compares those future computers to our late 20th century computer technology and draws some interesting conclusions as far as own perception is concerned. In order to support his point, Shapiro takes a look at two episodes from TOS (“A Taste Of Armageddon” [Ep. 23] and “The Ultimate Computer” [Ep. 53]).

In “A Taste Of Armageddon” there are two computers which are war with one another, or, in other words, there are two neighboring planets which have been at war for centuries, but, instead of waging a real war with real weapons, they have chosen to let computers simulate their war for them. The computers on both worlds are linked and independently launch attacks on each other. But even though the fighting remains in the realms of virtual reality, the consequences do not: The perfection of this war is taken so far that both computers calculate damage and casualties on their home worlds and force the people who are registered as victims in the simulation to also become victims in real life. Once a citizen is “killed” in the simulation through a hostile attack, he/she has to report to a “disintegration machine” and then vanish in order to obey to the rules of the simulated computer-war.

Apart from the moral implications of this virtual war and the stance Kirk and his crew take towards it (needless to say the computers are dismantled in the end and the warring parties start real peace negotiations for the first time), Shapiro compares the computer-war with our late 20th century reality and the role computers play in it. He uses the example of the 1991 Gulf War and, citing philosopher Boudrillard and his works, Shapiro states that the allied actions taken against dictator Hussein are not too different from the computer-war displayed in “A Taste Of Armageddon”. Before even one missile was launched in the Gulf region, hundreds of military strategists were “endlessly analyzing scenarios” (p. 87) and the many casualties they foresaw in their simulated attacks became to be viewed as inescapable losses that served a greater cause. “Their deaths are pre-calculated. They are ‘collateral damage’” (p. 87). Besides this cold and “mechanical” view at the lives of innocent citizens, the Gulf War and the computer war in the TOS episode have one more thing in common: Like with the two computers in the episode there hardly was any “real” encounter between the two warring parties in the Gulf War: For the far more technologically advanced allied forces the war was won in advance in realm of simulations, for the far less advanced Iraqi soldiers the war had already been lost before it fully broke out at all.
In Shapiro’s opinion the same logic also works for the “war on terrorism”: The American idea of the preemptive strike against anyone who might support or become an ally to Al-Qaida or the even more elusive concept of the “axis of evil” show that, at the beginning of the 21st century, US military operations are more and more withdrawn into the realm of calculations and probability, where a “potential attacker and enemy [...] exists as informational entity or statistical propensity, endlessly speculated on and reported in the virtual realm of the media” (p. 88).

In the second episode, “The Ultimate Computer” the TOS crew is once again faced with a situation not unlike the one described above: An all-new computer, “M-5” designed to be capable of replacing an entire starship crew, is to be installed and tested aboard the Enterprise by its creator, the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Daystrom. During the test the “M-5” takes over for the humans and then performs a variety of standard procedures, including both scientific and strategic operations – which at first work well. During the strategic drill, however, the “M-5” mistakes an unarmed and unmanned freighter for a real enemy and destroys it. Due to the fact that, for some reason, the computer cannot be switched off at that point, things start to turn for the worst: The computer assumes complete control over all of the ship’s systems, displays an arrogant and superior “personality” (not unlike that of its creator) and then attacks the four sister ships of the Enterprise which had been gathered for the simulated drill. After the “M-5” has almost destroyed the ships and many lives have been lost, Captain Kirk finally has a talk with the resilient piece of machinery. Convinced that it is the “ultimate achievement in computer evolution” (p. 93) the “M-5” believes that it must survive by all means in order to be able to protect man. Kirk finally manages it to convince the “M-5” that it has already committed murder, and, by doing so, it has lost its rights to survive. The “M-5” eventually sees the logic in Kirk’s words and, in an act of self-punishment, destroys itself.

“The Ultimate Computer” deals with the human fear to one day be replaced and/or threatened by super-intelligent computers that exceed human capacities by far. Shapiro states that in TOS there generally was a rather negative attitude towards super-intelligent computers (be it false-god-computers like Vaal in “The Apple“ and the Oracle in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” or be it the superior machines like M-5 in “The Ultimate Computer” and Nomad in “The Changeling”). He points out, however, that this fear of being outwitted and replaced one day only “deters us from the fact that we are already computerized (or deeply enmeshed with digital technology)” (p. 94). Despite the fact that his thesis makes sense to some extent (i.e. Internet, cell phones, computer games etc.) he fails to give the reader some clear cut examples to support his idea. I can only guess that it has something to do with the digital and computerized world we live in today. However, his point (if there is any) remains much more elusive than with the comparison between the Gulf War(s) and the computer war – which makes a lot of sense and, in my opinion, is a very interesting way of looking at post-modern (and western) warfare.

'''Summary: Chapter three “The Transporter” [How the Transporter “Really Works”]

Episode serving as an example: “The Enemy Within”'''

(written by Arne Poller)

On a routine geological survey on the planet Alpha 177 the landing party has discovered a doglike creature. A member of the crew gets injured and yellow stains from a magnetic ore are all over his clothes. Probably those are interrupting the beaming process when he tries to beam back up. After doubts whether the transporter machinery is safe Captain Kirk beams up and reappears with a weakened look. While Scotty helps the ‘weak’ Kirk he leaves the Transporter Room unattended. A second ‘savage looking’ Kirk appears in the Room. It turns out that an accident in the transporting process has caused the rematerialisation of a ‘Weak Kirk’ and an ‘Evil Kirk’.
While ‘Weak Kirk’ rests in his room ‘Evil Kirk’ walks around within the ship and is doing silly things (grabs Dr. McCoy by the scruff, seizes Yeoman Rand fiercely by the shoulder…).
At the same time Scotty has figured out that a ‘complete breakdown’ of the operational condition of the transporter has taken place. After Captain Kirk was beamed aboard they tried to beam up the doglike creature with the result of having nonidentical twins. One is gentle and timid, the other is widely agitated and violent. Afraid of the consequences they don’t dare to beam up the rest of the crew. That leaves the landing crew stranded on the planet with the life-threatening prospect of an oncoming freezing nightfall. After interviewing ‘Weak Kirk’ Spock realizes that there must be an imposter aboard the ship. Spock and McCoy hypothesize that ‘Weak Kirk’ is lacking his negative side, which, when ‘properly controlled and disciplined’, endow the Captain with his special ability to command a starship. They catch ‘Evil Kirk’ on one of the lower decks.
“I have to take him back inside myself” ‘Weak Kirk’ recognizes. “I can’t survive without him.”
As Scotty gets the system up and running they first try a test. The two duplicate doglike creatures are send through. Out of the two only one reappears which is dead. The creature was rejoint into a single being, it did not outlive the shock of reunification due to its fear. Finally the duplicate Kirk’s have to take the risk in order to safe the stranded crew. They hope that human intelligence disciplining his trepidation will make a difference. As they get ready to energize, ‘Weak Kirk’ smiles to Spock, Bones, and Scotty, signalling that he has no fear. Finally the ‘real Kirk’ reappears and the stranded crew will be rescued, too.

Shapiro argues that “the mishap of the transporter, the Holodeck, or warp speed is emphasized on Star Trek above the normal operation of the system. ‘Evil Kirk’ is the intrinsic accident that belongs by necessity to the transporter. Every technology has both a rational purpose and a build-in accident ‘waiting to happen’.”
Created by Roddenberry as a convenient way of saving money, Star Trek expresses its profound ambivalence towards the technology of the transporter.
Following Shapiro the trickery of technology rouses the principle of evil, of the vital necessity of evil for the survival of good. ‘Evil Kirk’ is a required and integral portion of Captain Kirk. “The deep-rooted accident of the duplicate Kirk turns a questioning spotlight on the ‘essence’ of the transporter, which is the absolutist phantasmagoria of total knowledge of a person captured in a digital pattern image or ‘quantum physics’ snapshot of their subatomic particles.”
Shapiro asks if techno-scientific enthusiasm truly is Star Trek’s worldview.

'''How the Transporter “Really works”'''

Over the decades there was a paradigm shift in Star Trek’s beaming technology and how it works.

The original notion: Dematerialization – rematerialization, matter-to-energy conversion and back to physical transporter.

Digital transporter: The concept of blueprint formula-like, cloning – or information-based digital transporter.

Quantum teleporter: The idea of ‘entangled photon pairs’ (already been built experimentally by physicists for light particle ‘passengers’.

[For exact function look at Shapiro p.102 l.5]

“The newer postmodernist digital transporter and hypermodernist quantum teleporter gesture towards a paradigm shift in the predominant definition of what it means to be human. Within this posthuman paradigm, it is conceded that a copy of myself, either created from the same model informational digital pattern or emanating from an initiatory quantum mechanical techno-scientific coupled entanglement, is identical to me.”

'''Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes'''

In chapter six Shapiro discusses wormholes in Star Trek and general SF as well as the scientific practicability of wormholes in reality. Firstly, he gives a broad overview on the DS9 pilot [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Emissary Emissary] that is the basis of his discussion. By doing so, he stresses Commander Sisko's encounter with the wormhole aliens that in Shapiro's words, ultimately leads to a ''“true symbolic exchange between Commander Sisko and the wormhole aliens […] (p. 200)”''.

Secondly, he begins his discussion on the physics of wormholes by commenting publications dealing with Star Trek technologies such as Lawrence M. Krauss' ''The Physics of Star Trek''. In opinion those publications endorse Star Trek's key technologies in order to satisfy the fanbase and at the same time they refer to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataphysics pataphysical] praticability - that is, some sort of philisophical physics. Furthermore, Shapiro brings to light that in many papers on the subject wormholes are regarded as time travel devices (p. 202). Especially, in Voyager and DS9 beaming and wormholes are combined in order to travel in time as it is shown in the episodes [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Trials_and_Tribble-ations Trials and Tribble-ations] and [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Eye_of_the_Needle Eye of the Needle]. Technically, time travel scenarios are created with digital recomposition, set reconstruction, frame-by-frame shadow masking and the likes.

Looking at SF film in general Shapiro points out that many film makers and writers have been obsessed with time travel stories and parallel dimensions for decades (see Dr. Who, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Back to the Future etc.). And often they pursued the psychological goal to exterminate the ''"radical otherness of history and other cultures, to short-circuit the difficult course of mourning, to meet up with none other than myself (yourself ?) (p. 202)"''

Moreover, he explains this psychological goal by outlining the scientific works of so-called philosopher physicists like Richard Feynman who have dealt with wormholes and time travel on a scientific level refering to the frontier possibilities of the laws of physics (Einstein's theories of 1905 and 1915). As he further emphasizes the development of time travel pataphysics up to the 1970s and 80s, Shaphiro argues if these theories cannot be held up in a real world context, even if they seem plausible in generic SF settings (p. 211).

Lastly, leaving all scientific theories on time travel and wormholes behind, Shaphiro poses the question if time travel in Star Trek rather presupposes a specific human notion of time: ''One example of this is the idea implicit in the "block universe model" of spacetime that the future is already "out there" or already exists. This is the future-orientation of time in the statistical worldview, or the the future's simulation. It is opposed to the existential view that the future is yet to be decided. The whish for time travel to the past is another, complementary component of the human and hyper-real notion of time. (p. 213)'' --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 15:42, 11 December 2007 (CET)

'''Summary: Chapter Eight " Android Data"''' (Hanno Jansen)

Chapter eight deals with android beings in movies and literature. Shapiro explains how the character of Data in TNG was developed and which purpose androids in general and especially Lt. Data serve on a meta level. He does so by refering to three chosen episodes of The Next Generation. The following links lead to the summaries of the mentioned episodes.

1.Datalore [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datalore] (p.250)
2.The Measure of a Man [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Measure_of_a_Man_%28TNG_episode%29] (p.268)
3.The Offspring [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Offspring_%28TNG_episode%29] (p.278)

The idea of a humanoid android in search of his creator, striving to become human was first used by Gene Roddenberry in the TV-movie "The Questor Tapes" (1974).
It was planned as the pilot of a television series but due to differences between Roddenberry and both Universal and NBC canceled before an episode was produced.
After the original show was canceled, Roddenberry planed to bring back Star Trek as a prime time TV show with fresh episodes. Star Trek Phase II should reunite the old cast exept Nimoy who refused to partake. His character was replaced by the "full Vulcan" Lt. Xon. Xon, having no human emotions, should always struggle to simulate human traits. The pilot of this series was never made but contentwise resumed in the first Star Trek movie. Lt. Data is the readoption and mixture of Xon and the Questor.

Shapiro compares different Science Fiction stories to show two main categories of androids. ''"Either it is a question of androids attaining human-like characteristics, and therefore accepting to have as their goal to become equivalent to humans. Or it is about androids exceeding human intelligence and skillfulness, and therefore becoming an ominous menace to humanity as they seek to dominate us. Never is it about humans and androids co-existing in difference or otherness"'' (p. 255)

Using "Blade Runner" as well as "The Measure of a Man" as examples, Shapiro shows the difficulty of categorizing androids that closely resemble us. The question is raised what defines a lifeform as such. Is it self awareness, autopoiesis or the coupling of perception and action?
In Blade Runner the comparison of android and human even goes as far as seeing a human as a "meat machine" replicating itself by replicating everything around him over and over again with just minor changes.

