Long ago the passionate, violent Vulcan race threatened to destroy itself. To quell their raging emotions, a new leader appeared. Surak developed the philosophy of logic. Guided by the philosophy of Surak, Vulcans suppress their emotions, and lead lives of logic and reason. They maintain strict mental disciple through meditation.

After Humans developed warp drive, the Vulcan race made official contact and set up permanent presence on the planet to help guide the development of the species. And so, Vulcans became on of the founding members of the federation. They are not as expansive as the humans, and so make up a smaller portion of Starfleet, but many Vulcans do serve aboard human ships and man many ships with a majority of Vulcan crewmembers.

The logical philosophy of Vulcans makes them extremely analytical. But because they adhere to the principles of logic, they are not as innovative or creative as humans. Vulcans are incredibly strong and resilient, but because they are a peaceful race, enemies often underestimate their combat potential.