Hoo: The Role of the Android

In Michael Heilemann's essay, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner, he makes the claim that no one is blameless in the Android world. He states, "even though the majority of characters in Dicks novels are depicted as pieces of a puzzle they do not themselves understand and master, you shouldn’t draw from that that they are innocent victims. Though all are victims, at the same time almost everyone is guilty as well" (Heilemann 10). I would argue that while everyone may be somewhat guilty, their societal structure directly causes some to be guilty in the way that Heilemann argues. A society’s collective attitude toward a person or group of persons can severely affect the group’s actions and their attitude about themselves. Our completely fabricated idea of social stratification and hierarchy affects our cognition. This inherent affect on the thought process will even cause negative stereotypes to become self-fulfilling prophecies. If someone hears himself or herself being called something negative about him or her enough times, even they will start to believe it. I find that Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is attempting to prove this point, that those of lower societal status are put at a disadvantage right off the bat. More specifically, the androids are guilty simply because society deems them as such. A quote from the novel illustrates this point,

“Evidently the humanoid robot constituted a solitary predator. Rick liked to think of them that way; it made his job palatable. In retiring — i.e. killing — an andy he did not violate the rule of life laid down by Mercer. You shall kill only the killers, Mercer had told them the year empathy boxes first appeared on Earth. And in Mercerism, as it evolved into a full theology, the concept of The Killers had grown insidiously” (Dick 31).

In this passage, the negative attitude towards the androids is validated through the religion of Mercerism. Deeming the androids as “Killers” serves to further prove society’s idea that the androids are these savages, not capable of human empathy. “But then I realized how unhealthy it was, sensing the absence of life, not just in this building but everywhere, and not reacting—do you see? I guess you don’t. But that used to be considered a sign of mental illness; they called it ‘absence of appropriate affect.’ So I left the TV sound off and I sat down at my mood organ and I experimented. And I finally found a setting for despair” (Dick 5). Perhaps the people in this post-apocalyptic world are not meant to know the difference between the living and the non-living.  Peharps they all are androids.    

                                                           Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York: Ballantine,
            1996. Print.


Heilemann, Michael. “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade       Runner”. 2001. Blackboard. Web. 13 Mar 2014.

Richard: Androids

The paragraph that explains the Voigt-Kampf test and also explains the “lack of empathy” between the androids is one that I feel could be corrected.  The Voigt-Kampf test was based solely on the amount of emotion sensed.  "You're sitting watching TV and suddenly you discover a wasp crawling on your wrist." He checked with his watch, counting the seconds. And checked, too, with the twin dials. "What's a wasp?" Luba Luft asked,” (Dick, Chapter 9)   It was proved by Phil, the police officer, that not all humans show empathy.  Phil did not hesitate to kill the android despite its beautiful singing voice.  This is significant because it shows that empathy may not be the main factor determining whether a thing is human or not.  An android could portray human characteristics of empathy if it were programmed to do so or even if it were to emulate what they saw a fellow human do.  This also goes to prove the test is not accurate and further complicates what a human is exactly.  It brings awareness to the point that something can be human but not have human characteristics. 

The second scene in the novel that proves this paragraph is not correct is the fact that androids did actually have feelings or could feel.  I think that the androids have feelings.  There was proof in this when Racheal killed Deckard’s goat because she was upset with him.  Also Deckard felt he had similarities with him and Roy.  This is significant because he saw characteristics in him that he saw in the android.  This would make it more complicated to understand the distinction between the two.  The main issue in the book was the question between who was actually human or if everyone is just an android. It was hard to tell the distinction because they all shared similar characteristics.  An interesting question that came up in class was about who determines what a human is.  I think this book brings awareness to other areas of life today because it allows the audience to see there is a type of subjectiveness to life.  Each area of life determines their own definition of what is meant to have life.  There was also evidence that society is determined by what one tells someone.  “The salesman, undaunted, continued, ‘A goat is loyal. And it has a free, natural soul which no cage can chain up,’” (Dick, Chapter 15).  This demonstrates how the minds of the people can be influenced by what someone tells them.

Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York: Ballantine, 1996. Print.

Heilemann, Michael. “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner”. 2001. Web. 13

Mar 2014.

Riewer--Androids

Philip K Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? focuses mainly on the theme of possessing empathy, or having the ability to show empathy. Rick Deckerd is a trained bounty hunter, whose job focuses solely on "retiring" androids from Earth. This job requires Deckerd to at least be able to manage his empathy in the proper way, as it can become difficult for some to see androids as simply something that can be retired. Michael Heileman presents an interesting analysis of Dick's novel with many interesting and valid points. However, there are a few areas with which I have to disagree based on my interpretation of the novel as well as its film adaptation.

