I realize you can just answer, “mysterious aliens beyond our understanding,” but why would a space probe have a mandate of either talk to a whale for 30 seconds or destroy Earth and disable everything in its path on the way to Earth?
Why? What does that achieve?
If you’re referring to the LDS flub, that could really be easily handwaved away as it was a drug that just fell so far out of fashion and use it’s barely a foot note in history books. Enough for Kirk to be aware of its history yet to not remember the correct name.
By his point in time humanity has chosen to expand their minds with knowledge and exploration…and lots of booze