Does Troi Lie about her Telepathic abilities to keep her job?

[Dave]

In 'Menage a Troi' TNG, the episode makes the point, several times over, that Betazoids are unable to read Ferengi minds. In fact it is central to the episode's plot. They do not have full telepathic powers (they can only read each other's thoughts and communicate telepathically, but are limited to reading the emotions of alien species, and they cannot read Ferengi emotions at all.) Troi is only half-Betazoid, so would her ablilities be scaled-down versions of a full Betazoid's empathic capabilities? I believe so. In addition to this Data says in 'The Loss' TNG that both Ferengi and Breen minds, as well as other races are not empathically detectable. So that seems fairly clear!

Yet, in two earlier episodes Troi comments that she senses certain emotions from the captains of the Ferengi vessels the Enterprise encounters. In 'The Last Outpost' TNG Troi states that she senses that the Ferengi captain is hiding something when he agrees to co-operate with Picard. In 'The Battle' TNG Troi cautions Picard that she senses "consideable deception on Bok's part and danger."

So either all the 'Star Trek' guides have got it wrong, Betazoids can and do read Ferengi minds, or else Troi is being sycophantic, toadying up to Picard, even giving an outright lie in the case of DaiMon Bok. We know that when she loses her powers in 'The Loss' she feels that she needs to resign as ship's counsellor, so she obviously feels that her empathic abilities are more important to her job than her experience and professional training. She suffers denial, panic and even anger at her friends when she discovers that her abilites have disappeared. I think she feels that her position would be under threat if she was unable to sense the Ferengi and that's why she gives the impression that she can read them.

[markpud]

hmm, interesting...
I think you are right that Ferengi's can't be scanned telepathically/empathically, this has been established on several occasions. So I can;t explain the instances you mention, its something for me to watch out for next time TNG plays thru on re-runs...

[Aing-Tii]

Hmmmm! Sounds to me like just another ST inconsistency. A booboo!

In The Loss Picard, and others, go out of their way to show Deanna that she is valuable and necessary, whether or not she has her empathic abilities.

No pickin' on my Troi, ya here?


:star::star::star::star::star::star:

[Neo]

ow no not another inconsistency

[Whitestar]

Originally Posted by Dave

We know that when she loses her powers in 'The Loss' she feels that she needs to resign as ship's counsellor, so she obviously feels that her empathic abilities are more important to her job than her experience and professional training. She suffers denial, panic and even anger at her friends when she discovers that her abilites have disappeared.

Yes, she was peeved because she missed the idea of snooping around peoples' minds, invading their privacies without their permission. She behaved very unprofessionally and it continues to amaze me as to why Starfleet would hire a couselor with telepathic/empathic abilities. This proves that Troi and Starfleet are mind control freaks. Pathetic!

Whitestar

[carrie221]

I have never thought about that before... very interesting

[lordoftime]

Simple to answer really. The writers may not have fully developed the specifics of Troi's abilities in the earlier episodes mentioned. By the time of the 3rd season episode Menage a Troi, they had a clearer idea of what she could and could not do.