Without the Emotion Chip, Does Data Have Emotions?

[Greylock Crescent]

I say, "yes." The fact that Data does have emotions is illustrated in "Brothers" when he tries to tell his dying father that he cannot "grieve." Dr. Soong replies, knowingly, "You will. In your own way."

Data's may not experience emotions to the same extent (or in the same way) that we do -- but that doesn't preclude him from having them.

 

[Mojochi]

He definately has something, not necessarily human emotions, more like an android variety (like when he snaps at that guy in the Klingon civil war ep)

I wouldn't use that one as an example. That was a processed reaction. He knew that he had to act that way in a command situation, especially with someone who did not know him or understand him. This was the only response that would fit the situation, & Data knew that & approximated the appropriate response. He has been in command situations before

Having said that, I think this question is one of the hallmark subtle gags of TNG. Does he have emotions? Not Human emotions, not until the chip. Vulcans don't even have human emotions. That's why they have to suppress them. They're stronger than Human emotions, which explains why Romulans are so much more emotionally over the top than Humans

It stands to reason that if, in this universe, there are beings with emotions stronger than human ones, then there might also be beings with more subtle emotions. I think Data falls into that Category

The best example I can think of besides apparent ongoing morn for Tasha, comes from "Data's Day"

"It is fortunate that I am able to perform my duties without emotional distractions. If that were not the case, a sudden course correction toward the Neutral Zone would make me very...nervous. " He says, while, at that very moment, nervously tapping his fingers on the console, & then recognizes that he is doing so, & is even surprised by it himself, noting his own subconscious manifestations of anxiety.

If that isn't suggesstive of something purposely written into the story to point us in that direction, than I don't know what is. It may not exactly be fear in the pit of his stomach, like a Human might feel, but it's.... something, & the writers wanted to toy with us about that

 

[SilentP]

In 'Rightful Heir', when Data and Worf are talking the holodeck, Data tells Worf about his beliefs as to his own sentient status and ability to go beyond his programming even when he was told he was just a machine. Now I'm not sure how one would see 'beliefs' in terms of requiring emotions, but would a purely rational being such as an emotionless android hold 'beliefs' such as the ones Data ascribes to?

 

[Pemmer Harge]

I don't think he officially has emotions in the writers' minds, but his actual behaviour suggests otherwise. While Data tends not to display the more obvious emotions such as anger and fear, he does seem to show less spectacular ones - he wishes to become more human (desire), he shows interest in all kinds of things (curiosity), he is troubled over whether he can become more than his initial programming (angst) and he tries to destroy his emotion chip because he says that his friendship with Geordi is too important to him to jeopardise (love, or something similar). Maybe it makes more sense to see Data's character arc as him becoming more human than him going from not having emotions to having them. Of course his emotions probably feel different to him than they would to us.

 

[JustKate]

I say, "yes." The fact that Data does have emotions is illustrated in "Brothers" when he tries to tell his dying father that he cannot "grieve." Dr. Soong replies, knowingly, "You will. In your own way."

Data's may not experience emotions to the same extent (or in the same way) that we do -- but that doesn't preclude him from having them.

I say "yes," too. Starting fairly early on, Data refers to certain people as "friends" - people who matter to him more than other people. How can certain people matter more than other people if you have no emotions? And he definitely has desires and ambitions - why else join Starfleet? He might have joined only because of programming that requires him to be useful, but if so, why did he bother with acquiring rank? Why did it matter to him to be part of the team? There's just so much there that no glorified Datsun would ever bother with.

I agree with Samuel: Before the chip, he had emotions on some level or other - he just didn't experience them the same (and perhaps they weren't the same) as a human would. But then again, Vulcans don't experience emotions the same way a human does, but they still experience them. Probably all the species we meet experience emotions in different ways. So why wouldn't an android? He's not just a machine. He proves that over and over again. So there's no doubt in my mind that he experienced emotions, though he didn't very often let them interfere with his programming. He did sometimes, though. Think of "The Most Toys," for goodness' sake.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Think of "The Most Toys," for goodness' sake.

