Dr. Sheldon Cooper of 'The Big Bang Theory' is More Data Than Spock

There have been many comparisons between Dr. Sheldon Cooper of "The Big Bang Theory" and Spock from "Star Trek." As a fan both "TBBT" and of the Star Trek industry, I find myself seeing more correlations between Sheldon and Data from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Dr. Cooper becomes more like Data, and less like Spock, when you look at his separation from emotions and his greatest struggle.

Separation from Emotions

To understand how Sheldon is more like Data than Spock, we have to take a look at the different character's separation from emotions. In Spock's case, he is half human and has the full capacity for emotions. In most cases, the logic portion of his brain has squelched the appearance of these emotions. The emotions are still present, but are kept locked away in the back of a brain that is driven by logic.

In the case of Data, the character is an android and not programed to have a range of emotions. This makes in an emotionally dry character that does what he processes to be the best move in situations where emotions might come into play. He is driven by what he has learned from observation, and that is what causes him to do what he does, not human emotions.

When looking at the many of the traits that Sheldon Cooper has displayed on "The Big Bang Theory," many people have suggested that he might have Asperger's syndrome. In some cases, people with Asperger's syndrome never develop the capacity for a full emotional spectrum. If this is true for Sheldon, like Data, he can only be driven by processing what he has observed when it comes to emotions. In many cases on the show, Sheldon has not shown signs of repression of emotions like Spock, he has shown the inability to have certain emotions like Data.

The Greatest Struggle

Spock's greatest struggle is to create a balance between his inner emotions and the logic that he knows should take the lead. The character was developed this way to be a symbol for those that struggle with emotions. Data and Sheldon both have the same great struggle. Both characters wish to understand why people feel the way they do about certain aspects of life, and how and why they do what they do based on emotional pulls. Dr. Sheldon Cooper is more Data than Spock.