The Ethics of Star Trek: Autonomy and Society

In light of the previous, I have been forced to go full on Trek. So.A bit of History and Explanation:The colonists of the Mariposa were of a unique variety when they trekked out from Earth. Sadly, due to the chaos on Terra, their results as a colony were scattered to the wind, hung out in some obscure sector of what later became Federation space. Before their exodus, however, the concept of genetic resquencing or/and engineering already had its day in the sun. The Eugenics Wars, and its fallout [1] reinforced the idea that tampering with the genome beyond removing birth defects was a fast way to generating the worst in humanity out of a test tube. Starfleet, by and large when formed upheld that tradition as well, in keeping that augmented genetics were not allowed in Starfleet, nor were those whom participated in Genetic Engineering as a field allowed to practice that particular medicine. Only very specific genetic procedures are permissible in the Federation for fear of regression back to what caused those chaotic and turbulent times slightly before the Mariposa first left [2].Could vs ShouldI sympathize for the clones of the Mariposan colony, I really do. Their survival as a colony had to be continued through taboo means, even at the time of their crash. While I cannot understand why the most genetic diversity might first be made before the cloning began, I do appreciate their desire for continuation. That, however, is where my sympathy for them ends, and questioning of their motives begins. With replicative fade creeping in, the cloned colony should be jumping at the possibility of introducing new whole genomes to their group. In keeping with the known history from the Mariposan point of view, they left Earth at a time when literally the Khan Singhs and other Augments were in the final stages of being hunted down and killed, their genetic designers being incarcerated: the lesson about making use of genetic material as nothing more than child's building blocks didn't give the respect due to such an awesome power. With appreciate of that power, and the subsequent Down the Ladder that might happen (morally speaking), its no wonder that Pulaski and Riker were so far off the fence as to be hostile on the matter of giving these colonists new material: there was literally no guarantee that such wouldn't be tinkered with more so than already required. What if the heist was succesful?The Mariposan clones, I wonder, if they themselves engaged in genetic manipulation beyond cloning. The temptation would obviously have to be there, as it would better serve the colony. As demonstrated, the Mariposans are not above breaking a certain degree of decorum, either, as indicated by the kidnapping and harvesting of Riker and Pulaski for prime cloning cells. The episode mentioned didn't ask the question, but the motive and action I have seen from the group, not to mention the time in which the colony left Terra leads me to think that maybe some of these folks wanted to continue doing exactly what it is that got not only banned across the Federation, but outlawed on Terra proper after WWIII. They seem to be quite proficient at it... already had the lab set up for it... perhaps a race of Augments was the plan, even though it dismally failed in the past. Given the look of the Riker and Pulaski clones, it seemed as though they were specifically cloned with age, and unless some degree of manipulation was used to wipe their mind of what happened, all you have done is create a clone of people that won't help you. The the Mariposans 'blanked out' the mind through cloning, then indeed, these people are bad folks, they are doing exactly what Starfleet and history has demonstrated to be a poor idea. Of course, if the clone is an exact copy, would Riker2 and Pukaski2 help you? The 'original' Riker and Pulaski opinions must still remain. Then what? This is all speculation to be sure, as we are talking about a fictional cloning facility and the logistics of the clones it would create. To be fair, the colony could just have easily slid into such genetic moral hazard out of time and desperation, but that doesn't change the fact that their known history should have them jumping at the chance to change genetic stock, rather than linger on with the same problem (granted in 200 years or so), of replicative fade.ChecklistI think we should run down the specifics: stunning some one, when its not self defense, is wrong. Conducting surgery on their stunned form, wrong. Taking anything from someone one against their knowledge, obviously wrong.Engaging in a practice that contributed to some of the largest death tolls humanity had seen? Wrong, though for purposes of survival, I will give this one a pass. This pass, however, gets revoked when better alternatives come along. To want to continue with the same variety of reproduction indicates that those of this colony didn't learn from the Eugenics Wars, and the subsequent nuclear holocaust that they were dodging the fall out of.ConlcusionNow, this is a lot more Trek than I normally get into, and the references of which are going to be subject to debate on a certain level of detail regarding a time frame, however the thrust of what makes what the Mariposans did 'wrong' was the recent history they knew, and the current events that conformed to that history. The United Federation of Planets had a touchy relationship with genetic engineering. The Mariposans clearly were engaged in such a dealing, and rather than abandon their methods when presented with the chance, instead opted for assault to continue it. Yes, they handled their problem as best as could be imagined at the time of the crash, though such a solution is not a permanent one. Genetic engineering and cloning is what brought them to desperately needing help, and assaulting strangers. I see no way how more of the same could solve the problem, it puts the Mariposans in a position in which they very well would have to conduct the same assault possibly to a greater degree, in the future, and more over, they put themselves in that position knowing the solution they would have to employ.[1]http://en.memory-alpha.org...[2] http://en.memory-alpha.org...(episode)Due to the nature of how 'Memory Alpha' is compiled, continuity errors exsist in time frame, but not specifically referenced event. Since we are working from a TV show, we must assume that what the characters talk about in some way occured, and sadly, because its conversation of a TV show character, its not subject to a codified history. Memory Alpha is taken as 'canon' from all the TV shows, and movies, excluding the animated series.