According to Shapiro, androids like Data therefore serve as a mirror to explore ourselves. ''"Human nature and the definition of the human are never fixed. This is why the android can be an anamorphic mirror to us, in the sense of enabling the maker to see elements of his true appearance of which he was not aware, and in the sense of inducing an actual transformation in us."'' (p. 261)

In "Android Data" Shapiro picks up a subject that is dealt with in many Star Trek episodes throughout all series. What is the reality of existence? or What makes us human? To do so he touches many different subjects, from sociological and philosophical approaches (J.Baudrillard p.259/ R. Hanley p.274) to android epistemology dealing with the creation of A.I..(p. 261)

Interestingly, Shapiro gives us information on why he thinks Star Trek is so successful.
''"The discourse of "hyper-rational skepticism" is one pole of the operational duality- between modernist orthodox scientific model and postmodernist fandom hyper-reality - that the Star Trek gravy train rides on."'' (p.267)

He ends this chapter by telling us how to evaluate Star Trek.
''"Star Trek is a movement of the real that has actively changed the world and knowledge. It has already destabilized and transformed all of these sciences. To grasp this shaking of the ground beneath our feet, we must commit ourselves to internal readings of stories, characters and technologies. We must search for their inner logic and ask how they operate in their original context."'' ( p. 286)

==Dec 19, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek I: From the United States of America to the Federation==
*What happened between 1966 and the year 2300?
*A culture that does not (want to) rely on imperialism, technical superiority or the strength of its capitalism - and a winner even though.

==Jan 9, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek II: Power on Board==
* Power on board: Collisions of interests, personal loyalty and professional obedience
* Power on a universal scale: Star ship vs. Federation
* Different races
* Gender politics

Show suggestions:
*TOS: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 Mirror Mirror, October 6, 1967]
*TOS: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnabout_Intruder_%28TOS_episode%29 Turnabout Intruder, June 3, 1969]
*TNG: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_Pals_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation%29 Pen Pals, May 1, 1989]
*Voyager: [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Worst_Case_Scenario Worst Case scenario] A holodeck program simulates a maquis mutiny.

==Jan 16, 2008: Is the "Prime Directive" the prime directive?==
What are the real ideals of the Start Trek Universe?

==Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot?==
*The original shows were not really free when it came to the way of how stories had to be told. The episode had to be over within 45 minutes, it had to offer a problem and a solution. We shall look at generic questions and narratology: What kinds of episodes existed (from comedy to drama), what perspectives do we get on the plotlines? How did the art of story telling evolve from TOS to DS9?
*Is Star Trek a Utopian series? What is Science Fiction compared to Fantasy? What otions within the genre does the Star Trek universe realise?

Show suggestions:
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Big_Goodbye Shore Leave (1x17)], 29th, Dec 1966
*TOS [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Bread_and_Circuses Bread and Circuses (2x14)], 15th, March 1968
*TNG [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Shore_Leave The Big Goodbye (1x12)], 11th, Jan 1988

For more information on the topic and my presentation take a look at my user page --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 11:37, 14 January 2008 (CET)

==Jan 30, 2008: The Fan World==
*On the interaction between the Star Trek Universe and its fan community.
*Startrek and kids - a special look on children and adolescents in the Star Trek universe
*Perhaps most outrageous fan project: [http://www.startreknewvoyages.com Star Trek: New Voyages] - a continuation of TOS.

==Feb 5, 2008: A Look Back on our Seminar==
===Topics===
* Concepts of Evolution and Progress

===Literature===

*Engel, Joel. ''Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind'' Star Trek. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
::One of the first critical biographies that appeared after Roddenberry's death.

* Shatner, William/ Kreshi, Chris. ''Star Trek Memories''. New York: Harper & Collins, 1993.
:: Offers insight into the production.

* Tulloch, John/ Jenkins, Henry. ''Science Giction Audiences: Watching'' Doctor Who'' and ''Star Trek. London: Routledge, 1995.
:: On the fan community and interaction.

*Solow, Herb and Justman, Robert H. ''Inside'' Star Trek: ''The Real Story''. New York: Pocket, 1996.
::One of the critical revisoions which appeared after Roddenbery's death.

* Gentejohan, Volker, ''Narratives from the'' Final Frontier: ''A Postcolonial Reading of the Original Star Trek Series''. Frankfurt a. M./ Berlin: Peter Lang, 2000. 161 pp.
:: Dissertation, German in its structure: What is postcolonialism? Then apply the theory an see it works. The readings create a congruity where there might be not so much of it. Character analysis and special questions revealing the basically American cultural centre, the phalLogocentrism of the series.

* Gregory, Chris. Star Trek: ''Parallel Narratives'' Houndsmills/ Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.
:: Good Bibliography. Central idea: Star Trek evolving into a mythological system. Written with the awareness of immense changes within the Star Trek universe – changes due to changing options under which TV-shows and movies could be produced over the years. Analysis of interaction and differences between main producers of TOS Roddenberry Coon (he produced much of the Federation’s political framework) and Frieberger (third season with its many recycled shows).

* Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001. 246 pp.
:: Multi facetted and extremely inspiring.

*Kanzler, Katja. ''"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations", The Multicultural Evolution of STAR TREK''. Heidelberg, Winter, 2004.
:: Explores the multiculturalism of the Star Trek universe – as a popular and commercial concept. Written with a good deal of fascination.

* Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004. 369 pp. ISBN 3-930064-16-2.
:: Technologies of the Star Trek universe from "beaming" to ''warp'' spead. Question what they betray if read by a cultural historian.

* Broderick, James F. ''The literary galaxy of'' Star Trek: ''An analysis of references and themes in the television series and films''. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2006. vi, 233 pp. ISBN 0-7864-2571-7
:: Intertextuality and literary motives from quest to vampirism.

* Relke, Diana M. A. ''Drones, Clones, and Alpha Babes: Retrofitting'' Star Trek's ''humanism, post-9/11''. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press, 2006. xx, 168 pp. ISBN 1-552-38164-1, ISBN 978-1-552-38164-9
:: What does ''Star Trek'' tell us about the US?

* Geraghty, Lincoln. ''Living with'' Star Trek: American culture and the Star Trek universe (London [etc.]: Tauris, 2007), VIII, 232 pp.
::Esp. on fandom.

* Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). ''The influence of'' Star Trek ''on television, film, and culture''. [=''Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy'', 4]. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7864-3034-5
:: "Examining Star Trek from various critical angles, the essays in this collection provide vital new insights into the myriad ways that the franchise has affected the culture it represents, the people who watch the series, and the industry that created it" (Publisher).

===Links===
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek Star Trek on en.wikipedia.org]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes The Original Series episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_episodes The Next Generation episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine_episodes Deep Space Nine episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Voyager_episodes Voyager episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Enterprise_episodes Enterprise episodes]
*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/TOS Memory Alpha, Star Trek Wiki]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5285732.stm Which is the definitive Star Trek?]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/ BBC Star Trek Cult Page]
*[http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=star+trek&tab=all&recipe=all More BBC Star Trek Results]
*[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2069660,00.html Guardian Article: Beam me up Scotty: Star Trek actor's ashes sent into space]

[[Category:Abschlussmodul]]
[[Category:Winter 2007-2008|2008-1]]

User:Karsten Sill

2008-01-10T12:02:23Z

Karsten Sill: /* Off Topic */

== Thoughts: First week of December 2007 ==

==== Virtual Realities ====
*found this out while reading the first chapter of Shapiro's work: TOS 'The Cage' introduced a virtual reality that Capt. Pike had to cope with but which he decidedly denied. In the pilot the Talosian virtual reality shows Pike's past life
*interestingly, the writers came up with the [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Holodeck Holodeck] which exactly is of the same purpose but slightly different as it helped the writers to incoporate intextual references, that is references to other genres. For example:
:::*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Big_Goodbye The Big Goodbye]: Picard trapped in 1940s gangster San Francisco
:::*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes References to Sherlock Holmes] (Data) and entire episodes that deal with crime novels
:::*various other holograms
* so I am asking myself: Why did the writers put so many other genres(references) into TNG? Probably this was a way to make the series more attractive, diverse
* also, this relates to Picard as a character being of French origin and an avid reader/user of "old" literature and languages (Latin). Did the writers pursue to attract ''an educated audience''?
* while the holodeck becomes part of the entire series but in Voyager and DS9 it is hardly noticeable. Why did the holodeck disappear?

==== Gender roles/Women/Soap Fiction? ====
* Soap Fiction is an interesting term... Well, in later series, namely ''Voyager'' and ''Enterprise'' the writers put more stress on female characters
* the ''Voyager'' pilot promotes strong, authoritative and dominant women like Janeway and the half-Kling '''B'Elanna Torres''' who is also suffering from racial separating in some way. They are extremely talented , always in charge and as heroic as the male officers (also the Borg Seven of Nine)
* on the other hand, and this is the crucial point, they are all single but more than once involved in romances. Somehow I got the impression Voyager is more or less a romantic cruiser with its various lovers, rivals and short term relationships...
* Janeway somehow sacrifices her relationship on the odyssey of the Voyager as her financé chooses to marry another woman. Additionally, the actor of Janeway, played in various Soap operas before and after the filming of Voyager. This cannot be incidentally!?!?

==== Emotionality Issues ====
*ok, something short on the emotions of robots, aliens etc.:
:*'''Spock''' does not show his emotions and does not seem to have much emotions compared to humans
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Data#Romance Data]''', being an android, somehow tries to feel like a human and implants himself a emotion chip later in TNG
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Seven_of_nine#Relationships Seven of Nine]''' in Voyager does have an anti-emotion implant but is eager to experience sexuality with other crew members (which she does... quote)
:*'''[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/T%27Pol#Romance T'Pol]''' with reference to the infamous shower scene, that I watched again :), is probably the first Vulcan to have romances with Vulcans and humans (the guy from the shower). This in a way breaks with all conventions of the older series. Still, there are some conventions that remained intact throughout the series: the cyborgs/alien's attempt to feel emotions, to become part of human culture and/or a perfect human

==== Notes ====
* you don't have to comment on every paragraph, I might focus on aspects that are more suitable for a fruitful discussion and that clearly show genre changes
* bits and pieces on Enterprise will follow soon as I started watching the first season
* as there is so much material dealing with the various series of ST I would rather leave out a comparison with Star Wars though it migh still be an interesting topic.

== November 2007 ==

==== DS9 religions and politics ====
#compared to other Star Trek series DS9 seems clearly based on religious conflicts and civil war. Some scholars even think the Cardassians have fascist traits as far as politics is concerned.
#I am still trying to find out why ST writers introduced that many religions and if they tried it to put the series into a historical context
#currently I assume that the theme of religious war fitted into the contemporary hist. context and that the writers tried to attract a larger audience by depiciting more warlike conflicts
#if I might still compare Star Trek to Star Wars it might be of interest to find out the differences between Star Trek and SW religions and their origins (magic, nature) as well the connections between religion and politics.

== Off Topic ==
Articles on Shakespeare: http://www.independent.ie/education/shakespeare/

http://www.uni-kiel.de/medien/stj/bibliographie/framesseite.htm

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2007-12-11T20:32:13Z

Karsten Sill: /* Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities */

{|align=right width=500px
!bgcolor=#FFFF80|Open Accounts: First name, blank, second name
----
think of topics of your interest, put them under the headlines we have discussed, sign <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> and safe
----
note that we will have a guest on Dec. 12. See you, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 20:01, 11 November 2007 (CET)
|}
* '''Time:''' We 4-6 pm
* '''Place:''' A10 1-121a
* '''Contact:''' [[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]]

----

''Star Trek'' is far more than a TV-series. It is a cultural phenomenon with enormous ramifications marked by substantial plot developments, and it is a powerful piece of fiction due to its wide range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political allusions. The original series became a cult classic, the Star Trek universe it created does in retrospect bridge generations and political gaps such as the Cold War with its East/West-confrontation (mirrored within the series by disruptions of original interstellar confrontations).

The Seminar will deal with the following topics. If you have plans for seminar papers list them bellow. (Discuss the present course outline on the course's discussion page if you feel you cannot see under which heading your topic could appear).

Do mention individual episodes (refer to english wikipedia - you find links bellow) wherever you feel that this is a sequence we must deal with under the given headline (I am not so well informed about the later sequels):

__TOC__

==Oct 24 2007: Brainstorming==

==Oct 31 2007: The Star Trek Universe I: ''The Original Series'' (1966–1969)==
'''Preparation:'''
* Production background
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cage_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Cage''], the unsuccessful pilot - filmed in November-December 1964, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until 1988.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Trap_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Man Trap''], aired on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

'''Topics to discuss:'''
* Captain Kirk vs. Captain Pike - types, roles, heroism
* Women
* Spock I and Spock II

'''Possible topics of Seminar papers:'''
*Comparison of The Cage - the original pilot - and and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Menagerie_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Menagerie''] pts. 1-2 aired November 17 and November 24, 1966.
*The composition of a successful team - a seminar paper which might take a special look at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 ''Mirror, Mirror''] broadcast on October 6, 1967 - where we get a positive and a negative Enterprise crew.