Heileman points out in his article that androids, specifically the Nexus-6 Replicants produced by the Rosen Corporation, are incapable of experiencing empathy, or "emotionally decrepit." He explains in his analysis that "Androids are in other words treated like a piece of property no better than the slaves once brought up from Africa to serve the same purpose in the white man's lands" (Heilemann 10). This of course is not entirely untrue. They are indeed treated like slaves, and in some cases are required to perform sexual intercourse with their masters. However, several of these androids exhibit qualities which show that they do in fact express emotions. While these androids were produced for use as slaves on colonies off of Earth, several of them were able to escape back to earth, killing their masters or hurting others in the process. This desire to free themselves of this inherent slavery and escape back to earth juxtaposes with Heilemann's assertion that all of these creatures are emotionally decrepit.

Another instance which juxtaposes with Heilemann's assertion has to do with the animals in the book. After World War Terminus, almost all animals on earth became extinct or very, very endangered and humans began producing electric animals in order to replace the real thing. These electric animals must be cared for in the same way that any real animal would have to be cared for, or else they will become ill and must be taken care of at a veterinarian or else become too ill and die. This fact alone contradicts what Heilemann claims as fact, saying that the androids are only on earth to serve a purpose for the man in charge of it. However, because these animals in fact do produce emotion, even if it is in terms of someone else (the animal's owner), it is far too presumptuous for Heilemann to make this claim without a shadow of a doubt.

Heilemann offers a rich and interesting of both Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. However, as with all analysis, there are some points to be disputed in Heilemann's assertions.

DeJuan- Androids Blog

         In the essay by Michael Heilemann on the analysis of the book “Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep and Blade runner” he claims that “Mercer is also for mankind a way to separate themselves from the androids, seeing as their lack of empathy disables them from using the empathy box.” (Heilemann, 8). I personally disagree with this statement I believe that the use of the empathy box actually ties the relationship between the humans and androids even closer. This use of the box shows that the “humans” don't in fact show characteristics of a real humans which I think empathy is included in the package. The use of this box shows that their emotions are not genuine at all and are just programmed feelings, how is this different at all from an android? Surely the programing of a certain action or “feeling” could be applied to the android system, which would make distinguishing between the two impossible.

           Mercerism doesn't accomplish what it is intended to do, which is prove that the people on earth are human, it actually destroys the reliability of this claim because they are being controlled by a system. In reality they are machines themselves, which is an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and having parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task. The Mercer empathy box constitutes and supports the “Humans” on earth in many ways are androids themselves.

           

Deckard shows how manipulative the machine is and how much they depend on the empathy box early in the book when arguing with his wife. Deckard is lost without the empathy box as he has no answer for his wife's sour mood. The text says he began “Examining the schedule for January 3, 1992, he saw that a businesslike professional attitude was called for.” (Dick,3). This shows that these so called humans are using the empathy box to separate themselves from being androids but are merely puppets or machines. Buster friendly outing Mercer as a fake towards the end of the book also supports this claim, Mercer also confirms he is a fraud saying “I am a fraud, they’re sincere; their research is genuine. From their standpoint, I am a retired bit player named Al Jarry.” (Dick, 214). This shows that the “Humans” were not using what they thought as real emotions of someones hardship experience but were only being programed to feel or act a certain way, calling this a show of empathy.

Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York: Ballantine, 

            1996. Print.

Heilemann, Michael. “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner”. 2001. Blackboard. Web. 13 Mar 2014.

Kellogg: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Empathy, the central theme throughout Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, is believed to be what separates humans from androids. Michael Heilemann’s analysis of the Dick’s novel argues that androids are emotionally inept, answering his own question, “Are they [androids] emotionally decrepit? Certainly” (Heilemann 10). However, these androids prove to be capable of feeling empathy as well as other humanistic emotions throughout the book.

Rick Deckard, the novel’s protagonist, works as a bounty hunter living in San Francisco. Deckard has chosen to stay on earth, whereas many others have fled the post-apocalyptic planet at the suggestion of the American government to “Emigrate or degenerate!” (Dick 6). Those who choose to leave Earth are given a Nexus-6, a new type of android that has the ability to learn. According to Heilemann, “Androids are in other words treated like a piece of property no better than the slaves once brought up from Africa to serve the same purpose in the white mans lands” (Heilemann 10). Several of these androids kill their masters to free themselves from the confinement of slavery, and flee back to Earth. This contradicts Heilemann’s belief that all androids are “emotionally decrepit,” seeing as they are self aware and feel that their purpose in life is greater than serving humans. They genuinely dream of a better life and know that their freedom can only be achieved by killing their master.

