A Question of Humanity: A Feature of 2 TV Episodes
Registration Required: penningtonlibrary.org/manormachine
Man or Machine: Where Do We Draw the Line?
Explore the “Question of Humanity” through two iconic episodes of The Twilight Zone and Star Trek. Join our community discussion on AI, ethics, and the soul. Is it life, or is it just hardware? You decide.
The Twilight Zone (The Lonely)
Sentenced to fifty years of isolation on a barren asteroid, James Corry is a man rotting from solitude. His world changes when a sympathetic captain delivers a crate containing Alicia, an ultra-realistic android. As Corry transitions from skepticism to deep love, he is forced to confront a devastating choice: is his companion a person to be saved, or merely a machine to be left behind?
Star Trek: The Next Generation (The Measure of a Man)
What defines a soul? When a Starfleet researcher demands to dismantle Lt. Commander Data for study, the legal status of the android is put on trial. Captain Picard must argue for Data’s freedom against a prosecutor who views him as nothing more than a toaster. This courtroom drama serves as a landmark defense of sentient rights and the evolving definition of life.
ABOUT OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS:
Jacob Hoefer is a Rutgers-trained engineer and professional D&D Dungeon Master based in Central Jersey. A lover of art history and genre fiction, he is a firm believer that community-centered library programs are what keep him grounded. When he isn’t showing off his five Ursula K. Le Guin tattoos, he’s likely practicing ASL or studying Kanji for his next trip to Japan.
Kim T. Ha is the Director of the PPL and a lover of psychological, thought-provoking cinema. Her “must-watch” list is topped by the class of 1999 (Fight Club, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Sixth Sense) alongside mind-bending classics like Inception and Vertigo. She looks forward to exploring the deeper meanings behind these sci-fi tv episodes with you.
This event is part of our 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest question s, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.