Astronomical

Congratulations on publishing the “Star Trek” article (“Philosophy Written in the Stars,” Dec. 15) and for putting the word out there about what we are doing here at Santa Monica College. Critical thinking about popular culture and philosophical reflection on television and film texts need to be a top priority in education today.

Amber L. Katherine

Santa Monica

Amber L. Katherine is a professor of philosophy and social sciences at Santa Monica College.

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I went to see the latest “Star Trek” movie, “Nemesis,” last night. The plot is simple and typical: An “evil” leader is attempting to persuade the Enterprise to join allegiance against the Alliance with intentions to deceive all and gain total power. Of course, in the end the good guys win.

Yet, I started to realize that all of the actions of the “evil” power mirrored our current administration and the U.S. military. There it was on the silver screen -- trying to unilaterally go against the “Alliance”; trying to placate Alliance nations with insincere rhetoric (promises of peaceful intent); bullying smaller countries; using power to gain access to natural resources (oil) and gain (military presence) and, most important: continually choosing force over peace.

Alas, we now look like the bad guys we portray on the big screen: the bully, the unsophisticated, the uneducated, the unlikable. The Evil Empire.

John Dunn

Los Angeles