Aug 10, 2025
love and hate learning about stuff. we covered deontology vs utilitarianism in debate the other day. too much contemplating later and now I can’t NOT view them through a Spock v. McCoy lens
#Obvs they’re not an exactly perfect textbook fit but DAMN if they’re not close#Deontology- moral absolutes. ex. This thing is NEVER acceptable no matter what (ends DON’T justify means)#Utilitarianism- the path with the best possible outcome is the right one. (ends DO justify means)#Now in real life people don’t usually strictly employ just one or the other#rather they’ll have SOME things they absolutely won’t do. then in other situations they might choose a less desirable process for a better#end solution#McCoy as deontology manifests with his Hippocratic Oath- he’s a doctor before he’s a starfleer officer and his mission is to do no harm#(aka- he won’t end an intelligent life even to save his own. *yes circumstances can vary w/ this but like I said he’s not STRICTLY textbook#-ex. he DOES kill the salt vampire to save Jim: self-defense of a third party*)#Spock as utilitarianism: the most logical course of action is the best one. He too is opposed to killing but overcomes that more quickly#than McCoy when truly necessary (ex. When Spock was all for preserving the Horta until the very second he thought Jim’s life was in danger)#He isn’t strictly textbook either— again: hardly anyone is— but when you put him and McCoy next to each other the comparison is apparent#(The Galileo Seven was the first example that came to mind for me)#This is also interesting in regards to Kirk’s decision-making when he hears the two of them out#both representing different philosophies that— while open to flaw on their own— when combined make up a balanced & thought-out resolution#Y’all am I on to something or do I need to go to sleep. Is this comprehensible#star trek#star trek the original series#spock#leonard mccoy#I put too much thought into this y’all I can’t not tag