"Descent" actually proves that Data always had at least some emotions

[Unimatrix Q]

From the episode:

"RIKER: Data? Data, are you all right?

DATA: Yes, sir.

RIKER: What happened?

DATA: I got angry. "

Without his positronic brain being able to identify and create at least some rudimentary emotions, Data wouldn't be able to recognize anger at all.

 

[Tomalak]

He can recognise the signs of anger in others and applied it to himself. Lore's plan effectively transmitted emotions from Soong's chip to Data, so it's quite possible he simply "knew" what he was feeling, as if the chip had been in his own head.

But I think one of the character arcs is that Data does have his own feelings and emotions, he just doesn't recognise them as such because he's so hung up on having exact human emotions. There are a few examples of this - Lal, Tasha. I forget which episode it is specifically, but Troi obviously feels Data isn't as emotionless as he thinks he is.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

If anger was something Data was familiar with already, it would have undercut a major premise of the episode(s), and Riker would've responded, "Again?! What is it this time?" Instead it was treated as a brand new thing.

Being able to identify emotions isn't the same as having them, which was proven later on when he tried to recreate the incident. Data had always been analytically identifying emotions in others (with varying levels of success) without having felt them himself.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

Could be. But Data actually showed signs of having emotions before. In "The Measure Of A Man" and "The Most Toys" for example.

And Data, always trying to be as accurate as he is, wouldn't called was he experienced "anger" if he wasn't able to identify it as such.

If Data was without emotions before, it would have been for him like it was for a person who was born blind, who could suddenly see. He wouldn't be able to identify anything and would only be able to describe anything in the most general terms.

 

[diankra]

I never liked the emotion chip, because it always seemed that Data did have emotions, even though he didn't accept that they were (friendship, loyalty, the admirable complex ones that come through combinations of the more obvious and sometimes destructive ones).
The 'correct' end of Data's story would be him realising that.

 

[NCC-73515]

Even with the chip, he didn't know that he hated the revolting drink until Guinan told him so XD

 

[Mojochi]

It's pretty well clear that when he has a feeling he is set up to know it is a feeling. For example, when Q made him laugh. He knew it was a feeling. The guy is set up to have them just as much as his brother, but there are blocks in place (Likely for the purpose of avoiding the same result as his brother) Just like Soong planned for Data to eventually unlock his dream program, I imagine he was to eventually unlock his emotional awareness. So yeah, the chip was a cheap shortcut that I really wish hadn't been added

However, I can make it work for me. Soong had this plan of gradually letting Data evolve, unlike Lore, in hopes that such a technique might correct the issues Lore had, but then, after continuing his work, came up with a more reliable fix, & made the chip for that. So while Soong had originally planned for Data to evolve emotional awareness. He found another way to make it possible without the Lore side effect, & bypassed the original plan. It may be less marvelous thematically, but it still works narratively.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

It's pretty well clear that when he has a feeling he is set up to know it is a feeling. For example, when Q made him laugh. He knew it was a feeling. The guy is set up to have them just as much as his brother, but there are blocks in place (Likely for the purpose of avoiding the same result as his brother) Just like Soong planned for Data to eventually unlock his dream program, I imagine he was to eventually unlock his emotional awareness. So yeah, the chip was a cheap shortcut that I really wish hadn't been added

However, I can make it work for me. Soong had this plan of gradually letting Data evolve, unlike Lore, in hopes that such a technique might correct the issues Lore had, but then, after continuing his work, came up with a more reliable fix, & made the chip for that. So while Soong had originally planned for Data to evolve emotional awareness. He found another way to make it possible without the Lore side effect, & bypassed the original plan. It may be less marvelous thematically, but it still works narratively.

Yeah, i think Soong constructed Data in a way that he would develop emotions with the passing of time and in a way that he could handle them.

He may have already been emotional from time to time, as seen in the mentioned episodes, but was unable to recognize the fact without the chip.

Maybe the chip didn't just give Data additional emotions but also reconfigurated his system to make him able to recognize them. This might also be a reason why Lore by using the chip on Data, beside controlling what he was feeling, was also able to make it possible for him to recognize them.

 

[FreddyE]

To me Spiner played Data as having a form of his own kind of "under the surface"-emotions right from episode 1.

 

[Sisko_is_my_captain]

I am of the opinion that Data had 'non-human emotions' from the beginning, but emotions nonetheless. He certainly seemed to feel, among other things, wonder, friendship, compassion, annoyance, and amusement.

 

[Prax]

I think the chip worked well as a plot device in Brothers, but shouldn't have been brought back for the movies. I rather prefer the idea that the chip is just a carrot. Data is seeking to be more human, and wishes to one day feel human emotions, but ultimately discovers that he already has that which he is looking for.

Also, you'd think that for Soong to work on Data he'd have to connect him/interface with his computer and would have ways quickly determine if it was Data or not.

 

[NCC-73515]

I think the chip worked well as a plot device in Brothers, but shouldn't have been brought back for the movies. I rather prefer the idea that the chip is just a carrot. Data is seeking to be more human, and wishes to one day feel human emotions, but ultimately discovers that he already has that which he is looking for.
Also, you'd think that for Soong to work on Data he'd have to connect him/interface with his computer and would have ways quickly determine if it was Data or not.

Yes, I thought it was interesting in GEN cause he had to face unwelcome emotions and learn to deal with them. But then in FC it was only relevant for a joke, and in INS he didn't even take it with him anymore.
Soong was old and hadn't seen them in a long time, he just got confused and didn't even expect Lore to be active again.

 

[at Quark's]

The mere fact that he desires so ardently to have emotions -even risking his own safety for it at several points in the series/films - to me proves that he already has them.

 

[JesterFace]

Perhaps Data had the capability to feel emotions through the series, he just needs the emotion chip to feel them.
..or..
In 'Descent' Data didn't have the emotion chip but got angry. Did Lore program the Borg attacking Ohniaka post to somehow activate Data's emotion program?
Or, Data has the ability to have emotions but hasn't yet discovered them, only a little in cases like in 'The Most Toys'.

He has them, just hasn't unlocked them during the series, yet?

But the point: Data got angry in 'Descent' without the chip plugged into him, does he even need it?
Maybe that chip helps to activate an emotion program already in his systems.

 

[Spicy Thunder]

Slight interruption, but if you watch Decent part II, go to about 1 minute and 25 seconds into the recap of part I and look just to the right of Geordi's head. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Prax]

I am gonna do this

Edit: that's funny, and super creepy.

 

[Spicy Thunder]

He trolled us all.

I named him Kenny.

 

[TV's Frank]

Slight interruption, but if you watch Decent part II, go to about 1 minute and 25 seconds into the recap of part I and look just to the right of Geordi's head. You won't be disappointed.

I still can't see anything?

 

[Spicy Thunder]

Make sure you are looking at the recap. There's a borg behind Geordi you should look for.

 

[Prax]

Spoiler: It's more fun to just watch the clip