==Nov 10, 2007: The Star Trek Night - The Movies==
As I have to disappoint you on Wed 7: a night at my place (Tannenkampstr. 12) - we'll try to see as many of the movies as possible, eat and drink wine (you might provide the latter).
:We might begin around 6pm - those who will have to arrive later can do so and join us any time - it will probably be a long night. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 21:08, 6 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 14, 2007: The Star Trek Universe II: ''Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999)==
The Sequels ''The Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
----

Next Generation

Hi everybody! Since we were not able to present all the information of our presentation in the session, here are some points that might be interesting.

'''Info about the series'''

• First episode: 1987 in the US

• 7 seasons, 176 episodes

• It was longer on screen than TOS (80 episodes – 176 episodes)

• Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot): received by 94 % of all households in the US

• Later still very successful, 1st place of the TV series (18-49 years)

=> Advertisement

=> 1 Mio $ per episode

=> Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Hawkins, Dwight Schulz (A-Team) etc. acted in some of the episodes

'''Content:'''

• Single episodes with an action which is self-explanatory

o But: some episodes refer to the content of other episodes, e.g. Season 3, “The best of both worlds”, season 7, “Bloodlines”

• 100 years later

• Different characters

• Some episodes (e.g. the second episode) have similar plots as episodes of TOS or refer directly to them

• Sometimes visits from characters of the old Enterprise

'''Introduction of the main characters'''

• '''Picard''': Captain of the new Enterprise, different to Kirk, strictly sticks to the Prime Directive, total loyalty to his crew, dislikes children, develops to a more sympathetic man during the series

• '''Riker''': 1st Commander, love affairs, attractive to female characters, sympathetic

• '''Data''': 2nd Commander, the only Android of the Starfleet, counterpart to Spock (e.g. does not understand any sarcasm), asks for definitions, tries to be human

• '''Troi''': Counsellor, Beta Zoid, feelings/emotions, very attractive, later she is the only woman on the bridge

• '''Dr. Crusher''': Doctor, family values, “mother” of the crew, together with Troi: more female power on the ship than in TOS

• '''Worf''': Lieutenant Commander, Klingon, high moral Klingon values, later chief security officer, integrated, sympathetic, represents action and strength on the Enterprise

• '''LaForge''': Lieutenant Commander, later chief engineer

'''Family'''

• families on board who are being evacuated (in the pilot)

• Wesley: child becomes a main character

• Picard dislikes children

• Throughout the series: the crew appears more and more like a family

=> Riker refuses to ship commands several times to stay with the crew of the enterprise

=> Crusher as mother

• Other family-topics in the series:

=> Worf + son

=> Data + daughter

=> Picard + son

In The Next Generation, which was produced at the end of the 1980s, and the beginning of the 1990s, the family as a topic has been used more often than in TOS of the 60s.

'''Other references to our reality:'''

They try to conserve the earthly culture, they drink Earl Grey tea, they read and cite James Joyce, Shakespeare, and Sherlock Holmes, they listen to classical music and talk of the 80s and 90s as the good old times.

''Question'': The crew of the Enterprise presents our reality in a positive way. What kind of message does the producer convey?

Hi folks,
it would be nice, if you watch the first two episodes ("The Emissary pt.1 &2") of DS9 as a preparation for the Wednesday session. They should be available at the Mediathek... If you want to see more episodes, feel free to watch some post-season-three stuff, because the plot dramatically changed then. Watch out for topics like Religion, Interpersonal conflicts and differences between DS9 and other Star Trek stuff...Manuel Saralidis 14:58, 12 November 2007 (CET)

Hello,
just to remind you... I put the Deep Space Nine Introduction slides and summary as a PDF on StudIP where you can download them... Cheers... [[User:Manuel Saralidis|Manuel Saralidis]] 22:05, 29 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 21, 2007: The Star Trek Universe III: ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005)==
The Sequels ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005) same question: Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
´

Voyager
Interesting subjects could be that of terrorism, fear of communism (as the Borg play an important role in voyager), Human values, the Prime Directive, a parallel Universe (Species 8472), Collaboration of species that are enemies but that become allies when a species more powerful than them appears,

Also: Female positions
- Voyager is the first of all Star Trek Series, that has a female Captain!
- Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is the first Chief Engineer on board of a Star Trek Vessel

Also: The Maquis rebellion

Dear Participants.
I put the presentation on "Voyager" on Stud IP under "Dateien"

Ann-Kathrin Uden

==Nov 28, 2007: God in a World of Miracles - Star Trek and Religion==
Is there a God out there? What is the Federation's religion? None or that of a secular state granting religious freedom? Why don't we have Arabs on board of the Star Trek vessels? How do the Federation's travelers react when confronted with religions out there?

I would like to write a paper on Star Trek and Religion. As i haven't read any literature yet, my ideas are still pretty general. But mainly I think i will be dealing with questions like: what view on religion and belief is conveyed in Star Trek (pro or con religion, atheist?) and HOW is it conveyed? This could probably be based on DS 9 and the whole "wormhole aliens vs. phrophets (bajoranian belief)" issue. ([[User:Stephan Schmidt|Stephan Schmidt]] 14:16, 7 November 2007 (CET))

Hey. I just skipped through some webpages to find pieces of information about the religious content in Star Trek and its spin-offs. Here are some webpages that deal with religion. While the majority is fan-made, others document the topic from a more objective point of view.

*http://www.star-trek-religionen.de/index1.htm
*http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm
*http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human_religion
*http://www.newstrekker.com/archiv/startrek_02_03.htm
*http://www.ibka.org/node/603
** and here the speech: http://ibka.org/en/files/Braga.mp3

Just take a look [[User:Tobias Penski|Tobias Penski]] 22:10, 21 November 2007 (CET)

'''TOS on Religion'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Mourns_for_Adonais_%28TOS_episode%29 Who Mourns for Adonais, September 22, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apple_%28TOS_episode%29 The Apple, October 13, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_World_Is_Hollow_and_I_Have_Touched_the_Sky For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, November 8, 1968]

'''Movies'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_V:_The_Final_Frontier The Final Frontier, 1989]

'''Literature'''
*Ros S. Kraemer, "Is there a God in the Universe?", in Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. (eds.), ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001, p.15-56 [http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2001_religions_of_star_trek_p15-57.pdf link]

==Dec 5, 2007: Technotopia==
Star Trek is (from warp-drives to beaming facilities) full of inventions we are still waiting for - and peculiarly lacking others we developed instead (like those mobile phones we use for normal conversations rather than short commands). It is said to have motivated research - yet it is too simple to see it as a simple glorification of technological progress...

*[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2004_shapiro__star_trek.pdf Alan Shapiro, ''Star Trek. Technoloies of Disappearance (2004)]
*[[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/ds9-ep20.divx DS9 Special Episode on with religious emphasis]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_to_Eden_%28TOS_episode%29_TOS_#75 ''The Way to Eden''] Spock makes friends with a sect of hippies.

==Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities==

Debate with [[Alan N. Shapiro]]. Course reading: Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004.

'''Summary: Chapter Two "THE LAST COMPUTER"''' (John Müller)

In chapter two, “The Last Computer“, Shapiro talks about computers and their functions/capabilities in the 23rd century. In a second step, he compares those future computers to our late 20th century computer technology and draws some interesting conclusions as far as own perception is concerned. In order to support his point, Shapiro takes a look at two episodes from TOS (“A Taste Of Armageddon” [Ep. 23] and “The Ultimate Computer” [Ep. 53]).

In “A Taste Of Armageddon” there are two computers which are war with one another, or, in other words, there are two neighboring planets which have been at war for centuries, but, instead of waging a real war with real weapons, they have chosen to let computers simulate their war for them. The computers on both worlds are linked and independently launch attacks on each other. But even though the fighting remains in the realms of virtual reality, the consequences do not: The perfection of this war is taken so far that both computers calculate damage and casualties on their home worlds and force the people who are registered as victims in the simulation to also become victims in real life. Once a citizen is “killed” in the simulation through a hostile attack, he/she has to report to a “disintegration machine” and then vanish in order to obey to the rules of the simulated computer-war.

Apart from the moral implications of this virtual war and the stance Kirk and his crew take towards it (needless to say the computers are dismantled in the end and the warring parties start real peace negotiations for the first time), Shapiro compares the computer-war with our late 20th century reality and the role computers play in it. He uses the example of the 1991 Gulf War and, citing philosopher Boudrillard and his works, Shapiro states that the allied actions taken against dictator Hussein are not too different from the computer-war displayed in “A Taste Of Armageddon”. Before even one missile was launched in the Gulf region, hundreds of military strategists were “endlessly analyzing scenarios” (p. 87) and the many casualties they foresaw in their simulated attacks became to be viewed as inescapable losses that served a greater cause. “Their deaths are pre-calculated. They are ‘collateral damage’” (p. 87). Besides this cold and “mechanical” view at the lives of innocent citizens, the Gulf War and the computer war in the TOS episode have one more thing in common: Like with the two computers in the episode there hardly was any “real” encounter between the two warring parties in the Gulf War: For the far more technologically advanced allied forces the war was won in advance in realm of simulations, for the far less advanced Iraqi soldiers the war had already been lost before it fully broke out at all.
In Shapiro’s opinion the same logic also works for the “war on terrorism”: The American idea of the preemptive strike against anyone who might support or become an ally to Al-Qaida or the even more elusive concept of the “axis of evil” show that, at the beginning of the 21st century, US military operations are more and more withdrawn into the realm of calculations and probability, where a “potential attacker and enemy [...] exists as informational entity or statistical propensity, endlessly speculated on and reported in the virtual realm of the media” (p. 88).

In the second episode, “The Ultimate Computer” the TOS crew is once again faced with a situation not unlike the one described above: An all-new computer, “M-5” designed to be capable of replacing an entire starship crew, is to be installed and tested aboard the Enterprise by its creator, the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Daystrom. During the test the “M-5” takes over for the humans and then performs a variety of standard procedures, including both scientific and strategic operations – which at first work well. During the strategic drill, however, the “M-5” mistakes an unarmed and unmanned freighter for a real enemy and destroys it. Due to the fact that, for some reason, the computer cannot be switched off at that point, things start to turn for the worst: The computer assumes complete control over all of the ship’s systems, displays an arrogant and superior “personality” (not unlike that of its creator) and then attacks the four sister ships of the Enterprise which had been gathered for the simulated drill. After the “M-5” has almost destroyed the ships and many lives have been lost, Captain Kirk finally has a talk with the resilient piece of machinery. Convinced that it is the “ultimate achievement in computer evolution” (p. 93) the “M-5” believes that it must survive by all means in order to be able to protect man. Kirk finally manages it to convince the “M-5” that it has already committed murder, and, by doing so, it has lost its rights to survive. The “M-5” eventually sees the logic in Kirk’s words and, in an act of self-punishment, destroys itself.

“The Ultimate Computer” deals with the human fear to one day be replaced and/or threatened by super-intelligent computers that exceed human capacities by far. Shapiro states that in TOS there generally was a rather negative attitude towards super-intelligent computers (be it false-god-computers like Vaal in “The Apple“ and the Oracle in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” or be it the superior machines like M-5 in “The Ultimate Computer” and Nomad in “The Changeling”). He points out, however, that this fear of being outwitted and replaced one day only “deters us from the fact that we are already computerized (or deeply enmeshed with digital technology)” (p. 94). Despite the fact that his thesis makes sense to some extent (i.e. Internet, cell phones, computer games etc.) he fails to give the reader some clear cut examples to support his idea. I can only guess that it has something to do with the digital and computerized world we live in today. However, his point (if there is any) remains much more elusive than with the comparison between the Gulf War(s) and the computer war – which makes a lot of sense and, in my opinion, is a very interesting way of looking at post-modern (and western) warfare.

