Alternate Realities vs. Alternate Timelines.
In this episode of Meta Treks: A Star Trek Philosophy
Podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling have a
followup discussion on the distinction between an "alternate
reality" and an "alternate timeline" in response to a challenge by
Norman Lao and Jeffrey Harlan on their recent episode of
Standard Orbit (Standard Orbit 115: "Wibby Wobbly Primey
Wimey").
Mike and Zachary provide a philosophical analysis of different
senses of the terms "alternate reality" and "alternate timeline,"
while also exploring and contrasting key examples of these senses
in Star Trek. Examples covered in this episode of Meta
Treks include the prime timeline vs. the Abramsverse timeline,
the episodes "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "Parallels" from Star
Trek: The Next Generation, and the Mirror Universe as seen in
The Original Series, Deep Space Nine, and
Enterprise.
Here is the link to the related episode, Standard Orbit 115
("Wibbly Wobbly Primey Wimey"): http://trek.fm/standard-orbit/115
Chapters
Welcome to Episode 16 (00:01:07)
Related Episodes of Meta Treks (00:05:18)
Bryan Fuller and Star Trek 2017 (00:07:54)
Initial Thoughts - Alternate Reality vs. Alternate Timeline
(00:10:33)
Two Senses of "Alternate Reality" (00:12:25)
Personal Identity and Alternate Realities (00:19:01)
Universe or Multiverse? (00:25:27)
Yesterday's Enterprise (00:26:57)
Two Senses of "Alternate Timeline" (00:28:36)
Contrasting "Yesterday's Enterprise" with Star Trek 2009
(00:32:34)
Reconciling "Alternate Reality" and "Alternate "Timeline" - A
Hybrid Approach (00:34:52)
Four-Dimensionalism and Alternate Timelines (00:38:53)
Does a Common Origin Point Settle the Issue? (00:43:45)
The Origin of the Mirror Universe (00:47:46)
How to Analyze Examples in Star Trek - What Questions to Ask
(00:51:33)
Final Thoughts (00:57:40)