Excellent point. Also, consider episodes like "Quality of Life" (or even the abysmal "Pen Pals") whereby Data puts his career on the line for his beliefs. Then there are episodes like "The Offspring" in which Data's love for his daughter is clearly present. You don't make sacrifices based on logic and reason alone. Emotion is absolutely a component.

 

[Destructor]

I say no. Just because he appears to have emotions does not mean he actually has them- he is just very good at appearing to have them.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

I suppose you could think about it a bit like this: If "Stupid is, as stupid does," then "Emotion is, as emotion does." It's not like Data could simply ignore his "emotions" as far as friends and family are concerned. If he had no emotion whatsoever, he should simply be able to move on to something else. But he cannot.

 

[Anticitizen]

I really, really didn't like the introduction of the emotion chip. For me, the idea of Data's 'journey' was nullified when he only 'evolved' by adding the emotion chip. It spoke to me that he had NO potential for self-growth short of bolting more parts on, which lends itself to the 'programmed robot' interpretation and not the 'lifeform with individual rights' interpretation. I think this ruined his arc from a storytelling perspective, and we should've seen him grow by way of his own nature instead.

 

[Zameaze]

I really, really didn't like the introduction of the emotion chip. For me, the idea of Data's 'journey' was nullified when he only 'evolved' by adding the emotion chip. It spoke to me that he had NO potential for self-growth short of bolting more parts on, which lends itself to the 'programmed robot' interpretation and not the 'lifeform with individual rights' interpretation. I think this ruined his arc from a storytelling perspective, and we should've seen him grow by way of his own nature instead.

I feel exactly the same way about the emotion chip. I HATED it. It completely subverted the idea of Data as anything but a machine. It ruined the stories that dealt with whether or not Data should have rights as an individual.

 

[Unicron]

I was at the local comic store and found a copy of TNG comic #79 (though unfortunately they split the story into two parts - anyone got a spare copy of #80? ), an interesting story entitled "Artificiality." When a crew member fond of Data dies on an away mission, Picard remarks at the memorial how he wishes everyone was as durable as Data. Q, lurking unseen in the background, decides to have a little fun and turns the crew into androids. They possess all of Data's enhanced abilities, but like him lack emotions and do not have his range of experience adapting to biological society. The crew seem aware that the change has removed their human element, but lack the ability to define what that is with their programming.

Only Data is capable of showing a degree of concern over Q's change, but has no apparent solution. Some of his crewmates, like Worf and Crusher, seem unable to perform their duties in the same way because they are incapable of passion. Crusher doesn't think to apply an anesthetic to some organic aliens she's helping, since she can no longer feel pain. Troi can still receive emotional impressions, but can't process them rationally without emotions. Picard at one point asks for Data's emotion chip in the hope of regaining his ability to perceive emotion (but Q incidentally ensures that he can't use it, since this would be "cheating.")

Anyway, it's an interesting storyline. Wish I had the other half.

 

[Anticitizen]

I was at the local comic store and found a copy of TNG comic #79 (though unfortunately they split the story into two parts - anyone got a spare copy of #80? ), an interesting story entitled "Artificiality." When a crew member fond of Data dies on an away mission, Picard remarks at the memorial how he wishes everyone was as durable as Data. Q, lurking unseen in the background, decides to have a little fun and turns the crew into androids. They possess all of Data's enhanced abilities, but like him lack emotions and do not have his range of experience adapting to biological society. The crew seem aware that the change has removed their human element, but lack the ability to define what that is with their programming.

Only Data is capable of showing a degree of concern over Q's change, but has no apparent solution. Some of his crewmates, like Worf and Crusher, seem unable to perform their duties in the same way because they are incapable of passion. Crusher doesn't think to apply an anesthetic to some organic aliens she's helping, since she can no longer feel pain. Troi can still receive emotional impressions, but can't process them rationally without emotions. Picard at one point asks for Data's emotion chip in the hope of regaining his ability to perceive emotion (but Q incidentally ensures that he can't use it, since this would be "cheating.")

