Tuvix Was Murdered

Thanks to Pro for his detailed reply. This is a lot of fun =D ::Rebuttals:: 1. Pro believes Tuvok and Neelix would have opposed separation, offering only his own interpretation of their values as proof. However, these views are not supported by their actions; if the men were inclined to right any perceived wrong that occurred in the destruction of Tuvix, they possessed the technology, opportunity, and right to do so. Their choice not to act is the only appropriate indicator of their views on the matter. There is no feasible argument that suggests they would support separation after the fact but not before. Pro goes on to claim Tuvix was not morally responsible for the circumstances of Tuvok and Neelix. In doing so, he ignores my argument that Tuvix's conscious decision not to restore their lives was entirely selfish, makes him responsible for their continued deaths, and necessarily forfeits his own right to life. Tuvix's existence alone does not guarantee him safety, as it is that very existence which prevents two others from continuing their own lives. If Pro finds the forcible removal of one's opportunity to survive immoral, he must be doubly repulsed by Tuvix's disregard for that opportunity in others. It was also inappropriate for Tuvix to speak on behalf of the fallen officers. He held a vested interest in their deaths and could not be trusted to accurately depict their desires. On the other hand, Kes [1], Neelix's mate, and Captain Janeway [2], their commanding officer, were the only legitimate choices on the ship to speak for the missing officers. With both women agreeing to the separation [1, see: Neelix] and the intentions of Tuvok and Neelix already known, Tuvix's right to object diminishes. 2. Pro concedes his pragmatic contention but ignores by counter-argument. Merging two invaluable officers with essential roles in ship safety endangers them all. Their vessel was stranded in space and surrounded by hostile forces [3, see: Series Summary], making the loss of even a single trained crewman a heavy liability. The numerous responsibilities assigned to Tuvix would be beyond the scope of one man, inevitably resulting in either a critical mistake on his part or the reassignment and retraining of other needed officers. Either scenario risks the well-being of an already vulnerable crew and further demonstrates Tuvix's disinterest in the lives of others. 3. Pro cannot simultaneously defend Tuvix's right to life and ignore that right in others. The hybrid obtained matter that did not belong to him and which was necessary for the survival of its original owners. The fact that Tuvix also needed the material does not negate the fact that he wrongfully obtained it and thus held no rightful claim to it. Tuvix's ignorance of the theft does not excuse his responsibility toward those he harmed, even at his own expense. His refusal to return their lives is tantamount to killing two crewmen, leaving no reason to believe his death constituted murder in the eyes of the Federation. Indeed, the captain herself performed the act [4] and there is no record of her receiving any reprimand for doing so. 4. My opponent's attempts to rationalize these examples of law-breaking only demonstrate that the doctor, like any member of the crew, made decisions using his own circumstantial moral rubric. Pro also argues that these incidents were the result of program degeneration that occurred much later. However, the doctor's program had been active for roughly 1 year by the time Tuvix arrived [5, see: "Tuvix"], 6 times longer than its recommended maximum usage [5, see: "The Swarm"]. In fact, he required a memory wipe to clear his cluttered database only one year later! Clearly, the doctor's personality was well established by this point and his moral decisions were thus susceptible to bias and whim. ::Case Summary:: Pro's final claim is that Tuvix was a "rational, sentient, free willed entity that desired life." Indeed, the same can be said for the two officers who sacrificed their lives to create him. The crucial difference here is choice. Whereas Tuvok and Neelix were unknowing and unwilling participants in the incident, Tuvix purposely kept their stolen life-force to maintain his own. In doing so, he lost any presumption of innocence he held in their deaths and forced their immediate restoration. ::References:: 1. http://memory-alpha.org... 2. http://memory-alpha.org... 3. http://memory-alpha.org... 4. http://en.wikipedia.org... 5. http://memory-alpha.org...