A character type for a Star Trek game

[Astromancer]

Among even the original series writers and showrunners this argument existed. Catspaw, the Halloween episode, both debunked magic and proclaimed its existence.

Human beings both embrace skepticism and mysticism, often at the same time.

[Irish Wolf]

In "Catspaw", it was shown that the "magic" wielded by the antagonists was merely technology advanced beyond the understanding of 23rd-century Federation science - just as a butane lighter might appear "magical" to a Lascaux cave painter, but is still a marvel of technology, not sorcery.

Similarly, the various godlike energy beings shown in TOS are again "merely" highly advanced - I think it was the Melkotians who said something about humans being on their level in about a million years.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by Irish Wolf

In "Catspaw", it was shown that the "magic" wielded by the antagonists was merely technology advanced beyond the understanding of 23rd-century Federation science - just as a butane lighter might appear "magical" to a Lascaux cave painter, but is still a marvel of technology, not sorcery.

Which begs the question about semantic definitions...

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

That is a whole slew of condescending opinion. Please keep things on topic.
Star Trek up until the very genre shift in DS9 regularly called actual spiritualism primitive misunderstanding... all the while having "energy beings" and the Q which are gods in every way save name.

Whether it is on topic depends on whether we are talking about a Star Trek character who believes in supernatural things or whether the Trekverse precludes supernatural things(however defined) existing in Star Trek. Or as someone pointed out a Star Trek character who is interested in the fact that someone else is interested in stories of supernatural things.

[Flyndaran]

It seemed like they were making claims about reality not only the Star Trek universe.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Irish Wolf

In "Catspaw", it was shown that the "magic" wielded by the antagonists was merely technology advanced beyond the understanding of 23rd-century Federation science - just as a butane lighter might appear "magical" to a Lascaux cave painter, but is still a marvel of technology, not sorcery.

Similarly, the various godlike energy beings shown in TOS are again "merely" highly advanced - I think it was the Melkotians who said something about humans being on their level in about a million years.

If you listen carefully, Sylvia makes it clear that the transmuter only magnifies a force. And she's clear that that force is magic. You might say PSI or something else, but Sylvia claimed to be an actual witch.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

It seemed like they were making claims about reality not only the Star Trek universe.

No, just Star Trek, which really wasn't all that concerned with cannon or continuity back in the 1960s.

And yes, the PC I created was concerned about people's beliefs. Even when he didn't share then. That's true of many scholars.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

It seemed like they were making claims about reality not only the Star Trek universe.

If you mean reality vis-a-vis the Trek Verse, most Federation characters seem to be naturalistic with allowances made for a sometimes patronizing "isn't he cute" attitude toward "less advanced" people who do do not act like fifties and sixties technocrats. At least in TOS. Of course this is mainly humans. Other races including weirdly Vulcans, have their own outlook. Vulcans can be surprisingly mystical. And there are so many preternatural beings and phenomena floating around that in the Trek verse context you have to wonder how stupid they can get.

In the later episodes some of that still goes on, but it is more refined. In any case, as I said, it is legitimate to have a Trek character who believes in supernatural things or is interested in them(whether or not he believes).

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

In the later episodes some of that still goes on, but it is more refined. In any case, as I said, it is legitimate to have a Trek character who believes in supernatural things or is interested in them(whether or not he believes).

I agree. Mind you it would also be appropriate for them to have a -1 reputation as superstitious if it's the TNG era Federation and they do believe rather than just study.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I agree. Mind you it would also be appropriate for them to have a -1 reputation as superstitious if it's the TNG era Federation and they do believe rather than just study.

That would seem to be appropriate to the context.