'''Summary: Chapter three “The Transporter” [How the Transporter “Really Works”]

Episode serving as an example: “The Enemy Within”'''

(written by Arne Poller)

On a routine geological survey on the planet Alpha 177 the landing party has discovered a doglike creature. A member of the crew gets injured and yellow stains from a magnetic ore are all over his clothes. Probably those are interrupting the beaming process when he tries to beam back up. After doubts whether the transporter machinery is safe Captain Kirk beams up and reappears with a weakened look. While Scotty helps the ‘weak’ Kirk he leaves the Transporter Room unattended. A second ‘savage looking’ Kirk appears in the Room. It turns out that an accident in the transporting process has caused the rematerialisation of a ‘Weak Kirk’ and an ‘Evil Kirk’.
While ‘Weak Kirk’ rests in his room ‘Evil Kirk’ walks around within the ship and is doing silly things (grabs Dr. McCoy by the scruff, seizes Yeoman Rand fiercely by the shoulder…).
At the same time Scotty has figured out that a ‘complete breakdown’ of the operational condition of the transporter has taken place. After Captain Kirk was beamed aboard they tried to beam up the doglike creature with the result of having nonidentical twins. One is gentle and timid, the other is widely agitated and violent. Afraid of the consequences they don’t dare to beam up the rest of the crew. That leaves the landing crew stranded on the planet with the life-threatening prospect of an oncoming freezing nightfall. After interviewing ‘Weak Kirk’ Spock realizes that there must be an imposter aboard the ship. Spock and McCoy hypothesize that ‘Weak Kirk’ is lacking his negative side, which, when ‘properly controlled and disciplined’, endow the Captain with his special ability to command a starship. They catch ‘Evil Kirk’ on one of the lower decks.
“I have to take him back inside myself” ‘Weak Kirk’ recognizes. “I can’t survive without him.”
As Scotty gets the system up and running they first try a test. The two duplicate doglike creatures are send through. Out of the two only one reappears which is dead. The creature was rejoint into a single being, it did not outlive the shock of reunification due to its fear. Finally the duplicate Kirk’s have to take the risk in order to safe the stranded crew. They hope that human intelligence disciplining his trepidation will make a difference. As they get ready to energize, ‘Weak Kirk’ smiles to Spock, Bones, and Scotty, signalling that he has no fear. Finally the ‘real Kirk’ reappears and the stranded crew will be rescued, too.

Shapiro argues that “the mishap of the transporter, the Holodeck, or warp speed is emphasized on Star Trek above the normal operation of the system. ‘Evil Kirk’ is the intrinsic accident that belongs by necessity to the transporter. Every technology has both a rational purpose and a build-in accident ‘waiting to happen’.”
Created by Roddenberry as a convenient way of saving money, Star Trek expresses its profound ambivalence towards the technology of the transporter.
Following Shapiro the trickery of technology rouses the principle of evil, of the vital necessity of evil for the survival of good. ‘Evil Kirk’ is a required and integral portion of Captain Kirk. “The deep-rooted accident of the duplicate Kirk turns a questioning spotlight on the ‘essence’ of the transporter, which is the absolutist phantasmagoria of total knowledge of a person captured in a digital pattern image or ‘quantum physics’ snapshot of their subatomic particles.”
Shapiro asks if techno-scientific enthusiasm truly is Star Trek’s worldview.

'''How the Transporter “Really works”'''

Over the decades there was a paradigm shift in Star Trek’s beaming technology and how it works.

The original notion: Dematerialization – rematerialization, matter-to-energy conversion and back to physical transporter.

Digital transporter: The concept of blueprint formula-like, cloning – or information-based digital transporter.

Quantum teleporter: The idea of ‘entangled photon pairs’ (already been built experimentally by physicists for light particle ‘passengers’.

[For exact function look at Shapiro p.102 l.5]

“The newer postmodernist digital transporter and hypermodernist quantum teleporter gesture towards a paradigm shift in the predominant definition of what it means to be human. Within this posthuman paradigm, it is conceded that a copy of myself, either created from the same model informational digital pattern or emanating from an initiatory quantum mechanical techno-scientific coupled entanglement, is identical to me.”

'''Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes'''

In chapter six Shapiro discusses wormholes in Star Trek and general SF as well as the scientific practicability of wormholes in reality. Firstly, he gives a broad overview on the DS9 pilot [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Emissary Emissary] that is the basis of his discussion. By doing so, he stresses Commander Sisko's encounter with the wormhole aliens that in Shapiro's words, ultimately leads to a ''“true symbolic exchange between Commander Sisko and the wormhole aliens […] (p. 200)”''.

Secondly, he begins his discussion on the physics of wormholes by commenting publications dealing with Star Trek technologies such as Lawrence M. Krauss' ''The Physics of Star Trek''. In opinion those publications endorse Star Trek's key technologies in order to satisfy the fanbase and at the same time they refer to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataphysics pataphysical] praticability - that is, some sort of philisophical physics. Furthermore, Shapiro brings to light that in many papers on the subject wormholes are regarded as time travel devices (p. 202). Especially, in Voyager and DS9 beaming and wormholes are combined in order to travel in time as it is shown in the episodes [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Trials_and_Tribble-ations Trials and Tribble-ations] and [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Eye_of_the_Needle Eye of the Needle]. Technically, time travel scenarios are created with digital recomposition, set reconstruction, frame-by-frame shadow masking and the likes.

Looking at SF film in general Shapiro points out that many film makers and writers have been obsessed with time travel stories and parallel dimensions for decades (see Dr. Who, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Back to the Future etc.). And often they pursued the psychological goal to exterminate the ''"radical otherness of history and other cultures, to short-circuit the difficult course of mourning, to meet up with none other than myself (yourself ?) (p. 202)"''

Moreover, he explains this psychological goal by outlining the scientific works of so-called philosopher physicists like Richard Feynman who have dealt with wormholes and time travel on a scientific level refering to the frontier possibilities of the laws of physics (Einstein's theories of 1905 and 1915). As he further emphasizes the development of time travel pataphysics up to the 1970s and 80s, Shaphiro argues if these theories cannot be held up in a real world context, even if they seem plausible in generic SF settings (p. 211).

Lastly, leaving all scientific theories on time travel and wormholes behind, Shaphiro poses the question if time travel in Star Trek rather presupposes a specific human notion of time: ''One example of this is the idea implicit in the "block universe model" of spacetime that the future is already "out there" or already exists. This is the future-orientation of time in the statistical worldview, or the the future's simulation. It is opposed to the existential view that the future is yet to be decided. The whish for time travel to the past is another, complementary component of the human and hyper-real notion of time. (p. 213)'' --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 15:42, 11 December 2007 (CET)

'''Summary: Chapter Eight " Android Data"''' (Hanno Jansen)

Chapter eight deals with android beings in movies and literature. Shapiro explains how the character of Data in TNG was developed and which purpose androids in general and especially Lt. Data serve on a meta level. He does so by refering to three chosen episodes of The Next Generation. The following links lead to the summaries of the mentioned episodes.

1.Datalore [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datalore] (p.250)
2.The Measure of a Man [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Measure_of_a_Man_%28TNG_episode%29] (p.268)
3.The Offspring [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Offspring_%28TNG_episode%29] (p.278)

The idea of a humanoid android in search of his creator, striving to become human was first used by Gene Roddenberry in the TV-movie "The Questor Tapes" (1974).
It was planned as the pilot of a television series but due to differences between Roddenberry and both Universal and NBC canceled before an episode was produced.
After the original show was canceled, Roddenberry planed to bring back Star Trek as a prime time TV show with fresh episodes. Star Trek Phase II should reunite the old cast exept Nimoy who refused to partake. His character was replaced by the "full Vulcan" Lt. Xon. Xon, having no human emotions, should always struggle to simulate human traits. The pilot of this series was never made but contentwise resumed in the first Star Trek movie. Lt. Data is the readoption and mixture of Xon and the Questor.

Shapiro compares different Science Fiction stories to show two main categories of androids. ''"Either it is a question of androids attaining human-like characteristics, and therefore accepting to have as their goal to become equivalent to humans. Or it is about androids exceeding human intelligence and skillfulness, and therefore becoming an ominous menace to humanity as they seek to dominate us. Never is it about humans and androids co-existing in difference or otherness"'' (p. 255)

Using "Blade Runner" as well as "The Measure of a Man" as examples, Shapiro shows the difficulty of categorizing androids that closely resemble us. The question is raised what defines a lifeform as such. Is it self awareness, autopoiesis or the coupling of perception and action?
In Blade Runner the comparison of android and human even goes as far as seeing a human as a "meat machine" replicating itself by replicating everything around him over and over again with just minor changes.

According to Shapiro, androids like Data therefore serve as a mirror to explore ourselves. ''"Human nature and the definition of the human are never fixed. This is why the android can be an anamorphic mirror to us, in the sense of enabling the maker to see elements of his true appearance of which he was not aware, and in the sense of inducing an actual transformation in us."'' (p. 261)

In "Android Data" Shapiro picks up a subject that is dealt with in many Star Trek episodes throughout all series. What is the reality of existence? or What makes us human? To do so he touches many different subjects, from sociological and philosophical approaches (J.Baudrillard p.259/ R. Hanley p.274) to android epistemology dealing with the creation of A.I..(p. 261)

Interestingly, Shapiro gives us information on why he thinks Star Trek is so successful.
''"The discourse of "hyper-rational skepticism" is one pole of the operational duality- between modernist orthodox scientific model and postmodernist fandom hyper-reality - that the Star Trek gravy train rides on."'' (p.267)

He ends this chapter by telling us how to evaluate Star Trek.
''"Star Trek is a movement of the real that has actively changed the world and knowledge. It has already destabilized and transformed all of these sciences. To grasp this shaking of the ground beneath our feet, we must commit ourselves to internal readings of stories, characters and technologies. We must search for their inner logic and ask how they operate in their original context."'' ( p. 286)

==Dec 19, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek I: From the United States of America to the Federation==
*What happened between 1966 and the year 2300?
*A culture that does not (want to) rely on imperialism, technical superiority or the strength of its capitalism - and a winner even though.

==Jan 9, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek II: Power on Board==
* Power on board: Collisions of interests, personal loyalty and professional obedience
* Power on a universal scale: Star ship vs. Federation
* Different races
* Gender politics

==Jan 16, 2008: Is the "Prime Directive" the prime directive?==
What are the real ideals of the Start Trek Universe?

==Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot?==
*The original shows were not really free when it came to the way of how stories had to be told. The episode had to be over within 45 minutes, it had to offer a problem and a solution. We shall look at generic questions and narratology: What kinds of episodes existed (from comedy to drama), what perspectives do we get on the plotlines? How did the art of story telling evolve from TOS to DS9?
*Is Star Trek a Utopian series? What is Science Fiction compared to Fantasy? What otions within the genre does the Star Trek universe realise?

==Jan 30, 2008: The Fan World==
*On the interaction between the Star Trek Universe and its fan community.
*Startrek and kids - a special look on children and adolescents in the Star Trek universe
*Perhaps most outrageous fan project: [http://www.startreknewvoyages.com Star Trek: New Voyages] - a continuation of TOS.

==Feb 5, 2008: A Look Back on our Seminar==
===Topics===
* Concepts of Evolution and Progress

===Literature===

*Engel, Joel. ''Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind'' Star Trek. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
::One of the first critical biographies that appeared after Roddenberry's death.

* Shatner, William/ Kreshi, Chris. ''Star Trek Memories''. New York: Harper & Collins, 1993.
:: Offers insight into the production.

* Tulloch, John/ Jenkins, Henry. ''Science Giction Audiences: Watching'' Doctor Who'' and ''Star Trek. London: Routledge, 1995.
:: On the fan community and interaction.

*Solow, Herb and Justman, Robert H. ''Inside'' Star Trek: ''The Real Story''. New York: Pocket, 1996.
::One of the critical revisoions which appeared after Roddenbery's death.

* Gentejohan, Volker, ''Narratives from the'' Final Frontier: ''A Postcolonial Reading of the Original Star Trek Series''. Frankfurt a. M./ Berlin: Peter Lang, 2000. 161 pp.
:: Dissertation, German in its structure: What is postcolonialism? Then apply the theory an see it works. The readings create a congruity where there might be not so much of it. Character analysis and special questions revealing the basically American cultural centre, the phalLogocentrism of the series.

* Gregory, Chris. Star Trek: ''Parallel Narratives'' Houndsmills/ Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.
:: Good Bibliography. Central idea: Star Trek evolving into a mythological system. Written with the awareness of immense changes within the Star Trek universe – changes due to changing options under which TV-shows and movies could be produced over the years. Analysis of interaction and differences between main producers of TOS Roddenberry Coon (he produced much of the Federation’s political framework) and Frieberger (third season with its many recycled shows).

* Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001. 246 pp.
:: Multi facetted and extremely inspiring.

*Kanzler, Katja. ''"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations", The Multicultural Evolution of STAR TREK''. Heidelberg, Winter, 2004.
:: Explores the multiculturalism of the Star Trek universe – as a popular and commercial concept. Written with a good deal of fascination.

* Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004. 369 pp. ISBN 3-930064-16-2.
:: Technologies of the Star Trek universe from "beaming" to ''warp'' spead. Question what they betray if read by a cultural historian.

* Broderick, James F. ''The literary galaxy of'' Star Trek: ''An analysis of references and themes in the television series and films''. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2006. vi, 233 pp. ISBN 0-7864-2571-7
:: Intertextuality and literary motives from quest to vampirism.

* Relke, Diana M. A. ''Drones, Clones, and Alpha Babes: Retrofitting'' Star Trek's ''humanism, post-9/11''. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press, 2006. xx, 168 pp. ISBN 1-552-38164-1, ISBN 978-1-552-38164-9
:: What does ''Star Trek'' tell us about the US?

