As Steve said, TNG might not be a great analogy because it’s fiction. But ignoring that, none of those characters had mental problems caused by the ship’s computer because the tool had been part of society for at least a generation. We’ve had ~5 years.
Although let’s not forget Reginald Barclay, the timid engineer who retreated into a virtual world under mental duress. Or even La Forge who accidentally fell in love with a construct he prompted into existence. And these people were supposedly a representation of the absolute best of humanity; imagine what shenanigans were going on back on Earth with normal people and these systems.
Of course tangential to this is the tale of eMoriarty, the construct prompted into existence by pure automation to outsmart Data. I believe this was a program that was considered by the crew to be sentient. They ended up stuffing “him” into a box and launching that box into space for all eternity
Sure it’s all fiction, but I find parallels almost every day. Such fantastic writing!
No, they simulated a galaxy for him to roam freely exploring, inside a little box the size of a loaf of bread. They figured he and his girlfriend would have enough exploring to do in their simulation to have fulfillment and the audience was left to assume that they still might one day in the future have to figure out what to do next with the “digital life” in a simulation.
Sure.. but ultimately they tricked him, right? He was led to believe he successfully broke out of his digital prison while in reality he was still trapped in a simulation. I suppose it all comes down to the classic “what is reality” question.
That was my thought exactly! Honestly I felt like it was 4:30p on a Friday and the writers just needed to end the storyline . It was a memorable episode but for me it didn’t square with the ethics.
. It was a memorable episode but for me it didn’t square with the ethics.