Prime Directive

This article is about the guiding principle in the fictional Star Trek universe. For other uses of Prime Directive, see Prime Directive (disambiguation).

In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive (also known as "Starfleet General Order 1", and the "non-interference directive") is a guiding principle of Starfleet that prohibits its members from interfering with the natural development of alien civilizations.[1] Its stated aim is to protect unprepared civilizations from the danger of starship crews introducing advanced technology, knowledge, and values before they are ready.[2] Since its introduction in the first season of the original Star Trek series, the directive has featured in many Star Trek episodes as part of a moral question over how best to establish diplomatic relations with new alien worlds.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference auto1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Peltz, Richard J. (March 2003). "On a Wagon Train to Afghanistan: Limitations on Star Trek's Prime Directive". University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review. 25.