Atoz 77
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Data
Feb 4, 2010 8:35:17 GMT -6
Post by Atoz 77 on Feb 4, 2010 8:35:17 GMT -6
On another topic, we got talking about Data (specifically, his relationship with Spot). It caused me to ponder why an android would have a pet cat in the first place, since he is incapable of any real affection. I think it's the same reason he plays music and paints. He doesn't really enjoy these things, but he does them because they are things that people do. He thinks that the best way to become a person is by acting as much like one as possible. This is one of the things that makes Data fascinating to me.
Of course, feel free to jump in with any thoughts you have about Data.
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edify
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Data
Feb 4, 2010 15:35:54 GMT -6
Post by edify on Feb 4, 2010 15:35:54 GMT -6
I think it was originally an attempt to get as much experience as possible as far as being a human is concerned. This is the same reason he attempted to date Jenna D'Sora. He had no feelings for her, but she obviously had them for him. He had never dated before, and had no affection toward her, but it was something that humans do. So he gave it a shot.
Of course, once he installed the emotion chip in Star Trek: Generations it added a whole new dimension to his relationship with Spot. He even discovered what it was like to cry with joy when he discovered Spot hadn't been killed when the saucer section crash-landed on Veridian III.
Data has always been very fascinating to me, too, and he was my favorite character on The Next Generation (still is, in fact).
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Dax123
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Data
Feb 4, 2010 15:39:50 GMT -6
Post by Dax123 on Feb 4, 2010 15:39:50 GMT -6
I agree with you Atoz. I found Data's copying behaviour very interesting. It was a way to make himself fit in a bit more I think. I would also like to point out that Spot changed genders. He started out a boy and then suddenly had kittens. I hate little glitches like that but i suppose it was like that to work with the episode: I believe it was the episode where all the people on the Enterprise start de-evolving
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edify
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Data
Feb 4, 2010 15:45:03 GMT -6
Post by edify on Feb 4, 2010 15:45:03 GMT -6
Yes, Dax. That was my favorite episode of TNG, "Genesis." Spot officially became female in a previous episode of the same season, "Force of Nature." But I believe it was because it would become an important plot element in Genesis (he not only changed gender, but species of cat!). In the post Atoz was mentioning, there was a brief discussion about Spot's "changes." Mike Okuda in the Star Trek Encyclopedia jokingly postulated that perhaps Spot was either a shape-shifter or the unfortunate victim of a transporter accident.
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Dax123
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Data
Feb 4, 2010 15:51:25 GMT -6
Post by Dax123 on Feb 4, 2010 15:51:25 GMT -6
That would be interesting edify! I, too, also liked that episode alot. Worf was a very cool de-evolved thing! I liked th idea of it too Anyhow, poor cat. Changing gender and species. Also they used different cats for Spot lol !
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Atoz 77
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Data
Feb 6, 2010 10:19:39 GMT -6
Post by Atoz 77 on Feb 6, 2010 10:19:39 GMT -6
It makes sense to me that Data had more than one cat (think of the many chances for accidents on the Enterprise!) and just called them all "Spot".
In the early history of computers, there was something called the Turing Test. If a computer program could be written which exactly simulated the response of a human being, how could you tell that it wasn't human? And if it was impossible to tell it from a human, would it be realistic to say that to all intents and purposes, it WAS human? I think this is was Dr. Soong had in mind when he created Data. He gave him the capacity to always improve how he simulated a human being, hoping that he would eventually become a human being.
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edify
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Data
Feb 6, 2010 10:27:34 GMT -6
Post by edify on Feb 6, 2010 10:27:34 GMT -6
It makes sense to me that Data had more than one cat (think of the many chances for accidents on the Enterprise!) and just called them all "Spot". In the early history of computers, there was something called the Turing Test. If a computer program could be written which exactly simulated the response of a human being, how could you tell that it wasn't human? And if it was impossible to tell it from a human, would it be realistic to say that to all intents and purposes, it WAS human? I think this is was Dr. Soong had in mind when he created Data. He gave him the capacity to always improve how he simulated a human being, hoping that he would eventually become a human being. Not to mention Spot found numerous occasions to escape from Data's crew quarters. The example of the Turing Test you were using was kind of the basis for the episode "The Measure of a Man" (one of my favorites of the series). While Data wasn't considered "human" from that trial, it was decided that even though he was a "machine" created by a human, he still had the right to decide his own fate, and to decide whether or not to subit himself for study. The right to life is one of the fundamental rights of humans, so that was a huge step forward for Data in becoming human.