* Geraghty, Lincoln. ''Living with'' Star Trek: American culture and the Star Trek universe (London [etc.]: Tauris, 2007), VIII, 232 pp.
::Esp. on fandom.

* Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). ''The influence of'' Star Trek ''on television, film, and culture''. [=''Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy'', 4]. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7864-3034-5
:: "Examining Star Trek from various critical angles, the essays in this collection provide vital new insights into the myriad ways that the franchise has affected the culture it represents, the people who watch the series, and the industry that created it" (Publisher).

===Links===
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek Star Trek on en.wikipedia.org]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes The Original Series episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_episodes The Next Generation episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine_episodes Deep Space Nine episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Voyager_episodes Voyager episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Enterprise_episodes Enterprise episodes]
*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/TOS Memory Alpha, Star Trek Wiki]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5285732.stm Which is the definitive Star Trek?]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/ BBC Star Trek Cult Page]
*[http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=star+trek&tab=all&recipe=all More BBC Star Trek Results]
*[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2069660,00.html Guardian Article: Beam me up Scotty: Star Trek actor's ashes sent into space]

[[Category:Abschlussmodul]]
[[Category:Winter 2007-2008|2008-1]]

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2007-12-11T14:42:16Z

Karsten Sill: /* Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities */

{|align=right width=500px
!bgcolor=#FFFF80|Open Accounts: First name, blank, second name
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think of topics of your interest, put them under the headlines we have discussed, sign <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> and safe
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note that we will have a guest on Dec. 12. See you, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 20:01, 11 November 2007 (CET)
|}
* '''Time:''' We 4-6 pm
* '''Place:''' A10 1-121a
* '''Contact:''' [[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]]

----

''Star Trek'' is far more than a TV-series. It is a cultural phenomenon with enormous ramifications marked by substantial plot developments, and it is a powerful piece of fiction due to its wide range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political allusions. The original series became a cult classic, the Star Trek universe it created does in retrospect bridge generations and political gaps such as the Cold War with its East/West-confrontation (mirrored within the series by disruptions of original interstellar confrontations).

The Seminar will deal with the following topics. If you have plans for seminar papers list them bellow. (Discuss the present course outline on the course's discussion page if you feel you cannot see under which heading your topic could appear).

Do mention individual episodes (refer to english wikipedia - you find links bellow) wherever you feel that this is a sequence we must deal with under the given headline (I am not so well informed about the later sequels):

__TOC__

==Oct 24 2007: Brainstorming==

==Oct 31 2007: The Star Trek Universe I: ''The Original Series'' (1966–1969)==
'''Preparation:'''
* Production background
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cage_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Cage''], the unsuccessful pilot - filmed in November-December 1964, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until 1988.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Trap_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Man Trap''], aired on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

'''Topics to discuss:'''
* Captain Kirk vs. Captain Pike - types, roles, heroism
* Women
* Spock I and Spock II

'''Possible topics of Seminar papers:'''
*Comparison of The Cage - the original pilot - and and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Menagerie_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Menagerie''] pts. 1-2 aired November 17 and November 24, 1966.
*The composition of a successful team - a seminar paper which might take a special look at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 ''Mirror, Mirror''] broadcast on October 6, 1967 - where we get a positive and a negative Enterprise crew.

==Nov 10, 2007: The Star Trek Night - The Movies==
As I have to disappoint you on Wed 7: a night at my place (Tannenkampstr. 12) - we'll try to see as many of the movies as possible, eat and drink wine (you might provide the latter).
:We might begin around 6pm - those who will have to arrive later can do so and join us any time - it will probably be a long night. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 21:08, 6 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 14, 2007: The Star Trek Universe II: ''Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999)==
The Sequels ''The Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
----

Next Generation

Hi everybody! Since we were not able to present all the information of our presentation in the session, here are some points that might be interesting.

'''Info about the series'''

• First episode: 1987 in the US

• 7 seasons, 176 episodes

• It was longer on screen than TOS (80 episodes – 176 episodes)

• Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot): received by 94 % of all households in the US

• Later still very successful, 1st place of the TV series (18-49 years)

=> Advertisement

=> 1 Mio $ per episode

=> Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Hawkins, Dwight Schulz (A-Team) etc. acted in some of the episodes

'''Content:'''

• Single episodes with an action which is self-explanatory

o But: some episodes refer to the content of other episodes, e.g. Season 3, “The best of both worlds”, season 7, “Bloodlines”

• 100 years later

• Different characters

• Some episodes (e.g. the second episode) have similar plots as episodes of TOS or refer directly to them

• Sometimes visits from characters of the old Enterprise

'''Introduction of the main characters'''

• '''Picard''': Captain of the new Enterprise, different to Kirk, strictly sticks to the Prime Directive, total loyalty to his crew, dislikes children, develops to a more sympathetic man during the series

• '''Riker''': 1st Commander, love affairs, attractive to female characters, sympathetic

• '''Data''': 2nd Commander, the only Android of the Starfleet, counterpart to Spock (e.g. does not understand any sarcasm), asks for definitions, tries to be human

• '''Troi''': Counsellor, Beta Zoid, feelings/emotions, very attractive, later she is the only woman on the bridge

• '''Dr. Crusher''': Doctor, family values, “mother” of the crew, together with Troi: more female power on the ship than in TOS

• '''Worf''': Lieutenant Commander, Klingon, high moral Klingon values, later chief security officer, integrated, sympathetic, represents action and strength on the Enterprise

• '''LaForge''': Lieutenant Commander, later chief engineer

'''Family'''

• families on board who are being evacuated (in the pilot)

• Wesley: child becomes a main character

• Picard dislikes children

• Throughout the series: the crew appears more and more like a family

=> Riker refuses to ship commands several times to stay with the crew of the enterprise

=> Crusher as mother

• Other family-topics in the series:

=> Worf + son

=> Data + daughter

=> Picard + son

In The Next Generation, which was produced at the end of the 1980s, and the beginning of the 1990s, the family as a topic has been used more often than in TOS of the 60s.

'''Other references to our reality:'''

They try to conserve the earthly culture, they drink Earl Grey tea, they read and cite James Joyce, Shakespeare, and Sherlock Holmes, they listen to classical music and talk of the 80s and 90s as the good old times.

''Question'': The crew of the Enterprise presents our reality in a positive way. What kind of message does the producer convey?

Hi folks,
it would be nice, if you watch the first two episodes ("The Emissary pt.1 &2") of DS9 as a preparation for the Wednesday session. They should be available at the Mediathek... If you want to see more episodes, feel free to watch some post-season-three stuff, because the plot dramatically changed then. Watch out for topics like Religion, Interpersonal conflicts and differences between DS9 and other Star Trek stuff...Manuel Saralidis 14:58, 12 November 2007 (CET)

Hello,
just to remind you... I put the Deep Space Nine Introduction slides and summary as a PDF on StudIP where you can download them... Cheers... [[User:Manuel Saralidis|Manuel Saralidis]] 22:05, 29 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 21, 2007: The Star Trek Universe III: ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005)==
The Sequels ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005) same question: Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
´

Voyager
Interesting subjects could be that of terrorism, fear of communism (as the Borg play an important role in voyager), Human values, the Prime Directive, a parallel Universe (Species 8472), Collaboration of species that are enemies but that become allies when a species more powerful than them appears,

Also: Female positions
- Voyager is the first of all Star Trek Series, that has a female Captain!
- Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is the first Chief Engineer on board of a Star Trek Vessel

Also: The Maquis rebellion

Dear Participants.
I put the presentation on "Voyager" on Stud IP under "Dateien"

Ann-Kathrin Uden

==Nov 28, 2007: God in a World of Miracles - Star Trek and Religion==
Is there a God out there? What is the Federation's religion? None or that of a secular state granting religious freedom? Why don't we have Arabs on board of the Star Trek vessels? How do the Federation's travelers react when confronted with religions out there?

I would like to write a paper on Star Trek and Religion. As i haven't read any literature yet, my ideas are still pretty general. But mainly I think i will be dealing with questions like: what view on religion and belief is conveyed in Star Trek (pro or con religion, atheist?) and HOW is it conveyed? This could probably be based on DS 9 and the whole "wormhole aliens vs. phrophets (bajoranian belief)" issue. ([[User:Stephan Schmidt|Stephan Schmidt]] 14:16, 7 November 2007 (CET))

Hey. I just skipped through some webpages to find pieces of information about the religious content in Star Trek and its spin-offs. Here are some webpages that deal with religion. While the majority is fan-made, others document the topic from a more objective point of view.

*http://www.star-trek-religionen.de/index1.htm
*http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm
*http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human_religion
*http://www.newstrekker.com/archiv/startrek_02_03.htm
*http://www.ibka.org/node/603
** and here the speech: http://ibka.org/en/files/Braga.mp3

Just take a look [[User:Tobias Penski|Tobias Penski]] 22:10, 21 November 2007 (CET)

'''TOS on Religion'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Mourns_for_Adonais_%28TOS_episode%29 Who Mourns for Adonais, September 22, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apple_%28TOS_episode%29 The Apple, October 13, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_World_Is_Hollow_and_I_Have_Touched_the_Sky For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, November 8, 1968]

'''Movies'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_V:_The_Final_Frontier The Final Frontier, 1989]

'''Literature'''
*Ros S. Kraemer, "Is there a God in the Universe?", in Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. (eds.), ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001, p.15-56 [http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2001_religions_of_star_trek_p15-57.pdf link]

==Dec 5, 2007: Technotopia==
Star Trek is (from warp-drives to beaming facilities) full of inventions we are still waiting for - and peculiarly lacking others we developed instead (like those mobile phones we use for normal conversations rather than short commands). It is said to have motivated research - yet it is too simple to see it as a simple glorification of technological progress...

*[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2004_shapiro__star_trek.pdf Alan Shapiro, ''Star Trek. Technoloies of Disappearance (2004)]
*[[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/ds9-ep20.divx DS9 Special Episode on with religious emphasis]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_to_Eden_%28TOS_episode%29_TOS_#75 ''The Way to Eden''] Spock makes friends with a sect of hippies.

==Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities==

Debate with [[Alan N. Shapiro]]. Course reading: Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004.

'''Summary: Chapter Two "THE LAST COMPUTER"''' (John Müller)

In chapter two, “The Last Computer“, Shapiro talks about computers and their functions/capabilities in the 23rd century. In a second step, he compares those future computers to our late 20th century computer technology and draws some interesting conclusions as far as own perception is concerned. In order to support his point, Shapiro takes a look at two episodes from TOS (“A Taste Of Armageddon” [Ep. 23] and “The Ultimate Computer” [Ep. 53]).

In “A Taste Of Armageddon” there are two computers which are war with one another, or, in other words, there are two neighboring planets which have been at war for centuries, but, instead of waging a real war with real weapons, they have chosen to let computers simulate their war for them. The computers on both worlds are linked and independently launch attacks on each other. But even though the fighting remains in the realms of virtual reality, the consequences do not: The perfection of this war is taken so far that both computers calculate damage and casualties on their home worlds and force the people who are registered as victims in the simulation to also become victims in real life. Once a citizen is “killed” in the simulation through a hostile attack, he/she has to report to a “disintegration machine” and then vanish in order to obey to the rules of the simulated computer-war.

Apart from the moral implications of this virtual war and the stance Kirk and his crew take towards it (needless to say the computers are dismantled in the end and the warring parties start real peace negotiations for the first time), Shapiro compares the computer-war with our late 20th century reality and the role computers play in it. He uses the example of the 1991 Gulf War and, citing philosopher Boudrillard and his works, Shapiro states that the allied actions taken against dictator Hussein are not too different from the computer-war displayed in “A Taste Of Armageddon”. Before even one missile was launched in the Gulf region, hundreds of military strategists were “endlessly analyzing scenarios” (p. 87) and the many casualties they foresaw in their simulated attacks became to be viewed as inescapable losses that served a greater cause. “Their deaths are pre-calculated. They are ‘collateral damage’” (p. 87). Besides this cold and “mechanical” view at the lives of innocent citizens, the Gulf War and the computer war in the TOS episode have one more thing in common: Like with the two computers in the episode there hardly was any “real” encounter between the two warring parties in the Gulf War: For the far more technologically advanced allied forces the war was won in advance in realm of simulations, for the far less advanced Iraqi soldiers the war had already been lost before it fully broke out at all.
In Shapiro’s opinion the same logic also works for the “war on terrorism”: The American idea of the preemptive strike against anyone who might support or become an ally to Al-Qaida or the even more elusive concept of the “axis of evil” show that, at the beginning of the 21st century, US military operations are more and more withdrawn into the realm of calculations and probability, where a “potential attacker and enemy [...] exists as informational entity or statistical propensity, endlessly speculated on and reported in the virtual realm of the media” (p. 88).

