Entanglements:
Journal of Posthumanities
E-ISSN: 3107-488X

(Article)
Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York: Doubleday, 1968. Pp. 210. ISBN: 978-1-61523-359-5.
Authored By — Srijita Talukdar

Abstract

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, authored by Philip K. Dick and published in 1968 by Doubleday provides a comparative view of the intricacies of the human emotional psyche. The story, told through the protagonist Rick Deckard, sheds emphasis on the visceral capacities of humans as compared to android artificial intelligence. Dick's acclaimed novel, which explores the manufactured relationship between man and machine, provides the reader with a rich insight into the rooted, yet often concealed, differences between human characteristics and the rigid traits of robots, providing a tangible contrast between human idiosyncrasies and electronic creations. The novel poses the important question of what it means to be human. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? served as the basis for Ridley Scott's dystopian classic film Blade Runner, and it is to Philip K Dick's imagination's immense credit that neither the book nor the film appears irrelevant even in today's date. The story was undoubtedly ahead of its time. Indeed, seldom a year goes by without some technological advancement that brings Dick's 1968 vision of the future closer. Hovercars may be a while off but the likes of video conversations and genetic tweaks are clearly in the present. The initial pages introduce "mood-organs," (Dick 3) which are activated to suppress or increase emotions in a needy populace. It's tough not to draw parallels with the internet which is constantly on, always available, yet never truly genuine.

Keywords

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