Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Theme of Life, Consciousness, Existence

Before The Search for Spock, Trek's exploration of life and existence leaned toward the scientific and materialistic. It's not that the series denied the existence of the spiritual, but when the question came up, it tended to act like, "Sorry, I can't hear you, we must have a bad connection. Oh, will you look at the time!"

For the uninitiated, materialism is the worldview that the material world is all there is or, at least, all we should concern ourselves with.

But Star Trek III flips the script on materialism and introduces an overtly spiritual element to life in this universe. You can compare Spock's katra to the mind, soul, or spirit, but whatever you call it, it definitely isn't part of the body. It's separate, immaterial, yet it can interact with the physical world. This is called dualism, a philosophical concept best summed up by Vulcan Descartes when he said, "I mind-meld, therefore, I am." (Or something like that anyway.)

1. How do you view Spock's katra in light of this theme? Do you find it at odds with the otherwise worldly focused story? Why or why not?
2. How do you see the Genesis devise with the theme of life in relation to science?
3. Now compare and contrast the film's use of the Genesis device with that of Spock's katra. What does the exercise tell you about the film's handling of this theme?
4. Why does the film only discuss Vulcans in relation to ideas such as the spirit or soul? Why do you think it doesn't delve into similar questions regarding Klingons or humans?

In human philosophy, there is something called the mind-body problem, which wonders how humans can have both physical bodies yet be subjects to mental lives, too. While the problem remains for the humans of the Star Trek universe, a similar mind-body problem does not appear to exist in Vulcan culture thanks to their understanding of katra. #VulcansGetBestPowers

We're referred to the katra as the spirit or soul, but given that Vulcans must have physical contact to transfer or manipulate it, it's possible it has more physical properties than we typically associate with such ideas.