Moral Values In Stargate SG-1

[Firestorm]

Hi everyone,

My name is Michael. I am currently a Social Science (Environment) student in the School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning at RMIT University in Melbourne. I am undertaking a research course as part of my studies, which requires me to undertake research on a topic of my choice.

Participation involves posting your comments on whether you have or have not gained moral values (like courage, or truthfulness etc) watching Stargate SG-1 (and not Atlantis or Universe).

I would like to extend an invitation to you to participate in my research. The data collected will be analysed solely by myself and not used in any form of publication except for the report I hand in for marking.

If you have any queries regarding this project please feel free to contact me at [email protected] If required, I can provide contact details for my supervisor.

Cheers,
Michael

[Bareassedmunky]

Hi Michael - Good topic

By the way, you might want to ask people to respond before reading other people's responses - it may taint what they have to say.



I don't really think I have gained any significant moral values from watching stargate, but when I watch it, I do apply my pre-existing values to the situations in the show, which sometimes makes me think about my values in a new way. I don't believe in applying rigid values to life anyway, and every situation should be evaluated on it's merit, which is why I do this.

Science fiction in general is a good vehicle for the exploration of morals as it proposes hypothetical situations which, while extreme, they are, for the most part, possible. This puts the audience in a position where they can think about what they would do in those extreme situations. This holds up a mirror to the audience, which allows them to view their own morality in more depth. I would therefore suggest that SG-1 cannot give you moral values, but can make you think about and become aware of ones which already exist. SG-1 specifically has been very good at this.


An example of this is that I believe it is wrong to force your opinion upon anybody else, and that changing someone else's mind should be done through reasoned debate. However, when those people are killing and maiming countless millions because they were mislead by their religious icons, then I believe the use of tools such as the Ark of Truth is justified - when two separate individual's rights become incompatible (right to free thought vrs right to life), you must make a judgement as to the effect of infringing one of those sets of rights.

This debate allowed me to put by belief in the principal of free thought into context by contrasting it with the principal of right to life in a way that is not practical in the real world - and thus allowing me to better understand what kind of person I am - but if they had decided not to use the Ark, then my opinion would have stayed the exact same; which is why I say moral values cannot be give to you by a show such as SG-1 but it can spark an internal debate although the outcome is decided by your pre-existing morals.


Best of luck