Tuvix Was Murdered

As a big fan of Star Trek: Voyager, it's a pleasure to be discussing this topic. I will be negating the resolution "Within the context of the story the destruction of Tuvix was murder." I accept C_N's definition of murder and shall be using the colloquial meanings of all other terms involved. Should clarification be necessary, I reserve the right to present and/or attack any other definitions presented. ::Rebuttals:: My opponent's 8 contentions can be grouped into 4 general categories, which I will refute in order: 1. Tuvix's decisions and right to life are paramount. [Contentions 1, 2, 3, 4, & 6] 2. Tuvix's destruction was impractical. [Contention 5] 3. It is immoral to kill one innocent to save two innocents. [Contention 7] 4. Tuvix's destruction was in violation of Federation law. [Contention 8] 1. The merging of Tuvok and Neelix was unintentional [1]. Each believed they would be transporting to their ship as healthy, intact, and distinct individuals. Neither was aware of the possibility of merging, let alone willing participants of such a transformation. Furthermore, following the eventual restoration to their former selves, neither man showed regret toward the separation or expressed a desire to be re-joined. Thus, it is clear that neither Tuvok nor Neelix wished to be or stay merged. Therefore, Tuvix's refusal to restore the two men actively deprived two innocent and unwilling individuals of their rightful lives. The fact that he was self-aware does not negate his continued role in destroying the sentience of two others; his right to life ended when it necessarily entailed the death of his creators, each of whom possessed their own such right. To claim that Tuvix had the right to speak for those he knowingly held hostage within himself is ludicrous. The intentions of Tuvok and Neelix were made clear by their actions both before and after the accident, specifically their choice not to re-merge (which was within their capability). Their inability to articulate these desires are due entirely to the actions of Tuvix. If he contained the knowledge and memories of the two, he would know they wished to be free and was thus continuing his existence at their expense. If he had no such knowledge, he could simply allow the separation and obtain their permission to recombine. 2. The argument that merged officers are more practical is incorrect and irrelevant. First of all, Neelix likely shared his quarters with his mate, Kes, meaning the living arrangements would remain static. Secondly, a starship with the incredible size and capacity of Voyager [2] would hardly notice an additional empty room. Lastly, given Pro's definition of murder, pragmatics won't affirm the resolution. However, the loss of two of Voyager's most important officers does present a very real danger to the rest of the crew. Tuvok was the ship's head of security, tactical officer, and third in command [3]. Neelix was the vessel's chef, moral officer, navigator, and ambassador [4]. The combined obligations of these essential positions would inevitably tax Tuvix's capabilities and very likely endanger all on-board. This outcome is hardly morally preferable to the natural alternative of returning the original beings to their previous lives and duties. 3. Pro's claim that separating Tuvix was immoral completely neglects the circumstances of his creation. First of all, while Tuvok and Neelix were innocent throughout this incident, Tuvix purposely deprived the two of life for his own sake. While the transporter may be responsible for the initial merging, Tuvix's refusal to remedy the situation makes him guilty of the twos' continued destruction. Secondly, unlike Tuvix, the two men had histories, families, and essential roles on the ship. Keeping them unwillingly merged harms not only their loved ones but potentially the entire crew of the military vessel. My opponent offers the analogy of stealing organs from one to give life to two others. Of course, the only way this comparison resembles this situation is if those organs originally belonged to the two in the first place! Tuvix's possession of their genetic material was not done with their consent, meaning his separation is simply restoring their rightful existence. 4. Pro overreaches with his claim that the doctor's decision mirrored Federation law. Overuse of his program (he was a hologram) caused him to develop a unique personality and the ability to both disagree with and disobey orders; throughout his tenure, the doctor has commandeered the ship [5, see: Renaissance Man], infected individuals with fatal viruses [5, see: "Critical Care"], shown favoritism amongst patients [5, see: "Latent Image"], and destroyed other holograms [5, see: "Flesh and Blood"]. Each of these acts demonstrated either a violation of Star Fleet law or behavior outside the scope of his original design. Thus, the doctor's decision does not suffice to show Tuvix's separation was unlawful. ::Case Summary:: At this point, none of Pro's arguments toward the illegality or immorality of Tuvix's destruction stand. In fact, given the accidental nature of the merging and the importance of Tuvok and Neelix to their families and crew, it was Tuvix alone who acted immorally. His end was not an act of murder, but rather the necessary restoration of two innocent men. ::References:: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org... 2. http://memory-alpha.org... 3. http://memory-alpha.org... 4. http://memory-alpha.org... 5. http://memory-alpha.org...