16: All the Bubbles

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)

Hosts Mike Morrison and Zachary Fruhling   Production Dennis Castello (Editor and Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Will Nguyen (Content Manager) Richard Marquez (Production Manager)

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