Phillip K. Dick
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by Zenia Aguilera
__Phillip K. Dick is one of the most popular science fiction
writers of the twentieth century. His novel "Do androids dream of electric sheep"
details a day in the life of a bounty hunter who is suppose to retire six androids
who have escaped from the colonies to earth. Through this story the reader is supposed
to question the definition of humanity by noticing the "human" qualities
of the androids. This works rather well until the last chapters of the book where
it begins to slowly unravel. The scientific detachment of the androids in response
to the killing of a spider and the inability to understand that their debunking of
Mercerism changes nothing destroys any "human" credibility.
__The androids inability to react in any way to the maiming of the spider, removes
any speculation that they have attained some level of humanity. Pris, Irmgard, and
Ray impassively mutilate and torture an animal with no emotional response, positive
or negative. Their scientific detachment is not, for the most part, a natural human
reaction. What is a human reaction to the killing of an animal? It varies, of course,
depending on the emotional attachment to and the reasons for the killing of the animal.
But even when stomping on a cockroach a person is apt to feel disgust and perhaps
a tiny bit of satisfaction. The androids indifference works to distance them from
human emotion thereby distancing them from the reader.
__Another point which undermines the theme of this book, is the incapability of the
androids to understand the importance of a belief system to humanity. I am speaking
of set of morals coupled with a shared experience, something atheists and the religious
alike encounter. It is accepted in our society, whether or not we believe in a deity,
that is wrong to murder in cold blood, that we should not take anything that is not
ours, that we are born from an egg and sperm. Experiences and morals, so ingrained
that if someone came to us (as a society) and told us it was okay to steal, to murder,
and that we magically appeared from dust implanting itself into the womb of our mothers,
we would not believe it. Mercerism in "Androids gives humanity experience, morals,
and hope. It told people that they were part of something bigger than themselves
at a time when society was deteriorating. Whether it is true or not, isn't the issue.
What is, is whether or not Mercerism gives hope and makes humans a part of something
more important. Because the androids could not understand that, it separated them
from humanity and eventually led to their downfall.
__"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" tries valiantly to question the
definition of humanity, but ultimately fails. The scientific coldness of the androids
distances them so much from the human experience that their inhumanity no longer
becomes questionable. I realize that Phillip K. Dick, is one of the foremost writers
of science fiction, and perhaps I am missing something, but I would rather reread
Shelly's "Frankenstein" for a treatise on the definition of humanity. Or
better yet, I could just rent Blade Runner. After all, how can you top Harrison Ford
and a really hot kiss between two men.