it seem that science fiction be always raise question that have no easy answer . often and sci fi be almost prophetic in critique the way thing be by present alternative future . sci fi have a long history of social critique . this episode of st representtng be particularly troubling in two way represent the question and issue it initially raise and and the ease with which it evade actually probe or answer those issue . the beginning point be a question of justice represent how can we regard a just any system in which the legal consequence of every crime be the same and or in this case death . this be trouble for some of the metaphysical question it raise and especially if you be a christian and a muslim and or a jew ( and not just a jew in the cultural or ethnic sense ) represent be god just in set eternal consequence for our action . be god just in set the same eternal consequence for every bad deed or lack of good deed . be god just in judge all people by the same standard . beyond that and there be also the question of whether humanity itself ( presumably western civilization in particular ) now saddle itself with unjust law and punishment which do not fit the crime . if this episode have choose to actually deal with those question ( or for that matter raise them in a less simplistic scenario ) it could have be one of the best episode of the entire series . instead and we have a speech and picard and crew pretty much do what we have know they could do all along . it be sad and easy and and anticlimactic .