Kunzig – Androids

In the Deckard and Isidore – The Humane Humans section of the essay, Michael Heilemann states that Isidore "is the only human in Do Androids who shows any interest or emotion towards his fellow humans" (9). But there are multiple scenes in the novel that disprove this statement.
From the beginning of the book, in the first chapter, we see humans expressing feelings to each other. Rick Deckard and his wife Iran are arguing from the moment they woke up that morning. "'You're worse,' his wife said, her eyes still shut. 'You're a murderer hired by the cops'" (Dick 1), Iran tells Rick, obviously trying to anger him. Rick's "irritability had risen, now; it had become outright hostility" (Dick 1). These emotions may not be positive ones, but all the same they are emotions; the argument proves that they both still care enough to fight, and that Iran does not have a "lack of emotions towards other people" (Heilemann 6).
There are many other instances throughout the novel that show that humans still care for each other, still have feelings towards each other, still have empathy. But I found the most obvious, important one to be at the end of the book, in the 21st chapter. Rick has flown off on his own to the wasteland that is Oregon, and has been gone for a day, without telling anyone. When he phones his secretary, she immediately says "'Oh, and  Mr. Deckard; your wife phoned. She wants to know if you're all right. Are you all right?'" (Dick 133). This quote alone is evidence of two people who care about Rick Deckard, who show interest towards him: his wife and his secretary. They both want to know if he is okay. And throughout the conversation, Deckard's secretary insists that he "'call [his] wife right away, Mr. Deckard, because she's terribly, terribly worried. I could tell. You're both in dreadful shape" (Dick 133). She wants him to call his wife, because she could tell how worried she was, and it matters, she feels for her. If this isn't empathy, I don't know what is.
But just in case I have one more empathy scene. When Rick finally gets back home with the toad, and Iran discovers it is fake, she notices his disappointment. "'Maybe I shouldn't have told you – about it being electrical.' She put her hand out, touched his arm; she felt guilty, seeing the effect it had on him, the change" (Dick 137); she is obviously feeling empathy for her husband, and doesn't need the empathy box for that.
These last two quotes disprove Heilemann's statement that a "lack of empathy in-between mankind is well exemplified by Rick and Iran" (5).

Works Cited

Dick, Philip. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Doubleplay, 1968. Print.

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

Jordan-Electric Sheep

         Michael Heilemann’s essay  Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Blade Runner is an analysis on Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.  In my opinion, Heilemann’s point of view is very distorted in what he believes about the novel. In the early stages of his paper, Heilmann states “. . .reality is that androids are the enemy of society and the feelings are something you get through Mercer and the organ, not something that spontaneously arise, and especially not toward androids (Heilemann 7).”  Dick did not create a that shows the world in which feelings come from an object that is independent of human or simply out of their control. He did not create a world full of humans who had drastically lost the empathy that is present in most humans. The devices such as the mood organ or the empathy box do not create emotions for humans, they simply alter the emotion that are already present. A human’s ability to gives them a unique difference from an android because an android cannot exhibit feeling naturally.  
 
       Mercerism is the main religion present in the novel and it is very similar to many modern day religions but more so Christianity. Dick uses this religion as a way to show the other side to of what Buster Friendly is spewing across the media. I believe Mercerism is not meant to devote people to  sheepish contemptment but to help them find their humanity that has been lost. Empathy is the universal measurement, compared between humans and an android's lack thereof.  Through reassurance and communal compassion, the followers of Mercer are kept in touch with their overly passionate human natures. The Nexus-6, superior versions of androids, are constantly being released, gaining ground in crossing the barrier that separates. This is even exemplified by the fact that some humans, do not feel empathy or have a seriously underdeveloped feeling of empathy. Luba Luft criticises Resch openly for his android-like coldness, actively believing he is one. After being given the book of Edvard Munch prints by Deckard, Luft says of Resch “It wouldn’t have occurred to him; as he said, never in a million years.” (Dick 133) The androids are ever so close to crossing the line that makes them indistinguishable from humans. Emotion-like-actions are now prevalent and that is only one small step away from feeling the real thing.
   
       On page 142 of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Rick , while conversing back and forth with Phil Resch, “I’m capable of feeling empathy for at least specific, certain androids (Dick 142).”  This claim by Deckard illustrates a logistical flaw in Michael Heilemann’s belief that “. . .feelings are something you get through Mercer. . . (Heilemann 7).”  Rick is not feeling emotions here due to Mercer and the effects of the empathy box, this is his real and honest human emotions. The empathy that is spread through Mercerism cannot be experienced by Androids, after reading the page 30 quote, “An android, no matter how gifted as to pure intellectual capacity, could make no sense out of the fusion which took place routinely among the followers of Mercerism. . . (Dick 30).”  Empathy is something that is shown by the followers of Mercer but he does not give them empathy because for the majority amount of people empathy, no matter how much or little is present.

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.
 

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.