The A.I. showdown: Data VS EMH

[Mach5]

DATA (TNG) VS THE DOCTOR (VOY)

Some would say that the Doctor was a mere Data ripoff but I don't believe VOY fans would agree.

So, they're both artificial life forms and both occasionally served as comic relief.

One was an emotionless creature of pure intellect, the other seemingly had emotions from day one, and never displayed the super-computer abilities that went beyond his area of expertise

Which character do you prefer, and why?

 

[jefferiestubes8]

Both Data and EMH were the Spock-type logical non-human character of their series as we all know.

the other seemingly had emotions from day one, and never displayed the super-computer abilities that went beyond his area of expertise

I prefer the EMH doctor from VOY. I am a fan of VOY and watched his character grow over 7 years. He was first just a EMH and then Janeway made him a full crew member who sat in on meetings with senior officers, was alloed holodeck privileges and even allowed to go on away missions once he had the mobile emitter. A few times he saved the ship by himself. A few times he was temporary Captain of Voyager while senior ranked officers were on an away mission.
He learned how to play music and sing Opera, learned how to be in command of a starship. He was a great companion for 7of9 for her first 2 seasons on VOY.
The EMH doctor had the most onscreen time experimenting with Borg technology and the Borg's nanoprobes. I would like to see his character have some cameos in a future series 6 and 7 of Star Trek by image and voice-only from the Voyager original dialogue recordings. The EMH doctor would be a great addition to an animated series lending his voice to the character (as physical appearances do change over time.)

I say I prefer The Doctor because I did not watch 7 seasons of TNG.

 

[Kaziarl]

I don't really know which one I prefer. Data was exploring and trying to learn what it is to be human, which was challenging since he didn't have emotions until many years later. The doctor could be said to be doing the same, although I think it was general sentience rather then humanity specifically. Data was sentient from the start, where as the Doctor developed it over the years of over use.

I wonder if after all that time studying borg tech, the doc could fashion himself a physical body with what he learned.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

I wonder if after all that time studying borg tech, the doc could fashion himself a physical body with what he learned.

I don't harken The Doctor to Dr. Frankenstein.

 

[Kaziarl]

I wonder if after all that time studying borg tech, the doc could fashion himself a physical body with what he learned.

I don't harken The Doctor to Dr. Frankenstein.

Well, ok. I didn't mean like that. Although with his bedside manner at the start, somehow I wouldn't put it bast him. lol. Or maybe I'm thinking of the false history where he was already an android.

Anyway, what I mean is, could the doctor figure out how to make an artificial body. I guess something akin to Data himself. And even if he could, would he?

 

[Vonstadt]

I went with the Doc, I just loved the character even though I was tepid on the show.

Vons

 

[Myasishchev]

Both were prime examples of self-loathing AI.

 

[Kaziarl]

How was Data self loathing? Doesn't that require some level of emotion?

 

[Myasishchev]

I'm being a little facetious, but Data put humanity on a pedestal (as opposed to Vulcanity or any other -anity--except sometimes inanity, particularly in Generations) that we never really deserved. He sometimes seemed far more concerned with imitating the human condition than with exploring what his own condition could have been. At least in Data's case, I could see that the TNG writers had at least thought it through enough to make it plausible, but I found it disconcerting that no one ever wondered why he was so eager to abandon his own nature. Additionally, the conception of Data as an emotionless automaton is, imo, belied by the clear existence within him of at least the emotion of desire, even if that emotion and others were muted.

My memories of VOY are that they basically wrote the EMH as a guy (with a brain, heart, and even a dick) who happened to live in a computer, an analogue to the child's apprehension of the little men who talk when you turn on the radio. Ironically, Picardo's Doctor was more human than anyone else on the show, and I can't say I disliked his character. However, didn't really find it a particularly compelling examination of what an artificial intelligence would be like.

 

[Kaziarl]

I kind of saw data's strive to be more human as a... sorry, can't seem to think of the right word. As a representation of humanities strive to be more like it's own creator(s). I'm not saying specifically that it was a religious reference, but it seemed somewhat similar to me.

Edit: Allegory! Thats the word I was trying to think of... I think... Dang insomnia's got my brain out of whack.

 

[Myasishchev]

I kind of saw data's strive to be more human as a... sorry, can't seem to think of the right word. As a representation of humanities strive to be more like it's own creator(s). I'm not saying specifically that it was a religious reference, but it seemed somewhat similar to me.

Edit: Allegory! Thats the word I was trying to think of... I think... Dang insomnia's got my brain out of whack.

Hm, I could see it. And that's a very interesting take on it.

Maybe it's just that all too often the underlying assumption, even the overt theme, of Trek is that the human being = perfection. Love Trek, and God bless Gene Roddenberry, but to this article of faith I can't subscribe.

Fwiw, I liked Data a lot.

 

[Kira Nerys]

data

 

[Kaziarl]

I kind of saw data's strive to be more human as a... sorry, can't seem to think of the right word. As a representation of humanities strive to be more like it's own creator(s). I'm not saying specifically that it was a religious reference, but it seemed somewhat similar to me.

Edit: Allegory! Thats the word I was trying to think of... I think... Dang insomnia's got my brain out of whack.

Hm, I could see it.

Fwiw, I liked Data a lot.

Maybe it's just that all too often the underlying assumption, even the overt theme, of Trek is that the human = perfection. Love Trek, and God bless Gene Roddenberry, but to this article of faith I can't subscribe.

Yeah, human = perfection is a bit absurd. But as with so many things in trek being allegorical, I think this was another case of the creation wanting to be like the creator. V'Ger did this too, and I'm sure there were others.

And I think on that level, Data almost seemed more real to me. He was trying to be more then he was, even if it was the inherently flawed humans. The Doc for the most part, while being a lot more animated as a character, was trying to be himself.

Meh, I suppose both have their Merits.

 

[RyuRoots]

Can't possibly choose. They're two of the best characters in the franchise, and Spiner and Picardo play them magnificently. Data's desire to be more human and the doctor's desire to be more than the sum of his parts were both fascinating and very entertaining to watch.