Anyway, it's an interesting storyline. Wish I had the other half.

That does sound good! Would've made a great episode!

 

[Mojochi]

I really, really didn't like the introduction of the emotion chip. For me, the idea of Data's 'journey' was nullified when he only 'evolved' by adding the emotion chip. It spoke to me that he had NO potential for self-growth short of bolting more parts on, which lends itself to the 'programmed robot' interpretation and not the 'lifeform with individual rights' interpretation. I think this ruined his arc from a storytelling perspective, and we should've seen him grow by way of his own nature instead.

I feel exactly the same way about the emotion chip. I HATED it. It completely subverted the idea of Data as anything but a machine. It ruined the stories that dealt with whether or not Data should have rights as an individual.

Just another reason that the tv show was tremendous, but the movies were....lacking, imo

 

[Admiral Janitor]

There's just no way that he doesn't have SOME type of emotional capacity.

 

[Destructor]

There's just no way that he doesn't have SOME type of emotional capacity.

That's like saying that because the Mona Lisa appears, to you, to be portraying an emotion, the painting must therefore have emotional capacity. You'd be projecting- just as we project emotions on to Data (or, for that matter, the Doctor).

 

[FordSVT]

He definately has something, not necessarily human emotions, more like an android variety (like when he snaps at that guy in the Klingon civil war ep)

I wouldn't use that one as an example. That was a processed reaction. He knew that he had to act that way in a command situation, especially with someone who did not know him or understand him. This was the only response that would fit the situation, & Data knew that & approximated the appropriate response. He has been in command situations before

Having said that, I think this question is one of the hallmark subtle gags of TNG. Does he have emotions? Not Human emotions, not until the chip. Vulcans don't even have human emotions. That's why they have to suppress them. They're stronger than Human emotions, which explains why Romulans are so much more emotionally over the top than Humans

It stands to reason that if, in this universe, there are beings with emotions stronger than human ones, then there might also be beings with more subtle emotions. I think Data falls into that Category

The best example I can think of besides apparent ongoing morn for Tasha, comes from "Data's Day"

"It is fortunate that I am able to perform my duties without emotional distractions. If that were not the case, a sudden course correction toward the Neutral Zone would make me very...nervous. " He says, while, at that very moment, nervously tapping his fingers on the console, & then recognizes that he is doing so, & is even surprised by it himself, noting his own subconscious manifestations of anxiety.

If that isn't suggesstive of something purposely written into the story to point us in that direction, than I don't know what is. It may not exactly be fear in the pit of his stomach, like a Human might feel, but it's.... something, & the writers wanted to toy with us about that

He definitely has a sense of loyalty, and he claims to "miss" people in their absence.

He doesn't have to be swimming in a sea of love and laughter in order to experience emotions. He just doesn't experience them as strongly as humans do without his chip.

 

[FordSVT]

I say no. Just because he appears to have emotions does not mean he actually has them- he is just very good at appearing to have them.

People make the same argument against his sentience, are you one of them?

Is this argument going to go the "Data can't have a soul/AI is impossible" route? I hope not.

 

[Destructor]

People make the same argument against his sentience, are you one of them?

Is this argument going to go the "Data can't have a soul/AI is impossible" route? I hope not.

I don't think the show ever definitively said Data had a soul or weighed i on the existence of souls one way or another. It DID say, repeatedly, that Data had no emotions. When he felt emotions in an episode or in Generations, he reflected on how they were nwe to him. If he'd previously had emotions, they wouldn't have been. So, no, he didn't have emotions. This isn't wierd. Some humans don't have emotions.

 

[Zameaze]

I say no. Just because he appears to have emotions does not mean he actually has them- he is just very good at appearing to have them.

People make the same argument against his sentience, are you one of them?

Is this argument going to go the "Data can't have a soul/AI is impossible" route? I hope not.

Even though I lean the other way, I don't see why it couldn't be argued that Data isn't sentient. After all, he is our version of the Mimi virus.

 

[Finn]

No. If so, what's the point for the chip?