As you say, he can sometimes anticipate the thoughts of others (or at least their actions) and sometimes not. There are plenty of examples of both in TNG. So we know that he does have a Theory of Mind, and we know that it's not perfect-- no one's is.
There may have been a turning point at the beginning of "Star Trek: Generations" when data disastrously misapprehends a social situation, and decides it's finally time to install Dr. Sung's emotion chip:
LaForge: What ever possessed you to push her in the water in the first place?
Data: I was attempting to... "get into the spirit of things". I thought it would be amusing. Is she still angry?
LaForge: I'd stay out of sickbay for a couple of days if I were you.
Data: ...I believe my growth as an artificial life form has reached an impasse... I am unable to grasp such a basic concept as humor.
So when his attempts to construct a mental model of others seem to reach a limit, he tries to inherit a basic empathic model, the way human beings do. What he displays later is a combination of the two; he just acquired them in reverse order, intellectual first, then emotional.
manpreet![Tuteehub forum best answer]()
Best Answer
2 years ago
Theory of Mind is subject of interest to psychologists, primatologists, and those interested in artificial intelligence alike. In a nutshell, having a Theory of Mind is indicated by being able to anticipate or "read the mind" of others. Humans use it every day to, for example, guess what their spouse is mad about, anticipate what their boss really wants to hear, or imagine what someone is thinking about their presentation. It's still up for grabs whether animals grasp a true Theory of Mind, but scientists interested in A.I. consider a Theory of Mind to be one of the hallmarks of true and useful intelligence.
That said, does Data have a true Theory of Mind? In many instances, Data is perfectly able to anticipate the thoughts and feelings of peers. In others, he is taken aback by his crew members' reactions to certain (especially emotional) situations. Perhaps Data is simply autistic, which adds another wrinkle to the TOM inquery.