[Allan Hood]

In TNG's "Most Toys," Data aims his disruptor at Fajo and says he has to stop him just before being beamed back to the Enterprise. Mid-transport, O'Brien says that it discharged and deactivates it while materializing. When Riker asks about the weapon discharge, Data hesitates and says something might have happened while transporting.

Did Data fire on Fajo and lie about it? Did the transporter activate the weapon by accident?

[Sul-Matuul]

Ooooo good question! Now I need to rewatch that episode.

If Data did lie then that opens a can of worms because I don’t recall any other place he shows such a character trait and I’d always assumed he cannot lie in as much as doing it maliciously to hide true motives. He could obviously tell someone a “lie” if they are in a dangerous situation to try and conform someone that everything was gonna be all right I’d guess but that’s more to do with him serving his programming to help/protect life.
Being able to lie for a negative reason seems to suggest something a lot more sinister in Data’s abilities and programming.

As to whether the transporter activated the weapon, I’d hope that is not something that would be possible with their technology or it could have some nasty outcomes! But obviously the transporter can filter out a weapon in use for security reasons.

[Noram]

Writer Shari Goodhartz related, "I asked Brent Spiner whether he thought Data purposefully pulled the trigger or not, and he was adamant that Data did fire the weapon, which was my intent as well, but the powers-that-be wanted that kept ambiguous, so it was. If I had a chance to do it over, with all the experience I have behind me now, I would argue passionately for Data's actions and their consequences to have been clearer, and hopefully more provocative."

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/T...and_production

So, he did.

[Taku]

Han shot first.

I always assumed he pulled the trigger. It was only logical. Using Fajo's own morals to punish him for the murder of Varria, the shooting would have been (will be?) justified.

[Allan Hood]

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/T...and_production

So, he did.

So, what would have been those provocative consequences of Data firing just before the transporter activated? Where would the writer have gone next, do you think?

[WelshAvenger]

I suppose they could have gone the route of an investigation. Weapon discharge against a civilian is really bad for the career. If O'Brien had taken a second longer on the transporter, it'd have been murder. As such, there could be charges of attempted murder because Data deliberately fired at him with premeditation and intent to kill. Data had the trifecta, Motive, Means and Opportunity.

So it could have been a full court martial, stripped of rank and sent to a penal colony or disassembled. Odds are though that the Enterprise crew would have got the sentence reduced to being busted back to Lt j.g.

[Allan Hood]

Han shot first.

I always assumed he pulled the trigger. It was only logical. Using Fajo's own morals to punish him for the murder of Varria, the shooting would have been (will be?) justified.

Does Data's programming allow him to use the morals of unethical people to justify his actions?

I suppose they could have gone the route of an investigation. Weapon discharge against a civilian is really bad for the career. If O'Brien had taken a second longer on the transporter, it'd have been murder. As such, there could be charges of attempted murder because Data deliberately fired at him with premeditation and intent to kill. Data had the trifecta, Motive, Means and Opportunity.

So it could have been a full court martial, stripped of rank and sent to a penal colony or disassembled. Odds are though that the Enterprise crew would have got the sentence reduced to being busted back to Lt j.g.

Shouldn't there be an automatic investigation anytime there's a weapon discharge? I don't think he would have been demoted for murdering someone. The Enterprise crew would only get the sentence reduced if there was a real reason. Data had the weapon and was safe and somehow justified himself as an executioner.

Instead of Data firing on him, they should have shown Data as being the arresting officer. Or at least have been there while he was arrested, in addition to the brig scene.

[Allan Hood]

Please delete, I am trying to condense my posts, thanks.

[Taku]

Does Data's programming allow him to use the morals of unethical people to justify his actions?

But what is moral? When gauging immorality, the cultural norms of the other culture are the basis. Basing morality on Federation standards does not apply. Using Fajo's own moral standards (loose as they may have been), meant it was perfectly acceptable to kill him horribly. That is ethical. Even if we wouldn't consider it a moral act, Fajo would understand it.

[Allan Hood]

But what is moral? When gauging immorality, the cultural norms of the other culture are the basis. Basing morality on Federation standards does not apply. Using Fajo's own moral standards (loose as they may have been), meant it was perfectly acceptable to kill him horribly. That is ethical. Even if we wouldn't consider it a moral act, Fajo would understand it.

I thought that, too. But, remember how Data wanted to keep wearing his uniform because of Starfleet regulations? His morality is based on Starfleet regulations and whatever his creator installed in him.

[Taku]

I thought that, too. But, remember how Data wanted to keep wearing his uniform because of Starfleet regulations? His morality is based on Starfleet regulations and whatever his creator installed in him.

But in Justice and in Devil's Due, Data was all about adhering to the local laws, morals, and customs. That was despite his own belief systems. So he can process the external mores as well.

Applying Fajo's own (or his people's) morality to the situation would justify Fajo's execution for what he had done. While Data may not approve of executions as part of the Federation's morality, I don't think that would keep him from carrying out a punishment based on another culture's standards.

If that makes sense. It's possible it doesn't.

[Allan Hood]

But in Justice and in Devil's Due, Data was all about adhering to the local laws, morals, and customs. That was despite his own belief systems. So he can process the external mores as well.

Applying Fajo's own (or his people's) morality to the situation would justify Fajo's execution for what he had done. While Data may not approve of executions as part of the Federation's morality, I don't think that would keep him from carrying out a punishment based on another culture's standards.

If that makes sense. It's possible it doesn't.

In Justice and in Devil's Due, Data was all about adhering to the local laws, morals, and customs because that is his duty as a Starfleet officer.

Do those episodes demonstrate his own belief system?

And let's say that Data did justify firing, then why did he lie about it?

[Taku]

In Justice and in Devil's Due, Data was all about adhering to the local laws, morals, and customs because that is his duty as a Starfleet officer.

Do those episodes demonstrate his own belief system?

And let's say that Data did justify firing, then why did he lie about it?

Temporary disassociative state? ? ?

[Allan Hood]

Temporary disassociative state? ? ?

I don't think androids get that haha

Canonwise, Data would not be able to fire because it might go against his programming.

[Adz]

Why did he lie? Well as you mentioned he can adapt to understand the morality of those external to himself. So even if he justified the alleged execution based on Fajo's moral standards he would also understand they would go against Riker, and Starfleet's moral standards, hence the pause to process. Perhaps a more interesting question could be, did Data lie to save himself from SF justice or to save Riker and other SF personnel from their own moral quandary over the execution?