Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Response Paper Essay

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Response Paper: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Introduction
Phillip Dick wrote the novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” The narrative is a science fiction that describes the struggles experienced by human beings in need of survival after the post-apocalyptic world. According to Zimmerman (3), the novel focuses on human beings creating a separate colony on Mars planet. Dick examines the essentiality of empathy in a world where the use of technology has highly increased, causing human beings to struggle for relevance. The emergence of androids in the world causes Wilbur Mercer to develop a religion referred to as Mercerism that enables humanity to have a sense of unity (Dick 50). Mercerism is primarily founded on the significant association between android's apathy and humanity empathy. However, the Mercerism religion was later exposed as a fraud (Voorhees). As the novel unfolds, Dick pinpoints the falseness behind android's compassion and argues that humanity requires a uniting belief system, which does not depend on legitimacy.
The novel communicates that "empathy", which does not depend on people's origin, their language, or their formation, is the primary characteristic of determining humanity (Toth). For instance, the author focuses on examining the quality of life and the main reason why people exist, which is always overlooked. However, distractions that include using androids to play video games, connect with friends on Facebook, and selecting the right filter for Instagram keep people going (Palumbo 1278). Human beings are said to have originated from Homo Sapiens which had two legs, two arms, and a brain that could operate a tablet, understand language, and solve mathematics problems. Unfortunately, basing the origin of human beings on Homo Sapiens and concluding that all human beings have similar intellectual capacity does not hold up because, approximately 100 years ago, Americans and Europeans colonized Africans and considered them as lesser human beings, although they still had two legs, two arms, and a brain.
Olsen (100) explain that in the current world, people who live in different circumstances or different worlds are still considered by others as lesser humans. As such, the novel explores such issues and conceptualizes that empathy is not founded on the main characteristics that determine humanity, such as the number of arms, legs, and the language spoken by people. As illustrated in the novel, empathy is founded on how far humanity extends (Dick 18). For example, some characters in the story such as Phil Resch lack sympathy, while others such as Luba Luft can show empathy (Kalvikkarasi 733). The author attempts to differentiate between humans and androids. Although in reality, human beings differ from androids because of their biological composition, most individuals cannot be considered as humans because of their lack of empathy. Therefore, the paper discusses whether Deckard and other characters in the novel are human beings or androids based on how they portray compassion.
Empathy
Pottle explains that empathy is portrayed in all the chapters of the novel. The author tries to address, "what is humanity?" Dick postulates that human beings are defined as humans because of their capability to purchase and sell things, answer questions, and make memories (Dick 20). Moreover, Dick posits that human beings are humans because of their ability to feel empathy. Empathy appears more than 50 times in the novel (Bahroozi & Porugiv 10). Besides, as the story unfolds, police officers decide to differentiate between androids and human beings by using the Voigt-Kampff test, which had been created to measure the empathetic reaction of a person towards numerous emotional conditions. According to the author, human beings should always respond by showing empathy. For example, they should feel a connection to animals and people in hypothetical situations. According to Dick, androids should be different from human beings by responding in a manner that relates to psychopathy (Dick 19). Although Dick attempts to emphasize the significance of empathy, the characters in the novel do not show compassion. For example, the human characters tend to be cold with each other, regardless of their relationships, such as being spouses or friends. For example, the protagonist, Rick Deckard, is a human being who seems to be not in good terms with his wife, Iran, but shows romantic ideation to an android, Rachel. Unfortunately, Deckard's romantic interests in Rachael are promptly replaced by antipathy. However, Dick showcases other characters such as Resch who is cruel and therefore lacks in empathy though technically a human being. Besides, Pris Stratton is an android character who portrays numerous signs of emotional feeling to other androids. For instance, Pris is devastated when she learns that Rick Deckard kills one of her friends.
The author's most excellent point regarding human nature and empathy is that empathy should not be considered as an emotional reaction but a way in which human beings are united together (Palumbo 1282). The author predicts that many people in the future will join the Mercerism religion that demands members to grasp and "empathy box" that will cause them to understand the feelings and sensations of their fellow human beings (Dick 49). However, it is essential to note that as the author portrays, the primary purpose of the empathy box is not to make human beings more or kinder but to remind them that they have a common identity. Conversely, it is an illusion identity, and that human beings are superior to and different from androids. Dick's idea is much disturbing because it provides an incomplete answer to humanity. For instance, human beings are not androids, although they can be if they do not portray empathy. Dick attempts to suggest that in the future, there will be little or no empathy because currently, human beings have been killing androids desperately. Ironically, human beings in the real world conform to their humanity or compassion by destroying androids which is an un-empathetic action.
Dicks fiction fails to prove that human beings lack empathy, on the basis that being a human being is an automatic indication that one is empathetic. Dick is unable to provide an excellent answer to his question (Toth). All the characters in his novel seem to be trying to be empathetic. However, androids are on the verge of understanding empathy than human beings, which portrays the importance of understanding what it means to be human beings.
How do Androids Show Empathy in the Text?
Rachael Rosen is an android who experiences challenges in showcasing humanity, reality, and empathy. Eldon Rosen, a CEO in Rosen company, introduces Rachael Rosen in the novel. Rachel Rosen is an android who had been entrenched with deceitful memories of her childhood to cause readers to perceive that she is a human being (Dick 21). Rachael is an observant and intelligent android, which is focused and has a plan. She is independent of Rick or Eldon. As the story unfolds, Rachael seduces Rick, and the two ends up having sexual relation. Ultimately, she discloses that she has engaged in sexual relations with many bounty hunters, aiming at preventing them from murdering other androids. As such, it is identified ...