Synopsis: An android takes over the Enterprise and brings it to Harry Mudd.
This episode seems to be a constant struggle for power between the rational androids and the irrational humans that they are studying. One way to interpret this from a depth psychological perspective is to see it as a battle between the irrational unconscious and the conscious ego. This type of contest is not one that will end well.
The first victory goes to the androids, when Mr. Norman, an android posing as a new member of the Enterprise crew, takes control of the ship and takes her to an uncharted planet where the landing party finds Harry Mudd. The entirely Eros driven Harry Mudd claims to be in control here, and he is – until the androids decide that he is not. At that point, the androids say that they will take the Enterprise, go out into the galaxy and take over the humans. That humans will be happy but controlled. This is an idea of what can happen when our egos, or on a larger scale our society, becomes too rigid – to driven by Logos. The rational supposition here is that inflexibility breeds compliance, but in reality, the suppression of Eros breeds discontent and upheaval.
Because the androids are so fixed in their logical thought patterns, Captain James T. Kirk and the landing party discover that they can immobilize the androids by confronting them with human irrational, illogical behavior. The humans, and Mr. Spock, put on a performance, a theatre of the absurd so to speak. The androids are unable to decipher the irrational ideas presented without shutting down.
At the end of the episode Dr. Leonard (Bones) McCoy seems very smug, stating that the illogical humans beat the logical androids in a fair fight. But should he be? McCoy as a medical doctor, in spite of his empathy for human suffering, is a man of science. Logical, rational science. Should he not be worried that a race even more illogical than humans might someday get the better of his species?
Original post created 13 February 2021
mydailysoultrek 