Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep By Phillip K. Dick

In the novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, by Phillip K. Dick, the story revolves around a character known as Rick Deckard in a world very much different from our own. A world in which humanity is defined by a different way of life and a particularly warped sense of empathy, in such a way that empathy has become almost entirely devoid of the definition we have today. With the advent of androids, the lines blurred between humanity and machines that to sooth the anxiety of androids posing as humans, empathy became the standard to define the boundary between the two groups, through the Voight-Kampff empathy test. Even the possession of animals is being used to prove one’s empathy. Yet even this changed from a proof of being empathetic

It was made known that their emotions were regulated by a device known as the empathy box, rather than naturally (Dick 10). As one would expect, this shows that human nature had become more mechanized. In fact, it stands to reason that it borders on the stereotypical perception of an emotionless android, for if each burst of emotion stems not from the natural development, but instead a turn of a dial, can such a being be considered empathetic, and by extent, human as well? Furthermore, Deckard’s opinions of his artificial sheep are negative and personally shameful. This is apparent in his quote, “...Owning and maintaining a fraud had a way off gradually demoralizing one" (Dick 5). Especially when one considers his occupation of a bounty hunter whose sole purpose is to hunt down androids, viewing them as simply a means towards making a living, shows that Deckard has disdain and a lack of empathy for the androids that came to Earth (Dick 7). From the onset, one can claim that Deckard resembles an android much more than a human thus far. However, that would discount his development over the course of the

This all comes from the same man who, at first, depended on the use of a machine that regulated his emotions for him in an unnatural manner with a lack of empathy for any androids, yet displaying the very same qualities as the androids he himself disdained. Yet his exposure to Rachel showed that Deckard couldn’t bring himself to retire something he found himself infatuated with. Even more so, his reaction towards the retirement of the opera singer Luba Luft brought Deckard to question the very world order that advocated against what he viewed as something truly beautiful and close to them in essence, even finding himself questioning whether or not he himself was human at times. Therefore completing his development from a prejudiced android-like being towards an empathetic