Temporal Prime Directive

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The Temporal Prime Directive is a principle in the Star Trek universe, similar to the standard Prime Directive. Its purpose is to prevent a time traveller from interfering in the natural development of a timeline. This can include altering events or informing those in the past prematurely to change an outcome.

[edit] History

The TPD was formally created at least as early as the 2370s, and was enforced through an agency of Starfleet called Temporal Investigations. By the 29th century, this body became the Temporal Integrity Commission, which monitored and restricted deviations from the natural flow of history.

As time travel technology became practical, the Temporal Accords were held, so that beings on a large scale would adopt the principle of the TPD. It was in direct opposition to this that the Temporal Cold War started.

[edit] Discussion

Adhering to the TPD prevents the creation of new timelines, since each incursion creates a new one. Such changes are sometimes rationalized as what was 'supposed' to happen.

The benefit of applying the TPD would be consolidating timelines to a bare minimum. This would avoid undesirable circumstances for those in timelines affected with malicious intent, but also presupposes that the original timeline is worth preserving.

Captain James T. Kirk has set the record for the number of violations of the TPD; he has violated it on at least 17 occasions...and it is possible that Kirk may have violated it on more occasions but not reported it. ("The Naked Time", "City on the edge of forever", "Tomorrow is Yesterday", "Assignment: Earth", Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)