Jag kommer att säga nej. För det första anges det uttryckligen i flera av skripten att emotionalitet alltid kommer utöver Data, även i situationer där han kan klart identifiera att ett känslomässigt svar skulle vara lämpligt, till exempel i TNG: The Offspring där hans dotter dör:
DATA : What do you feel, Lal?
LAL : I... love... you... Father.
And Data just stares at her... unable to say it back.
DATA : I wish I could feel it with you.
LAL : I... will... feel... it... for... both... of... us.
...
PICARD : The crew grieves for your loss, Mister Data.
Data studies the sad faces of his "family", never has, never will
entirely understand "grieving".
och i Star Trek Generations ger Data oss en ganska bra indikation på att han, utan chipet, har nått slutet av vägen för sin tillväxt (som en person).
(nb jag har citerat från novellering för att enkelt läsa men skriptet är i princip samma.
"I thought you were afraid it would overload your neural net." "That
is true," Data replied. "However, I believe my growth as an artificial
life-form has reached an impasse. For thirty-four years I have
endeavored to become more 'human'- to grow beyond my original
programming. And yet I am still unable to grasp such a basic concept
as humor."
He turned back toward the crystalline case. "This emotion
chip may be the only answer." Geordi leaned forward to dubiously study
the chip, then sighed. At worst, it could cause some annoying
complications, but no permanent damage. And what right did he have to
deny his friend such an experience?