The idea being that for technology you need more understanding of the world and more understanding of the world requires greater use of reason and a greater use of reason will, at some point, reflect upon one's actions. Think of mirror Spock at the end of Mirror Mirror.

I do think these are connected. Granted, they might not evolve to the same degree through the passage of time, but in terms of our history it does seem to be the case that moral progress kinda goes along with technological progress, though you do seem to need a lot of one for a little of the other.

Alternative justifications would include religious fanaticism or something of the sort which challenges universal reason, but as far as I know that isn't part of their take on the Gorn thus far.

Of course our aggressive instincts won't just fade away but historically speaking even with them we gradually moved away from barbarity (very slowly, but we mostly do). That seems to a natural step in the process of civilized progress.

You can compare the Gorn to humanity as we are now, or to how we were centuries ago, but since they are technologically capable one would think that comparison isn't balanced. They should be compared to the humanity of the future, which, I think, will be less violent than we are.

I see your point, but even within the limits of human cruelty we seem to see a general (although imperfect) move away from it as we evolve. Brutality is not terribly efficient and as a civilization evolves they usually constrict it at least.

There's also the morality issue. You'd think a technological species would have developed some sense of basic morality. Even the Cardassians try to justify their barbaric acts as means to create order for the own good of the civilizations they see as lesser. But what's the justification for this?

It doesn't, necessarily, but I think it makes it a whole lot more far-fetched. A society usually evolves its customs along with its technology. If they are smart enough to create whole starships you'd think they'd have created alternative ways to care for their young also.

I think we went over a line that's difficult to cross when it comes to SNW. They decided to expand on the Gorn and present them in a way that defies most definitions of civilized behavior. It's difficult to take a step back from it now, and hard to ask the audience to go along with it.

To think of them as a spacefaring civilization is almost impossible now. Yes, the Gorn captain from TOS was aggressive, but we know nothing else about him or how Gorn society works by that time. A Klingon would probably be violent as well, but they don't use live people as breeding sacks.

Harkens all the way back to Plato's cave. What is "real"? That which effectively "is" or that which its existence is meant to convey? Plato would argue in favor of the latter case.

Valeu! Agradeço o apoio! A gente faz o que pode haha

Is the navigation through the 3D environments slow for anyone else? I'm not sure if that's an issue on their end or if its just because I'm accessing it from so far away. Kinda bummed that I can't really use it. Would be very useful for chroma-keying purposes...

I'm so happy that you're still doing these! Looking forward to seeing more of them!

Chris!! Feels like it's been so long since we last spoke! I've missed the little community we had around Trek and all the fun debates that came with it! Hopefully we'll be speaking more often here now that I've finally found my account!