The Ethics of Star Trek: Autonomy and Society

This particular debate hinges on one motive: Survival.Pertaining to the Mariposans, at what cost might the colony be allowed to survive? Because they were clones, they were subject to being the result of a copy of a copy of a copy... at some point it just fades out unless new DNA could be introduced in part or in whole to reinforce the copy. The colony itself with 5 members had long abandoned traditional methods of breeding, and currently found such ideas as 'repugnant' as it was obsolete, it would serve no immediate purpose as the genetic diversity just wouldn't do it. I believe there were 3 men and 2 females that were the progenitors, however the exact ratio at the time Starfleet stumbled upon them is wholly irrelevant: its expressed they don't have enough genetic 'resolution' left to sustain more than a handful of generations.They need new genetic material, and they need it fast.Riker, Picard, Dr. Pulaski, and the Mariposan (Clone) Prime Minster all sit down to talk about this, and when the reasonable solution of asking for genetic donations comes up... its shut down. Not only shut down, but shut down in such a manner that it never leaves the conference room; Picard nor Riker entertain the notion of perhaps letting the crew decide for themselves if they want to help out these colonists with a genetic donation (that would be cloned), and Riker instead appeals to the intangible 'What is a person worth?' philosophical question as their means for denying the Mariposans their means of continued existence. Quite literally, Riker feels he would be less 'special' if there were clones of him helping to sustain this colony. Riker, the same Starfleet Officer that also spent time picking up and bedding a backwater hick that he rescued and got stary-ed for... in the same episode. Yes, Riker, you are a special snowflake with hard fought principles. Picard has no problem with assigning extinction to the Mariposan colonists with the casual agreement that such a fanciful sentiment will be found among all the members of the Enterprise. There were no offers to make a call on the Mariposan's behalf. To add insult to injury, the good Doctor even asks if she might beam down to study their problem further, as its probably one of the rare chances she might get to observe such a thing.The Mariposans then did exactly what they were pushed to: they stole what they needed. Riker and Pulaski were stunned, a few choice cells harvested, the two were then released, the pair NOT EVEN KNOWING something had happened to them that would result in a colony's continued survival.'Forced' cloning is a term I am inclined to agree with: the Mariposans were forced to act. No reasonable solution was considered by Starfleet in a way to assist this colony, shy of dumping a few hundred refugees (remember a fore mentioned back water hick girl that Riker seduced?) even though it was made clear by the Doctor than any variety of tissue samples could prove fruitful to show how easy a fix might be generated. Mr. Mot (for those unfamiliar is the Enterprise's barber) probably has scads of genetic samples that the customers clearly didn't want that could have been given over. This intransigence to even consider the Mariposan's side of the argument stemmed from the emotional knee jerk dismissal of having oneself cloned. Starfleet continues to pile on their assumed superiority in this episode by demanding the Mariposans accept the refugees the Enterprise picked up, under penalty of having their cloning lab forcibly confiscated to ensure further genetic harvests haven't transpired, ending the colony then and there. Said refugees were not asked if they would like to donate either, by the way. It was just assumed that Starfleet's new 'Special Snowflake' directive applied to EVERYONE, even those not in Starfleet. Doctor Pulaski more clearly defines the extortion by demonstrating to Picard that 'Its not so bad...' should the deal not get taken, a new inhabitable planet with ready made cities and no occupants would be waiting after the Mariposans die out. The Mariposans were pushed. They were a desperate, ingenious people that could have had their problem easily solved on both theirs and Starfleet's "terms", should the Triumvirate of Picard, Riker, and Pulaski be not so easily swayed by emotions. Solutions could have been found if Starfleet didn't already have a problem in their cargo hold they wanted to pawn off on a group that were clearly already down and out. The Mariposans did what they did to survive, to ensure the continuation of their colony, and there was no ill will, malice, or greed considered in their solution. Even the so called 'victims' in this were not victims: they didn't know they were harvested, nor was their ill effect of such. This debate is given the frame of 'right or wrong' when its about survival. Fortunately, when Starfleet has its proverbial head screwed on correctly, Mr. Data is usually in on meetings like this, or some other such even keeled individual, and I think I know the perfect quote to leverage against Mr. Riker's desire to be special would be:The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.My addendum:or the desire of the one.