In the second episode, “The Ultimate Computer” the TOS crew is once again faced with a situation not unlike the one described above: An all-new computer, “M-5” designed to be capable of replacing an entire starship crew, is to be installed and tested aboard the Enterprise by its creator, the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Daystrom. During the test the “M-5” takes over for the humans and then performs a variety of standard procedures, including both scientific and strategic operations – which at first work well. During the strategic drill, however, the “M-5” mistakes an unarmed and unmanned freighter for a real enemy and destroys it. Due to the fact that, for some reason, the computer cannot be switched off at that point, things start to turn for the worst: The computer assumes complete control over all of the ship’s systems, displays an arrogant and superior “personality” (not unlike that of its creator) and then attacks the four sister ships of the Enterprise which had been gathered for the simulated drill. After the “M-5” has almost destroyed the ships and many lives have been lost, Captain Kirk finally has a talk with the resilient piece of machinery. Convinced that it is the “ultimate achievement in computer evolution” (p. 93) the “M-5” believes that it must survive by all means in order to be able to protect man. Kirk finally manages it to convince the “M-5” that it has already committed murder, and, by doing so, it has lost its rights to survive. The “M-5” eventually sees the logic in Kirk’s words and, in an act of self-punishment, destroys itself.

“The Ultimate Computer” deals with the human fear to one day be replaced and/or threatened by super-intelligent computers that exceed human capacities by far. Shapiro states that in TOS there generally was a rather negative attitude towards super-intelligent computers (be it false-god-computers like Vaal in “The Apple“ and the Oracle in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” or be it the superior machines like M-5 in “The Ultimate Computer” and Nomad in “The Changeling”). He points out, however, that this fear of being outwitted and replaced one day only “deters us from the fact that we are already computerized (or deeply enmeshed with digital technology)” (p. 94). Despite the fact that his thesis makes sense to some extent (i.e. Internet, cell phones, computer games etc.) he fails to give the reader some clear cut examples to support his idea. I can only guess that it has something to do with the digital and computerized world we live in today. However, his point (if there is any) remains much more elusive than with the comparison between the Gulf War(s) and the computer war – which makes a lot of sense and, in my opinion, is a very interesting way of looking at post-modern (and western) warfare.

'''Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes'''

In chapter six Shapiro discusses wormholes in Star Trek and general SF as well as the scientific practicability of wormholes in reality. Firstly, he gives a broad overview on the DS9 pilot [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Emissary Emissary] that is the basis of his discussion. By doing so, he stresses Commander Sisko's encounter with the wormhole aliens that in Shapiro's words, ultimately leads to a ''“true symbolic exchange between Commander Sisko and the wormhole aliens […] (p. 200)”''.

Secondly, he begins his discussion on the physics of wormholes by commenting publications dealing with Star Trek technologies such as Lawrence M. Krauss' ''The Physics of Star Trek''. In opinion those publications endorse Star Trek's key technologies in order to satisfy the fanbase and at the same time they refer to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataphysics pataphysical] praticability - that is, some sort of philisophical physics. Furthermore, Shaphiro brings to light that in many papers on the subject wormholes are regarded as time travel devices (p. 202). Especially, in Voyager and DS9 beaming and wormholes are combined in order to travel in time as it is shown in the episodes [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Trials_and_Tribble-ations Trials and Tribble-ations] and [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Eye_of_the_Needle Eye of the Needle]. Technically, time travel scenarios are created with digital recomposition, set reconstruction, frame-by-frame shadow masking and the likes.

Looking at SF film in general Shaphiro points out that many film makers and writers have been obsessed with time travel stories and parallel dimensions for decades (see Dr. Who, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Back to the Future etc.). And often they pursued the psychological goal to exterminate the ''"radical otherness of history and other cultures, to short-circuit the difficult course of mourning, to meet up with none other than myself (yourself ?) (p. 202)"''

Moreover, he explains this psychological goal by outlining the scientific works of so-called philosopher physicists like Richard Feynman who have dealt with wormholes and time travel on a scientific level refering to the frontier possibilities of the laws of physics (Einstein's theories of 1905 and 1915). As he further emphasizes the development of time travel pataphysics up to the 1970s and 80s, Shaphiro argues if these theories cannot be held up in a real world context, even if they seem plausible in generic SF settings (p. 211).

Lastly, leaving all scientific theories on time travel and wormholes behind, Shaphiro poses the question if time travel in Star Trek rather presupposes a specific human notion of time: ''One example of this is the idea implicit in the "block universe model" of spacetime that the future is already "out there" or already exists. This is the future-orientation of time in the statistical worldview, or the the future's simulation. It is opposed to the existential view that the future is yet to be decided. The whish for time travel to the past is another, complementary component of the human and hyper-real notion of time. (p. 213)'' --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 15:42, 11 December 2007 (CET)

==Dec 19, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek I: From the United States of America to the Federation==
*What happened between 1966 and the year 2300?
*A culture that does not (want to) rely on imperialism, technical superiority or the strength of its capitalism - and a winner even though.

==Jan 9, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek II: Power on Board==
* Power on board: Collisions of interests, personal loyalty and professional obedience
* Power on a universal scale: Star ship vs. Federation
* Different races
* Gender politics

==Jan 16, 2008: Is the "Prime Directive" the prime directive?==
What are the real ideals of the Start Trek Universe?

==Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot?==
*The original shows were not really free when it came to the way of how stories had to be told. The episode had to be over within 45 minutes, it had to offer a problem and a solution. We shall look at generic questions and narratology: What kinds of episodes existed (from comedy to drama), what perspectives do we get on the plotlines? How did the art of story telling evolve from TOS to DS9?
*Is Star Trek a Utopian series? What is Science Fiction compared to Fantasy? What otions within the genre does the Star Trek universe realise?

==Jan 30, 2008: The Fan World==
*On the interaction between the Star Trek Universe and its fan community.
*Startrek and kids - a special look on children and adolescents in the Star Trek universe
*Perhaps most outrageous fan project: [http://www.startreknewvoyages.com Star Trek: New Voyages] - a continuation of TOS.

==Feb 5, 2008: A Look Back on our Seminar==
===Topics===
* Concepts of Evolution and Progress

===Literature===

*Engel, Joel. ''Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind'' Star Trek. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
::One of the first critical biographies that appeared after Roddenberry's death.

* Shatner, William/ Kreshi, Chris. ''Star Trek Memories''. New York: Harper & Collins, 1993.
:: Offers insight into the production.

* Tulloch, John/ Jenkins, Henry. ''Science Giction Audiences: Watching'' Doctor Who'' and ''Star Trek. London: Routledge, 1995.
:: On the fan community and interaction.

*Solow, Herb and Justman, Robert H. ''Inside'' Star Trek: ''The Real Story''. New York: Pocket, 1996.
::One of the critical revisoions which appeared after Roddenbery's death.

* Gentejohan, Volker, ''Narratives from the'' Final Frontier: ''A Postcolonial Reading of the Original Star Trek Series''. Frankfurt a. M./ Berlin: Peter Lang, 2000. 161 pp.
:: Dissertation, German in its structure: What is postcolonialism? Then apply the theory an see it works. The readings create a congruity where there might be not so much of it. Character analysis and special questions revealing the basically American cultural centre, the phalLogocentrism of the series.

* Gregory, Chris. Star Trek: ''Parallel Narratives'' Houndsmills/ Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.
:: Good Bibliography. Central idea: Star Trek evolving into a mythological system. Written with the awareness of immense changes within the Star Trek universe – changes due to changing options under which TV-shows and movies could be produced over the years. Analysis of interaction and differences between main producers of TOS Roddenberry Coon (he produced much of the Federation’s political framework) and Frieberger (third season with its many recycled shows).

* Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001. 246 pp.
:: Multi facetted and extremely inspiring.

*Kanzler, Katja. ''"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations", The Multicultural Evolution of STAR TREK''. Heidelberg, Winter, 2004.
:: Explores the multiculturalism of the Star Trek universe – as a popular and commercial concept. Written with a good deal of fascination.

* Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004. 369 pp. ISBN 3-930064-16-2.
:: Technologies of the Star Trek universe from "beaming" to ''warp'' spead. Question what they betray if read by a cultural historian.

* Broderick, James F. ''The literary galaxy of'' Star Trek: ''An analysis of references and themes in the television series and films''. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2006. vi, 233 pp. ISBN 0-7864-2571-7
:: Intertextuality and literary motives from quest to vampirism.

* Relke, Diana M. A. ''Drones, Clones, and Alpha Babes: Retrofitting'' Star Trek's ''humanism, post-9/11''. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press, 2006. xx, 168 pp. ISBN 1-552-38164-1, ISBN 978-1-552-38164-9
:: What does ''Star Trek'' tell us about the US?

* Geraghty, Lincoln. ''Living with'' Star Trek: American culture and the Star Trek universe (London [etc.]: Tauris, 2007), VIII, 232 pp.
::Esp. on fandom.

* Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). ''The influence of'' Star Trek ''on television, film, and culture''. [=''Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy'', 4]. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7864-3034-5
:: "Examining Star Trek from various critical angles, the essays in this collection provide vital new insights into the myriad ways that the franchise has affected the culture it represents, the people who watch the series, and the industry that created it" (Publisher).

===Links===
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek Star Trek on en.wikipedia.org]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes The Original Series episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_episodes The Next Generation episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine_episodes Deep Space Nine episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Voyager_episodes Voyager episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Enterprise_episodes Enterprise episodes]
*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/TOS Memory Alpha, Star Trek Wiki]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5285732.stm Which is the definitive Star Trek?]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/ BBC Star Trek Cult Page]
*[http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=star+trek&tab=all&recipe=all More BBC Star Trek Results]
*[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2069660,00.html Guardian Article: Beam me up Scotty: Star Trek actor's ashes sent into space]

[[Category:Abschlussmodul]]
[[Category:Winter 2007-2008|2008-1]]

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2007-12-11T14:37:23Z

Karsten Sill: /* Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities */

{|align=right width=500px
!bgcolor=#FFFF80|Open Accounts: First name, blank, second name
----
think of topics of your interest, put them under the headlines we have discussed, sign <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> and safe
----
note that we will have a guest on Dec. 12. See you, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 20:01, 11 November 2007 (CET)
|}
* '''Time:''' We 4-6 pm
* '''Place:''' A10 1-121a
* '''Contact:''' [[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]]

----

''Star Trek'' is far more than a TV-series. It is a cultural phenomenon with enormous ramifications marked by substantial plot developments, and it is a powerful piece of fiction due to its wide range of cultural, philosophical, aesthetic and political allusions. The original series became a cult classic, the Star Trek universe it created does in retrospect bridge generations and political gaps such as the Cold War with its East/West-confrontation (mirrored within the series by disruptions of original interstellar confrontations).

The Seminar will deal with the following topics. If you have plans for seminar papers list them bellow. (Discuss the present course outline on the course's discussion page if you feel you cannot see under which heading your topic could appear).

Do mention individual episodes (refer to english wikipedia - you find links bellow) wherever you feel that this is a sequence we must deal with under the given headline (I am not so well informed about the later sequels):

__TOC__

==Oct 24 2007: Brainstorming==

==Oct 31 2007: The Star Trek Universe I: ''The Original Series'' (1966–1969)==
'''Preparation:'''
* Production background
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cage_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Cage''], the unsuccessful pilot - filmed in November-December 1964, but not broadcast on television in its complete form until 1988.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Trap_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Man Trap''], aired on Thursday, September 8, 1966.

'''Topics to discuss:'''
* Captain Kirk vs. Captain Pike - types, roles, heroism
* Women
* Spock I and Spock II

'''Possible topics of Seminar papers:'''
*Comparison of The Cage - the original pilot - and and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Menagerie_%28TOS_episode%29 ''The Menagerie''] pts. 1-2 aired November 17 and November 24, 1966.
*The composition of a successful team - a seminar paper which might take a special look at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%2C_Mirror_%28TOS_episode%29 ''Mirror, Mirror''] broadcast on October 6, 1967 - where we get a positive and a negative Enterprise crew.

==Nov 10, 2007: The Star Trek Night - The Movies==
As I have to disappoint you on Wed 7: a night at my place (Tannenkampstr. 12) - we'll try to see as many of the movies as possible, eat and drink wine (you might provide the latter).
:We might begin around 6pm - those who will have to arrive later can do so and join us any time - it will probably be a long night. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 21:08, 6 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 14, 2007: The Star Trek Universe II: ''Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999)==
The Sequels ''The Next Generation'' (1987–1994) and ''Deep Space Nine'' (1993–1999). Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
----

Next Generation

Hi everybody! Since we were not able to present all the information of our presentation in the session, here are some points that might be interesting.