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Atoz 77
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Data
Feb 8, 2010 8:53:12 GMT -6
Post by Atoz 77 on Feb 8, 2010 8:53:12 GMT -6
This is the same reason he attempted to date Jenna D'Sora. He had no feelings for her, but she obviously had them for him. "In Theory" was one of my favorite episodes. It did a good job of summarizing some of the confusing things you deal with in a relationship. Like the scene where she turns up with a gift. "Book of Love, Chapter one, when your girlfriend shows up with a gift, drop everything you're doing and give her your undivided attention." And then a few minutes later, she's ready to leave, so she suggests he go back to his painting. "Oh... I really mean it this time." And wouldn't it be nice, when she breaks up with you, to just be able to delete the appropriate programs?
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edify
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Data
Feb 8, 2010 18:07:23 GMT -6
Post by edify on Feb 8, 2010 18:07:23 GMT -6
Yes, I loved the episode. I loved all the episodes featuring Data and his learning experiences. "Data's Day" was one of my all-time favorite TNG episodes. And I know the B story of the Romulan spy was probably to add some conflict to the show, but personally I could have done without it. I would have just been happy seeing more of Data's day.
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Atoz 77
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Data
Feb 11, 2010 9:21:16 GMT -6
Post by Atoz 77 on Feb 11, 2010 9:21:16 GMT -6
That was also the one in which Miles and Keiko got married, wasn't it?
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edify
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Data
Feb 11, 2010 23:05:34 GMT -6
Post by edify on Feb 11, 2010 23:05:34 GMT -6
Yes, it was. Dr. Crusher had to teach Data how to dance since he was acting as father of the bride.
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Atoz 77
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Data
Feb 12, 2010 10:11:48 GMT -6
Post by Atoz 77 on Feb 12, 2010 10:11:48 GMT -6
Oh yes! "They don't to a lot of tap-dancing at weddings."
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Dax123
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Data
Feb 23, 2010 15:50:27 GMT -6
Post by Dax123 on Feb 23, 2010 15:50:27 GMT -6
I love that episode but unfortunatally I have NEVER liked Crusher. I much prefered Pulaski! Why couldnt she saty? Anyway, not to get off the subject, I think that data was fascinating because he showed the crew exactly what its like with no emotion. I would love to meet someone like Data. I imagine I could have some quite interesting conversations!
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edify
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Data
Feb 23, 2010 18:15:51 GMT -6
Post by edify on Feb 23, 2010 18:15:51 GMT -6
I love that episode but unfortunatally I have NEVER liked Crusher. I much prefered Pulaski! Why couldnt she saty? Anyway, not to get off the subject, I think that data was fascinating because he showed the crew exactly what its like with no emotion. I would love to meet someone like Data. I imagine I could have some quite interesting conversations! Yes, Mr. Data was sort of Star Trek: The Next Generation's answer to Mr. Spock. Also, I agree that Dr. Crusher's character was pretty bland. But I never really liked Dr. Pulaski. It seemed that while Data was ST:TNG's Spock analog, they tried to make Pulaski ST:TNG's McCoy analog, and I don't think they succeed. I just kept feeling that Pulaski always needed a good beating (not literally, of course). I never felt she really had the heart that McCoy did, although she obviously cared about the health of the crew.
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Atoz 77
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Feb 26, 2010 8:56:04 GMT -6
Post by Atoz 77 on Feb 26, 2010 8:56:04 GMT -6
Data's lack of emotion allowed him to take a dispassionate view of many of the strange things that humans do. For example, in the movie "Generations", why is it supposed to be funny to drop Worf into the water, but not Dr. Crusher?
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