Monday, August 26, 2013

Star Trek and Transporter Ethics


I would have been done this article hours ago but I was beamed up unexpectedly and unsuspectedly. Now while the experience and ability is quite cool, and I could have used it many times in the past to get into as well as out of trouble, not to mention the gas savings and frequent flier miles pile up. Taken 'up' or away when I do not want to is a bit disconcerting.

I bring this up as an ethical debate - once transporting from place to place is in place, what is to stop people and or institutions (read government or military ) from just beaming someone against their will? In the most recent Star Trek movie Into Darkness, the limitations on the use of tranport-beaming on unsuspecting individuals was limited only by technical hurdles - moving too fast, line of sight, capacity or other technical issues, not lack of intent or desire - which in the movie was resolved by sending surprise visitors to the intended target - how many uncomfortable scenarios could we imagine for that...."Mom! Really? Now?"

Embarrassing risks may not be enough to warrant an ethical dilemma, but criminal and authoritative sure can. Should there be a limit on authorized locations to beam to or from? It is likely how it would have to start technically anyway. What about a request and authorization before execution? Like a phone call - BUQ (beam up request) that you have to answer or accept, or a meeting request where all parties are identified and location agreed upon before commencement.

The American Civil Liberties Union or what ever representing and defending body needs to start looking at these science fiction movies and start these ethic debates and have guidelines established before the technology gets here. I certainly think Star Trek: Into Darkness violated some 'beam up code of ethics', even if it was for the greater good (another angle of the debate). Though if On-Star wants to beam me out of my car just as it senses a crash, or some other "don't have to ask me twice" winning situation (fill in your own fantasy here) they can go right ahead.

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