It's life Jim but not as we know it.

Or

Does my calculator like me?

I have always been fascinated by the concept of what constitutes life in the Star Trek universe.

I can handle the concept of V'ger having a need to become more than the sum of it's combined programming and therefore needing to assimilate Commander Decker and Lieutenant Illia into it's "consciousness". Presumably it needed the specific something or other that life forms have to accomplish the next phase of its evolution?

This kind of thinking is evident in the character Data from Star Trek The Next Generation who needed a specific chip to allow him to more effectively mimic human attributes such as emotional outbursts and fear.

The character that troubles me is one of my very favourites; the Doctor from Star Trek Voyager who we are told is an extension of the ships medical computer in human form created by the Holo-generator.

This character has fallen in love, composed music and passionately fought for the rights of others and himself.

Consider this, perhaps the reason for this is linked to the "fact" established early on in the series run that this particular ship has the benefit of Bio-circuitry, which is therefore alive.

The Doctor is not necessarily mimicking human beings but due to his combined make up i.e. having eyes, ears, legs, hands and the emotional capacity provided by the bio-gel packs of the ship, he can experience all the things that happen to him in the same way as anyone else.

Furthermore as the mobile emitter that he wears is from the 29th century it is reasonable to assume that these bio-circuits are in everyday use so would be an integral part of this device.

Why does any of this matter?

The Doctor gets married in the last episode of Voyager so I feel that this contract should be meaningful and genuine and unique. I would not want to feel that his partner could just switch on any EMH mark one and call him her husband.

David Smith

© Concept copyright July 2001

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