Post by camimac on Jun 10, 2017 18:34:33 GMT
This question arises from an episode of Star Trek Voyager, but it is also a general question, in terms of whether you would willingly benefit from knowledge gained through evil.
In the "Nothing Human" episode of the show, Torres is attacked by an alien creature that latches on to her. The voyager doctor does not have the skill to remove it without killing her. The doctor is permitted to have a holographic medical assistant based on a Cardassian doctor. The voyager doctor wants his help because he knows he's renowned in his field. But as the story unfolds we find out that the way he was able to develop his skills was through inhuman testing and experimentation on Bajorans during the war. Torres who knew something about this doctor's past did not want him to treat her, or operate and get the alien creature off her because of his evil past.
If it was me, I would have been willing to allow the doctor to operate. I would not approve of the way he gained the knowledge to do what needed to be done, but I would still accept the help. It would be different if he was currently, and ongoingly engaged in those practices. I would not want to be a part of what he was doing or benefit from his ongoing evil (nor would I want him to treat me if there were not people that I trusted near by) But, whatever he did was in the past. He has the knowledge. He could save me. So, I would go for it. My thought is we are currently the beneficiaries of all sorts of medical advances. We don't know the history behind all the treatments and procedures being used. Some of them could be the result of unethical and/or evil experimentation. Also, in many cases you don't know the full history or background of doctors who may operate on you. I guess my thought is the knowledge should be separated from the source. If you can benefit from the knowledge that has already been obtained, you should. What do you think?
In the "Nothing Human" episode of the show, Torres is attacked by an alien creature that latches on to her. The voyager doctor does not have the skill to remove it without killing her. The doctor is permitted to have a holographic medical assistant based on a Cardassian doctor. The voyager doctor wants his help because he knows he's renowned in his field. But as the story unfolds we find out that the way he was able to develop his skills was through inhuman testing and experimentation on Bajorans during the war. Torres who knew something about this doctor's past did not want him to treat her, or operate and get the alien creature off her because of his evil past.
If it was me, I would have been willing to allow the doctor to operate. I would not approve of the way he gained the knowledge to do what needed to be done, but I would still accept the help. It would be different if he was currently, and ongoingly engaged in those practices. I would not want to be a part of what he was doing or benefit from his ongoing evil (nor would I want him to treat me if there were not people that I trusted near by) But, whatever he did was in the past. He has the knowledge. He could save me. So, I would go for it. My thought is we are currently the beneficiaries of all sorts of medical advances. We don't know the history behind all the treatments and procedures being used. Some of them could be the result of unethical and/or evil experimentation. Also, in many cases you don't know the full history or background of doctors who may operate on you. I guess my thought is the knowledge should be separated from the source. If you can benefit from the knowledge that has already been obtained, you should. What do you think?
