We know the crew of the Enterprise promises to "seek out new life and new civilizations," but we never expected them to come across anything like V'Ger. This thing is a self-aware machine. That's nuts…and it was especially nuts when Star Trek: The Motion Picture debuted back in 1979.
Beyond raising some serious questions about the nature of consciousness, V'Ger represents the frightening power of "pure logic," completely absent of such frailties as human emotion. Hence all of the destruction.
The film investigates these heady philosophical issues through the character of Spock, who's experiencing a similar conflict between emotion and logic as he attempts to reconnect to his Vulcan heritage.
Questions about Life, Consciousness, and Existence
- Do you agree with Spock that V'Ger is a sentient being? Why or why not?
- Why might V'Ger have chosen Spock to communicate with?
- In what way might the new form of life formed by V'Ger differ from those that preceded it?
- How is V'Ger similar to a human? How is it different?
Chew on This
Although V'Ger is a sentient being, it lacks the emotional component that would allow it to grow and learn.
V'Ger communicates directly with Spock because it senses his similar struggle with logic and emotion.