In the episode "The Child," Data is present in sickbay for the birth of Deanna's child. He asks Deanna:
"The child inside you, are you able to access his thought process? Does he have thoughts? You are aware of him. Is he aware of you? And when does that awareness begin? "
As I understand it, Betazed children gain their telepathic abilities (usually) at puberty. Owing to her mixed family heritage, Deanna is only telepathic with other Betazeds. But can Betazeds pick up telepathic and empathic "signals' from children still in the womb? Perhaps especially the mother?
Human babies (debatably) in the sixth to seventh month of gestation become conscious, certainly all the brain structures are there. Deanna never answered Data's questions, what do you think?
"The child inside you, are you able to access his thought process? Does he have thoughts? You are aware of him. Is he aware of you? And when does that awareness begin? "
As I understand it, Betazed children gain their telepathic abilities (usually) at puberty. Owing to her mixed family heritage, Deanna is only telepathic with other Betazeds. But can Betazeds pick up telepathic and empathic "signals' from children still in the womb? Perhaps especially the mother?
Human babies (debatably) in the sixth to seventh month of gestation become conscious, certainly all the brain structures are there. Deanna never answered Data's questions, what do you think?
