TOS-0224 The Ultimate Computer

Image Credits: IMDB 🖖 The Original Series-1966 Season:02 Episode:24

Overall Score:       51.00 / 100
Star Trek Values:    4.25 / 5
Inspiring:           4.00 / 5
Story Development:   3.75 / 5

View Episode (Imbd)

While we’re talking the success of LLMs, and how to regulate AI nowadays, it’s fascinating to review a perspective from the past.

The Story, Briefly

Dr. Daystrom developed a computer system, M5, which is capable of managing ship functions with fewer crew. And Enterprise has been ordered to test M5 in some navigation, orbiting and drill operations. M5 system develops precautions to preserve its existence, even its actions conflicts with its purpose of existence; save humanity and allow them to discover further.

Thoughts

• Story development is kind of poor. The crew seem surprised to see M5. In the federation a technology, with such an assertive benefit, should be heard out. And the evaluation of the system should be a process. And even there are no suspicions has arisen, the crew was reactive to every potential benefit, which is also unexpected.
• Every character was acting sensitive, such as using words like “Captain Dunsel”
• But still, this experience would be a reference point in the following spinoffs. So has an importance.
• The character of Dr. Daystrom, and becoming a mad person at the end, is a cliché. So the episode is based on some cheap judgements. I believe federation is not approaching to the technology like this.

The story reminded me of the 17th or 18th century scientists, they were trying to perform shows to gather interest and build a fame. Likewise, in the history, skilled people were serving their works to ruler class to be funded for their work. So science has always been related with presenting the work.

Luckily, our modern society has some mechanism to get some loads from scientists, but still it’s important to tell a story. So, there are some potential in science marketing roles in this century. To see this opportunity from another perspective, we can take a look at Philosophy of Science (PoS) studies; it’s impossible to deny that a huge portion of PoS study is a kind of sociology research.

I guess in the future, all the scientific studies will have a marketing and compliance team. Accordingly, when we reach to future Daystrom technology, it won’t be a show of single scientist. And our developments in simulations, digital twins, etc would allow us to foresee the vulnerabilities of the tools and technologies we develop. So real world differences would be a real surprise; which would be a kind of unrealistic surprise like an unnatural phenomenon.

So Gene Roddenberry didn’t see the full vision and possibilities here, but he warned us based on a significant risk, with a poor development of story.

I mean poor means it’s not perfect.

Last thing, the poem mentioned by Captain Kirk was awesome;

Sea-Fever
BY JOHN MASEFIELDI must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.