Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Holocrews and Holodeck Battle Bridge

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Posted by Starbuck (Member # 153) on :

If Starfleet tech is advanced enough to create the EMH, why don't they create a Holoship (a la "Red Dwarf") or more holographic crewmembers for emergency use? For those of you who don't know, this isn't an Insurrection-style holoship, but instead a ship and crew composed entirely of holograms.

Perhaps in the 24th century the old bridge simulator at Starfleet Academy is now a holodeck. Does anyone else think it's also possible to, eg. re-route controls through the holodeck (as Moriarty did in "Ship In A Bottle") and control the ship through a simulated bridge?

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Posted by Epoch (Member # 136) on :

It does make sense. The only problem is the the Holo emitters can be damaged as well as the programs to run the crew. A real crew can still work without Holo emitters or the computer core.

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However Dishonor has
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Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

Good idea!!
But Tec does have a point...

=\V/=

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

Then we'll perfect the doc's portable holo-emitter and make it shock-resistent! Maybe some scientist in SiAB took a peek at the thing before sending him back.

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Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

Well, in a way, this question isn't entirely accurate. I mean, it doesn't really get to the heart of the matter. The Federation is certainly capable of building completely automatic ships manned with intelligent robotic crewmembers. (And by intelligent I mean like a ship's computer, which is very intelligent indeed, but not necessarily like Data. That is, intelligent but not self aware, per se.)

There are two reasons not to do this, or at least not to do this exclusively. One, people WANT to see what's out there, and they want to see it first hand. This impulse is apparently shared by most intelligent species in the universe. Two, computers do funny things. They lock up, they crash, they behave in ways you don't necessarily want.

Now, could you crew a ship with self-aware holograms, or androids, or what have you? Sure. But then we are no longer dealing with tools, but thinking entities with their own lives.

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"And if we weren't good to you, Dave, you shouldn't take it all the way to your grave."
--
Will Rigby

Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :

A possible problem with the creation of artificial self-aware entities is that their makers put limits on what they can do as well as on their freedom. This might be considered a form of slavery. Can these self-aware entities decide to leave Starfleet and, say, open up a shoe store? Probably not. This was Data's situation before "Meaure of a Man" (IIRC). If we follow this line of reasoning, Roy Batty is a slave, as are R2D2, C3PO, and HAL 9000.

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Posted by Bernd (Member # 6) on :

I think this is exactly the point.

If it's restricted to automated units that perform automated functions, Starfleet does not have a problem with it. The Doctor was initially supposed to be such an automated unit too, yet, his program allowed understanding, learning and evaluating. I can't tell if this automatically implies self-awareness, but it's obviously a step in this direction. I know that *our* Doctor is supposed to be a sentient being, I only wondered if this is generally the case.

Now that Starfleet has learned that Data, exocomps or holograms may be self-aware, they don't consider anymore to use them like slaves, and they are careful about future developments of systems that perform more than just automated computing and working. They might build ships completely manned with holograms, but these would have to have the same abilities and the same rights as humanoids. This is why it is still the normal case that the humanoids want to do it themselves, unless Starfleet suffers from a lack of applicants.

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"When diplomacy fails, there's only one alternative - violence. Force must be applied without apology. It's the Starfleet way."
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Posted by Davok (Member # 143) on :

Using lots of holographic crewmembers would be a pretty energy-consuming solution, I think.

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Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

Or perhaps the Frankenstein Complex is alove and well in the 24th Century?

Frankenstein Complex: The belief that creations of man, especially intelligent creations, will eventually rebel and destroy him. Term possibly coined by Asimov in his "I Robot" stories.

To a much lesser extent, the belief that ALL living creations (whether they be mechanical, genetically engineered, cloned, or spontaneously created [see: Genesis Myth]) will inevitably turn against their creator.

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Calvin: "No efficiency, no accountability... I tell you, Hobbes, it's a lousy way to run a Universe." -- Bill Watterson

Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :

Also consider the fact that the only holo programs ever to attain sentience are Moriarty which is likely considered a fluke, and the Doctor (our Doctor) and Starfleet doesn't really know about him yet. They never considered leaving the EMH on and letting him leran to sing and stuff.

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Posted by The First One (Member # 35) on :

Absolutely. Let's stay at home snug and warm, and let holograms go out and do all that dangerous stuff. In fact, to be extra safe, let's hide under the bed!

Do we really think the Star Trek universe came about because they sent probes everywhere?

Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

Good Q quote, though.

"It isn't safe out here."

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"And if we weren't good to you, Dave, you shouldn't take it all the way to your grave."
--
Will Rigby

Posted by Mikey T (Member # 144) on :

I wonder what happend to the USS Prometheus then with all those holo-emitter on every deck of the ship? Anyway, having emergency holographic crew members sounds like a good idea in theory. Having backup emergency holo-crew for the number of senior staff. One or two for command, one for enginnering, one for medical, one for science, one for security/tactical, and one misc. In case that one of the senior officers, or all, cannot perform his or her duties, there would be a replacement. But as I said, it sounds nice in theory, but in practice, anything goes.

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Everytime we're down
You can make it right
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Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

*points out that one other hologram is also sentient: Vic Fontaine*

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-Commander Adams, Forbidden Planet

Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :

Well you do realize a holographic engineer and doctor makes sense, you actually need something to go out there and fix the human/machine or whatever.

But why a holographic science, helm, or tactical officer?
I'm sure the main computer core or secondaries can simply bypass the user consoles and control a ships movement, weapons, and science anaylsis without the need for an intermediary holographic crew member.

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Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :

Remeber Dr. Daystrom (before he went nuts) in "The Ultimate Computer"? His motivation for building M-5 was so that man would no longer have to die in space. Where's the fun in that?

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When you're in the Sol system, come visit the Starfleet Museum

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

"Man was not meant to die in space. He was meant to die cowering under the bed!"

Dr. Richard Daystrom (paraphrased)

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It is less important that you agree with me than it is for you to to understand what I'm saying.

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[This message has been edited by Baloo (edited November 21, 1999).]