'''Info about the series'''

• First episode: 1987 in the US

• 7 seasons, 176 episodes

• It was longer on screen than TOS (80 episodes – 176 episodes)

• Encounter at Farpoint (the pilot): received by 94 % of all households in the US

• Later still very successful, 1st place of the TV series (18-49 years)

=> Advertisement

=> 1 Mio $ per episode

=> Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Hawkins, Dwight Schulz (A-Team) etc. acted in some of the episodes

'''Content:'''

• Single episodes with an action which is self-explanatory

o But: some episodes refer to the content of other episodes, e.g. Season 3, “The best of both worlds”, season 7, “Bloodlines”

• 100 years later

• Different characters

• Some episodes (e.g. the second episode) have similar plots as episodes of TOS or refer directly to them

• Sometimes visits from characters of the old Enterprise

'''Introduction of the main characters'''

• '''Picard''': Captain of the new Enterprise, different to Kirk, strictly sticks to the Prime Directive, total loyalty to his crew, dislikes children, develops to a more sympathetic man during the series

• '''Riker''': 1st Commander, love affairs, attractive to female characters, sympathetic

• '''Data''': 2nd Commander, the only Android of the Starfleet, counterpart to Spock (e.g. does not understand any sarcasm), asks for definitions, tries to be human

• '''Troi''': Counsellor, Beta Zoid, feelings/emotions, very attractive, later she is the only woman on the bridge

• '''Dr. Crusher''': Doctor, family values, “mother” of the crew, together with Troi: more female power on the ship than in TOS

• '''Worf''': Lieutenant Commander, Klingon, high moral Klingon values, later chief security officer, integrated, sympathetic, represents action and strength on the Enterprise

• '''LaForge''': Lieutenant Commander, later chief engineer

'''Family'''

• families on board who are being evacuated (in the pilot)

• Wesley: child becomes a main character

• Picard dislikes children

• Throughout the series: the crew appears more and more like a family

=> Riker refuses to ship commands several times to stay with the crew of the enterprise

=> Crusher as mother

• Other family-topics in the series:

=> Worf + son

=> Data + daughter

=> Picard + son

In The Next Generation, which was produced at the end of the 1980s, and the beginning of the 1990s, the family as a topic has been used more often than in TOS of the 60s.

'''Other references to our reality:'''

They try to conserve the earthly culture, they drink Earl Grey tea, they read and cite James Joyce, Shakespeare, and Sherlock Holmes, they listen to classical music and talk of the 80s and 90s as the good old times.

''Question'': The crew of the Enterprise presents our reality in a positive way. What kind of message does the producer convey?

Hi folks,
it would be nice, if you watch the first two episodes ("The Emissary pt.1 &2") of DS9 as a preparation for the Wednesday session. They should be available at the Mediathek... If you want to see more episodes, feel free to watch some post-season-three stuff, because the plot dramatically changed then. Watch out for topics like Religion, Interpersonal conflicts and differences between DS9 and other Star Trek stuff...Manuel Saralidis 14:58, 12 November 2007 (CET)

Hello,
just to remind you... I put the Deep Space Nine Introduction slides and summary as a PDF on StudIP where you can download them... Cheers... [[User:Manuel Saralidis|Manuel Saralidis]] 22:05, 29 November 2007 (CET)

==Nov 21, 2007: The Star Trek Universe III: ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005)==
The Sequels ''Voyager'' (1995–2001) and ''Enterprise'' (2001–2005) same question: Where does the ongoing production reflect ongoing historical developments? A comparison of the different generations.
´

Voyager
Interesting subjects could be that of terrorism, fear of communism (as the Borg play an important role in voyager), Human values, the Prime Directive, a parallel Universe (Species 8472), Collaboration of species that are enemies but that become allies when a species more powerful than them appears,

Also: Female positions
- Voyager is the first of all Star Trek Series, that has a female Captain!
- Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is the first Chief Engineer on board of a Star Trek Vessel

Also: The Maquis rebellion

Dear Participants.
I put the presentation on "Voyager" on Stud IP under "Dateien"

Ann-Kathrin Uden

==Nov 28, 2007: God in a World of Miracles - Star Trek and Religion==
Is there a God out there? What is the Federation's religion? None or that of a secular state granting religious freedom? Why don't we have Arabs on board of the Star Trek vessels? How do the Federation's travelers react when confronted with religions out there?

I would like to write a paper on Star Trek and Religion. As i haven't read any literature yet, my ideas are still pretty general. But mainly I think i will be dealing with questions like: what view on religion and belief is conveyed in Star Trek (pro or con religion, atheist?) and HOW is it conveyed? This could probably be based on DS 9 and the whole "wormhole aliens vs. phrophets (bajoranian belief)" issue. ([[User:Stephan Schmidt|Stephan Schmidt]] 14:16, 7 November 2007 (CET))

Hey. I just skipped through some webpages to find pieces of information about the religious content in Star Trek and its spin-offs. Here are some webpages that deal with religion. While the majority is fan-made, others document the topic from a more objective point of view.

*http://www.star-trek-religionen.de/index1.htm
*http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm
*http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human_religion
*http://www.newstrekker.com/archiv/startrek_02_03.htm
*http://www.ibka.org/node/603
** and here the speech: http://ibka.org/en/files/Braga.mp3

Just take a look [[User:Tobias Penski|Tobias Penski]] 22:10, 21 November 2007 (CET)

'''TOS on Religion'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Mourns_for_Adonais_%28TOS_episode%29 Who Mourns for Adonais, September 22, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apple_%28TOS_episode%29 The Apple, October 13, 1967]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_World_Is_Hollow_and_I_Have_Touched_the_Sky For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, November 8, 1968]

'''Movies'''
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_V:_The_Final_Frontier The Final Frontier, 1989]

'''Literature'''
*Ros S. Kraemer, "Is there a God in the Universe?", in Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. (eds.), ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001, p.15-56 [http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2001_religions_of_star_trek_p15-57.pdf link]

==Dec 5, 2007: Technotopia==
Star Trek is (from warp-drives to beaming facilities) full of inventions we are still waiting for - and peculiarly lacking others we developed instead (like those mobile phones we use for normal conversations rather than short commands). It is said to have motivated research - yet it is too simple to see it as a simple glorification of technological progress...

*[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/2004_shapiro__star_trek.pdf Alan Shapiro, ''Star Trek. Technoloies of Disappearance (2004)]
*[[http://www.uni-oldenburg.de/anglistik/lit-wiss/intro-to-literature/d/ds9-ep20.divx DS9 Special Episode on with religious emphasis]

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_to_Eden_%28TOS_episode%29_TOS_#75 ''The Way to Eden''] Spock makes friends with a sect of hippies.

==Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities==

Debate with [[Alan N. Shapiro]]. Course reading: Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004.

'''Summary: Chapter Two "THE LAST COMPUTER"''' (John Müller)

In chapter two, “The Last Computer“, Shapiro talks about computers and their functions/capabilities in the 23rd century. In a second step, he compares those future computers to our late 20th century computer technology and draws some interesting conclusions as far as own perception is concerned. In order to support his point, Shapiro takes a look at two episodes from TOS (“A Taste Of Armageddon” [Ep. 23] and “The Ultimate Computer” [Ep. 53]).

In “A Taste Of Armageddon” there are two computers which are war with one another, or, in other words, there are two neighboring planets which have been at war for centuries, but, instead of waging a real war with real weapons, they have chosen to let computers simulate their war for them. The computers on both worlds are linked and independently launch attacks on each other. But even though the fighting remains in the realms of virtual reality, the consequences do not: The perfection of this war is taken so far that both computers calculate damage and casualties on their home worlds and force the people who are registered as victims in the simulation to also become victims in real life. Once a citizen is “killed” in the simulation through a hostile attack, he/she has to report to a “disintegration machine” and then vanish in order to obey to the rules of the simulated computer-war.

Apart from the moral implications of this virtual war and the stance Kirk and his crew take towards it (needless to say the computers are dismantled in the end and the warring parties start real peace negotiations for the first time), Shapiro compares the computer-war with our late 20th century reality and the role computers play in it. He uses the example of the 1991 Gulf War and, citing philosopher Boudrillard and his works, Shapiro states that the allied actions taken against dictator Hussein are not too different from the computer-war displayed in “A Taste Of Armageddon”. Before even one missile was launched in the Gulf region, hundreds of military strategists were “endlessly analyzing scenarios” (p. 87) and the many casualties they foresaw in their simulated attacks became to be viewed as inescapable losses that served a greater cause. “Their deaths are pre-calculated. They are ‘collateral damage’” (p. 87). Besides this cold and “mechanical” view at the lives of innocent citizens, the Gulf War and the computer war in the TOS episode have one more thing in common: Like with the two computers in the episode there hardly was any “real” encounter between the two warring parties in the Gulf War: For the far more technologically advanced allied forces the war was won in advance in realm of simulations, for the far less advanced Iraqi soldiers the war had already been lost before it fully broke out at all.
In Shapiro’s opinion the same logic also works for the “war on terrorism”: The American idea of the preemptive strike against anyone who might support or become an ally to Al-Qaida or the even more elusive concept of the “axis of evil” show that, at the beginning of the 21st century, US military operations are more and more withdrawn into the realm of calculations and probability, where a “potential attacker and enemy [...] exists as informational entity or statistical propensity, endlessly speculated on and reported in the virtual realm of the media” (p. 88).

In the second episode, “The Ultimate Computer” the TOS crew is once again faced with a situation not unlike the one described above: An all-new computer, “M-5” designed to be capable of replacing an entire starship crew, is to be installed and tested aboard the Enterprise by its creator, the brilliant but arrogant Dr. Daystrom. During the test the “M-5” takes over for the humans and then performs a variety of standard procedures, including both scientific and strategic operations – which at first work well. During the strategic drill, however, the “M-5” mistakes an unarmed and unmanned freighter for a real enemy and destroys it. Due to the fact that, for some reason, the computer cannot be switched off at that point, things start to turn for the worst: The computer assumes complete control over all of the ship’s systems, displays an arrogant and superior “personality” (not unlike that of its creator) and then attacks the four sister ships of the Enterprise which had been gathered for the simulated drill. After the “M-5” has almost destroyed the ships and many lives have been lost, Captain Kirk finally has a talk with the resilient piece of machinery. Convinced that it is the “ultimate achievement in computer evolution” (p. 93) the “M-5” believes that it must survive by all means in order to be able to protect man. Kirk finally manages it to convince the “M-5” that it has already committed murder, and, by doing so, it has lost its rights to survive. The “M-5” eventually sees the logic in Kirk’s words and, in an act of self-punishment, destroys itself.

“The Ultimate Computer” deals with the human fear to one day be replaced and/or threatened by super-intelligent computers that exceed human capacities by far. Shapiro states that in TOS there generally was a rather negative attitude towards super-intelligent computers (be it false-god-computers like Vaal in “The Apple“ and the Oracle in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky” or be it the superior machines like M-5 in “The Ultimate Computer” and Nomad in “The Changeling”). He points out, however, that this fear of being outwitted and replaced one day only “deters us from the fact that we are already computerized (or deeply enmeshed with digital technology)” (p. 94). Despite the fact that his thesis makes sense to some extent (i.e. Internet, cell phones, computer games etc.) he fails to give the reader some clear cut examples to support his idea. I can only guess that it has something to do with the digital and computerized world we live in today. However, his point (if there is any) remains much more elusive than with the comparison between the Gulf War(s) and the computer war – which makes a lot of sense and, in my opinion, is a very interesting way of looking at post-modern (and western) warfare.

'''Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes'''

In chapter six Shapiro discusses wormholes in Star Trek and general SF as well as the scientific practicability of wormholes in reality. Firstly, he gives a broad overview on the DS9 pilot [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Emissary Emissary] that is the basis of his discussion. By doing so, he stresses Commander Sisko's encounter with the wormhole aliens that in Shapiro's words, ultimately leads to a ''“true symbolic exchange between Commander Sisko and the wormhole aliens […] (p. 200)”''.

Secondly, he begins his discussion on the physics of wormholes by commenting publications dealing with Star Trek technologies such as Lawrence M. Krauss' ''The Physics of Star Trek''. In opinion those publications endorse Star Trek's key technologies in order to satisfy the fanbase and at the same time they refer to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataphysics pataphysical] praticability - that is, some sort of philisophical physics. Furthermore, Shaphiro brings to light that in many papers on the subject wormholes are regarded as time travel devices (p. 202). Especially, in Voyager and DS9 beaming and wormholes are combined in order to travel in time as it is shown in the episodes [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Trials_and_Tribble-ations Trials and Tribble-ations] and [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Eye_of_the_Needle Eye of the Needle]. Technically, time travel scenarios are created with digital recomposition, set reconstruction, frame-by-frame shadow masking and the likes.

Looking at SF film in general Shaphiro points out that many film makers and writers have been obsessed with time travel stories and parallel dimensions for decades (see Dr. Who, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 12 Monkeys, Back to the Future etc.). And often they pursued the psychological goal to exterminate the ''"radical otherness of history and other cultures, to short-circuit the difficult course of mourning, to meet up with none other than myself (yourself ?) (p. 202)"''

Moreover, he explains this psychological goal by outlining the scientific works of so-called philosopher physicists like Richard Feynman who have dealt with wormholes and time travel on a scientific level refering to the frontier possibilities of the laws of physics (Einstein's theories of 1905 and 1915). As he further emphasizes the development of time travel pataphysics up to the 1970s and 80s, Shaphiro argues if these theories cannot be held up in a real world context, even if they seem plausible in generic SF settings (p. 211).

