Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

The Quality of Life (1992)

Gates McFadden: Doctor Beverly Crusher

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lt. Commander Data : I am curious as to what transpired between the moment when I was nothing more than an assemblage of parts in Dr. Soong's laboratory, and the next moment, when I became alive. What is it that endowed me with life?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : I remember Wesley asking me a similar question when he was little, and I tried desperately to give him an answer. But everything I said sounded inadequate. Then I realized that scientists and philosophers have been grappling with that question for centuries without coming to any conclusion.

  Lt. Commander Data : Are you saying the question cannot be answered?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : No - I think I'm saying that we struggle all our lives to answer it, that it's the struggle that is important. That's what helps us to define our place in the universe.

• [Data enters sickbay when Dr. Crusher is treating her arm after a fighting lesson with Worf] 

  Lt. Commander Data : Doctor... Are you injured?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : Only my pride, Data.

• [Riker, Dr. Crusher, La Forge and Worf are playing poker at somewhat "higher" stakes] 

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : If I win, all of you shave your beards off!

  Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge : Wait a minute, wait a minute, w... what if you lose? What are *you* gonna give up?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : I'm open for suggestions.

  Commander William T. Riker : Well, I've always wanted to see you as a brunette.

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : Oh, I did that once when I was thirteen; I couldn't change it back fast enough.

  Commander William T. Riker : Makes me even more curious!

  [the men laugh avidly] 

• Dr. Beverly Crusher : [Crusher and Data have discovered that the exocomp had not only repaired the conduit in the simuation tunnel, but turned off the warning signal of the simulated plasma explosion, provign the exocomp's awareness and intellect]  The exocomp didn't fail the test, it saw right through it!

• Doctor Beverly Crusher : [on the definition of life]  The broadest scientific definition might be that life is what enables plants and animals to consume food, derive energy from it, grow, adapt themselves to their surroundings, and reproduce.

  Lt. Commander Data : Hm... And you suggest that anything that exhibits these characteristics is considered alive?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : In general, yes.

  Lt. Commander Data : What about fire?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : Fire?

  Lt. Commander Data : Yes. It consumes fuel to produce energy, it grows, it creates offspring. By your definition, is it alive?

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : Fire is a chemical reaction. You could use the same argument for growing crystals, but obviously we don't consider them alive.

  Lt. Commander Data : And what about me? I do not grow; I do not reproduce. Yet I am considered to be alive.

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : That's true. But you are unique.

  Lt. Commander Data : Hm... I wonder if that is so.