At the beginning of the book, Deckard feels no empathy toward these androids, as his job is to hunt them down and “retire” them. However, as the book progresses, Deckard has an internal struggle about his feelings toward the androids. Deckard’s feelings are paralleled when he brings home the toad to his wife, Iran. Owning a real animal shows that an individual has achieved a respectable societal status. Deckard owns an electric sheep, which he loathes. Toward the end of the book, Deckard is surprised to find a frog, which he believes to be real. However, when he shows the frog to Iran, she discovers a small panel on its belly, revealing it to be electric. Although Deckard is initially upset, he decides to love the frog for what it is, concluding, “The electric things have their lives, too. Paltry as those lives are” (Dick 239). At this instance, Deckard realizes that the androids also have their own lives. Although they may not possess the same level of empathy as humans, they should be recognized as a living thing rather than just an object, as they are capable of feeling some level of emotion.

Heilemann makes some great observations throughout his analysis, however he should not be so quick to say that all androids are incapable of feeling and producing emotions.

Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York: Ballantine, 1996. Print.

Heilemann, Michael. “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner”. 2001. Web. 13 Mar 2014.

Hall: Androids Dreaming

"Irans attention is never properly directed towards Rick, as one might believe with them being married and all. Rather she exists in her own little world, a world consisting of her compassion for Wilbur Mercer, the Penfield organ and first the sheep, then the goat and lastly the toad. Her compassion, representative for the rest of humanity, towards the animals seems to be rather fleeting. Although she seems at first crushed over the loss of the goat, her attention immediately moves onto the toad as soon as Rick walks in the door with it. And here it’s worth noting that the toad is synthetic, contrary to the real goat” Heilemann 6). 

To some degree, I agree with Michael's assessment of Iran's behavior, but I find his overall interpretation to be rather limited. While Iran definitely exists within a rather alienated world, I think she, like Rick Deckard, is trying to escape this world of simulation in the pursuit of reality. That is, a more tangible, hopefully comprehensive reality. The reality of World War Terminus is a confusing mixture of synthetic, organic, and mechanic. 

Iran’s unhappiness with her “own little world” can be seen in the first chapter and first scene of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Heilemann 6). The scene begins with a discussion between her and Rick, and their usage of the Penfield mood organ. While Rick seems extremely comfortable with letting the mood organ dictate his emotions and keep him in a more serene place of self-fulfillment, Iran seems to fight against the mood organ as a method of happiness or good will. She outlines her unhappiness with the organ and her (almost rebellious) decision to program a twice-monthly mood of despair and depression.

"I don't feel like dialing anything at all now," Iran said.

 "Then dial 3," he said.

"I can't dial a setting that stimulates my cerebral cortex into wanting to dial! If I don't want to dial, I don't want to dial that most of all, because then I will want to dial, and wanting to dial is right now the most alien drive I can imagine; I just want to sit here on the bed and stare at the floor" (Dick 3).

It is only after Rick’s incessant pestering that she invoke the powers of the mood organ, that she finally gives in and allows him to administer dial 594 “pleased acknowledgment of husband's superior wisdom in all matters” (Dick 3).

By the way, it is incredibly creepy to me that 594 is a dial on the mood organ, dial 888 is also a bit disconcerting (“the desire to watch TV, no matter what’s on it”), but I find that a bit more funny than unsettling.

This first scene also refutes Heilemann’s claim of Iran’s diminutive empathy with her resentment towards Rick and his profession. Although it can be argued that she is simply badgering and goading him to start a fight, she seems to at least have some empathy towards the androids her husband professionally retires.

"You're worse," his wife said, her eyes still shut. "You're a murderer hired by the cops.  "I've never killed a human being in my life." His irritability had risen, now; had become outright hostility.  Iran said, "Just those poor andys."

I also don’t agree with Heilemann’s evaluation of Iran’s compassion as “fleeting” (6). This may be the case, but I do not think he reinforced this idea with adequate proof or argument. While he notes that the toad is synthetic, contrary to the real goat,” he forgets to mention that the sheep was also synthetic. It is unknown whether she really did mourn the sheep when it first died, or what connection she really had to it, since it is implied that Rick was the primary caretaker. Perhaps she did not have a strong connection to the sheep because of this. Also since they have had the electric sheep for about a year, perhaps she did grieve for sometime after the sheep died. They only possessed the goat for a couple of hours before Rachel dispatched it to the great Mercer in the sky, so it would have been hard for her to actually establish a lasting emotional connection towards the animal. So his statement regarding her “fleeting” empathy towards the animals, as a “lack of emotion” is erroneous without proper evidence that this is an inability that connotes cold behavior (Heilemann 6).

Works Cited 

Dick, Phillip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York: Ballantine, 1996. Print. 

Heilemann, Michael. "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner" Print.