==Dec 19, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek I: From the United States of America to the Federation==
*What happened between 1966 and the year 2300?
*A culture that does not (want to) rely on imperialism, technical superiority or the strength of its capitalism - and a winner even though.

==Jan 9, 2007: The Politics of Star Trek II: Power on Board==
* Power on board: Collisions of interests, personal loyalty and professional obedience
* Power on a universal scale: Star ship vs. Federation
* Different races
* Gender politics

==Jan 16, 2008: Is the "Prime Directive" the prime directive?==
What are the real ideals of the Start Trek Universe?

==Jan 23, 2008: Genres: What can happen in the Star Trek universe and what cannot?==
*The original shows were not really free when it came to the way of how stories had to be told. The episode had to be over within 45 minutes, it had to offer a problem and a solution. We shall look at generic questions and narratology: What kinds of episodes existed (from comedy to drama), what perspectives do we get on the plotlines? How did the art of story telling evolve from TOS to DS9?
*Is Star Trek a Utopian series? What is Science Fiction compared to Fantasy? What otions within the genre does the Star Trek universe realise?

==Jan 30, 2008: The Fan World==
*On the interaction between the Star Trek Universe and its fan community.
*Startrek and kids - a special look on children and adolescents in the Star Trek universe
*Perhaps most outrageous fan project: [http://www.startreknewvoyages.com Star Trek: New Voyages] - a continuation of TOS.

==Feb 5, 2008: A Look Back on our Seminar==
===Topics===
* Concepts of Evolution and Progress

===Literature===

*Engel, Joel. ''Gene Roddenberry: The Myth and the Man Behind'' Star Trek. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
::One of the first critical biographies that appeared after Roddenberry's death.

* Shatner, William/ Kreshi, Chris. ''Star Trek Memories''. New York: Harper & Collins, 1993.
:: Offers insight into the production.

* Tulloch, John/ Jenkins, Henry. ''Science Giction Audiences: Watching'' Doctor Who'' and ''Star Trek. London: Routledge, 1995.
:: On the fan community and interaction.

*Solow, Herb and Justman, Robert H. ''Inside'' Star Trek: ''The Real Story''. New York: Pocket, 1996.
::One of the critical revisoions which appeared after Roddenbery's death.

* Gentejohan, Volker, ''Narratives from the'' Final Frontier: ''A Postcolonial Reading of the Original Star Trek Series''. Frankfurt a. M./ Berlin: Peter Lang, 2000. 161 pp.
:: Dissertation, German in its structure: What is postcolonialism? Then apply the theory an see it works. The readings create a congruity where there might be not so much of it. Character analysis and special questions revealing the basically American cultural centre, the phalLogocentrism of the series.

* Gregory, Chris. Star Trek: ''Parallel Narratives'' Houndsmills/ Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.
:: Good Bibliography. Central idea: Star Trek evolving into a mythological system. Written with the awareness of immense changes within the Star Trek universe – changes due to changing options under which TV-shows and movies could be produced over the years. Analysis of interaction and differences between main producers of TOS Roddenberry Coon (he produced much of the Federation’s political framework) and Frieberger (third season with its many recycled shows).

* Kraemer, Ross S./ Cassidy, William/ Schwartz Susan L. ''Religions of Star Trek''. Cambridge MA: Westview Press, 2001. 246 pp.
:: Multi facetted and extremely inspiring.

*Kanzler, Katja. ''"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations", The Multicultural Evolution of STAR TREK''. Heidelberg, Winter, 2004.
:: Explores the multiculturalism of the Star Trek universe – as a popular and commercial concept. Written with a good deal of fascination.

* Shapiro, Alan N. Star Trek:'' Technologies of disappearance''. Berlin: Avinus-Verlag, 2004. 369 pp. ISBN 3-930064-16-2.
:: Technologies of the Star Trek universe from "beaming" to ''warp'' spead. Question what they betray if read by a cultural historian.

* Broderick, James F. ''The literary galaxy of'' Star Trek: ''An analysis of references and themes in the television series and films''. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2006. vi, 233 pp. ISBN 0-7864-2571-7
:: Intertextuality and literary motives from quest to vampirism.

* Relke, Diana M. A. ''Drones, Clones, and Alpha Babes: Retrofitting'' Star Trek's ''humanism, post-9/11''. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press, 2006. xx, 168 pp. ISBN 1-552-38164-1, ISBN 978-1-552-38164-9
:: What does ''Star Trek'' tell us about the US?

* Geraghty, Lincoln. ''Living with'' Star Trek: American culture and the Star Trek universe (London [etc.]: Tauris, 2007), VIII, 232 pp.
::Esp. on fandom.

* Geraghty, Lincoln (ed.). ''The influence of'' Star Trek ''on television, film, and culture''. [=''Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy'', 4]. Jefferson, N.C. [etc.]: McFarland & Co., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7864-3034-5
:: "Examining Star Trek from various critical angles, the essays in this collection provide vital new insights into the myriad ways that the franchise has affected the culture it represents, the people who watch the series, and the industry that created it" (Publisher).

===Links===
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek Star Trek on en.wikipedia.org]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes The Original Series episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_episodes The Next Generation episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine_episodes Deep Space Nine episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Voyager_episodes Voyager episodes]
:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_Enterprise_episodes Enterprise episodes]
*[http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/TOS Memory Alpha, Star Trek Wiki]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5285732.stm Which is the definitive Star Trek?]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/ BBC Star Trek Cult Page]
*[http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=star+trek&tab=all&recipe=all More BBC Star Trek Results]
*[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2069660,00.html Guardian Article: Beam me up Scotty: Star Trek actor's ashes sent into space]

[[Category:Abschlussmodul]]
[[Category:Winter 2007-2008|2008-1]]

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2007-12-11T14:28:48Z

Karsten Sill: /* Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities */

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2007-12-11T14:06:42Z

Karsten Sill: /* Summary: Chapter Six Wormholes */

2007-08 ASM Star Trek (1965-2005)

2007-12-11T14:06:16Z

Karsten Sill: /* Dec 12, 2007: Technologies of Disappearance — Fan Research and Criticism produced in the Humanities */

User talk:Olaf Simons

2007-12-10T16:12:49Z

Karsten Sill: Meeting

[[User talk:Olaf Simons/Archive]]

== printing of your presentations ==

Moin Mr. Simons,
währe es möglich, die Präsentationen zur jeweiligen Vorlesung als Powerpointdatei einzustellen?Im Moment ist es nämlich ziemlich schwer mit dem Ausdrucken,da es pro Präsentation meist so um die 70 Seiten werden würden...vielleicht währe auch ein anderes Format möglich(mein Wissen über die Technik hält sich eher in Grenzen^^)
Es währe schön, wenn sich eine Lösung finden würde, da die Präsentationen wirklich gut und optimal zur Vor-u. Nachbereitung der lecture geeignet sind.Nur bei soviel Seiten gibt mein Drucker auf!;o)

Thanks,
Best wishes
--[[User:Mariann|Mariann]] 22:24, 19 November 2007 (CET)
(BM 1: Introduction to the Critical and Scolarly Discussion of Literature)

:Wie wärs, die Studenten nutzen das Wiki, um kollektiv das Vorlesungsskript zu erstellen und ich betreue das dann? Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 10:34, 20 November 2007 (CET)

Habe eben erst die Antwort gelesen...ich finde die Idee gut, die Frage ist nur,ob soviel dabei zu stande kommt, eben weil wir 170 Leute sind ;O)
Aber einen Versuch währe es sicher wert, mal sehen, was andere von dem Vorschlag halten.
Ich meinte auch nicht, dass Sie uns alles ausgearbeitet forsetzen sollen ;O) die presentations machen bestimmt genug Arbeit und sind meiner Meinung nach wirklich hilfreich und ausreichend.Mir ging es nur darum zu fragen,ob man sie auch in einem "druckerfreundlicherem" Format einstellen könnte,denn inhaltlich sind sie so wie sie sind klasse.Viele hatten nämlich mit dem Ausdrucken Probleme, aber das wird schon.
Ich wollte nicht fordernd wirken :o)Und außerdem gibt es ja noch die Tutorien.
Liebe Grüße!
--[[User:Mariann|Mariann]] 20:34, 20 November 2007 (CET)

==Georg Lucacs==
Danke für die Grüße und die Einordnung! Das ganze ist doch etwas länger geworden... bis spätestes Mittwoch beim round table! GLG aus dem sonnigen München... mit Schnee --[[User:Anna Auguscik|Anna Auguscik]] 11:23, 26 November 2007 (CET)
:Na Ihr habts mal wieder gut. Hier wechselt das Wetter alle drei Minuten, Schneegestöber, graue Wolkenfronten, kleine Aufrisse im Himmel mit vergessenem Sonnenschein, graue Wolkenfronten, Schneegestöber, Schneegestöber, kleine Aufrisse im Himmel mit vergessenem Schnnegestöber, graue Wolkenfronten. Bin schon ganz mitgenommen davon. --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 11:26, 26 November 2007 (CET)
Sagen Sie, Herr Simons, könnten Sie die heutige Vorlesung wieder aufnehmen, so dass ich sie mir anhören kann, auch wenn ich erst gen Abend in Oldenburg sein werde... GLG, --[[User:Anna Auguscik|Anna Auguscik]]

==Bildfragmente==
Howdy Olaf, wieso fragst du nach meinen bildtechnischen Ergüssen, wenn doch schon ein so hübsches neues - und vor allem modernes - Exemplar die Main Page ziert? Ich nehme an, aus deinem Fundus...? Aber für den weiteren Wechsel kann ich gerne mal das ein oder andere Londonfoto bearbeiten und dir zukommen lassen. Hast du die genauen Pixelmaße? Das würde es nämlich gleich einfacher machen beim Zurechtschneiden.
Und ja, auch mich macht dieses entscheidungsunfreudige Wetter ganz platt. :-( Gruß aus dem FS-Büro, [[User:Melanie Tönies|Melanie Tönies]] 12:54, 26 November 2007 (CET)
:Der Fundus ist unten angegeben - ich plünderte [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:NYC_NYPD_Times_Square.jpg Wikimedia Commons] - das als freie Ressource allen offensteht. Die Maße? 200px breit und beliebig lang. Meine eigenen Bilder sind alle Dias, das Scannen ist echt ein Problem. Indes wollte es nett sein, alle Monate was Neues zu haben, etwas was nach angelsächsischem Sprachraum schmeckt... Unten setzte ich eine Quellenangabe hin. Man kann da auch ein Link für das ganze Bild hinsetzen und Werbung machen. Gruß, --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 15:20, 26 November 2007 (CET)
:...und überhaupt: Eure Fachschaftspräsenz ist noch immer ein Trauerspiel. Ich erwarte Impulse von Euch, Inspiration, bewegung im Laden. Gruß nochmals --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 15:23, 26 November 2007 (CET)
::...wenn man denn neben 2 Jobs in der Uni, einem Masterstudium, der Fachschaftsarbeit sowie sonstigen privaten Verpflichtungen noch Zeit hat, läßt sich bestimmt auch die Fachschafts-Wiki-Seite erweitern. Bis dahin verweise ich immer wieder gerne auf das bereits bestehende Angebot auf unserer [http://www.thefachschaftoldenburg.ag.vu Fachschafts-Homepage], die nach wie vor das vorherrschende Kommunikations- und Informationsmedium ist - und weiterhin bleiben soll. Nachmittagliche Grüße, [[User:Melanie Tönies|Melanie Tönies]] 15:25, 28 November 2007 (CET)

==2nd projector==
Hi Olaf, the second (fat) projector is 'stationed' in my office for simultaneous usage. *g* Could you please move it from Mr Gehring's column to the Litwi column? Best, [[User:John Alistair Kühne|John Alistair Kühne]] 15:06, 29 November 2007 (CET)
:Will I be killed if I I do this? (like steeling Mr. Gehring's second projector???) - I mean - I am bold at times... --[[User:Olaf Simons|Olaf Simons]] 15:19, 29 November 2007 (CET)

==Ja, er lebt==

Hi Olaf,

nun gut, ich werde ab Sonntag eine Woche lang ein Blog schreiben, aber nur weil du es bist :),

viele Grüße aus Ingerland,
Jörn

== Meeting ==

Hallo Olaf, ich muss leider für heute absagen, weil mich immer noch eine blöde Erkältung plagt. Nichtsdestotrotz versuche ich morgen zu deiner Sprechstunde zu kommen. Aktuelles zu meiner Arbeit auf meiner Seite. Einen Eintrag zu Chapter 6: Wormhole legte ich heute noch an. Grüße --[[User:Karsten Sill|Karsten Sill]] 17:12, 10 December 2007 (CET)

User:Karsten Sill

2007-12-04T11:29:32Z

Karsten Sill: