Otis Singleton
'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is a 1968 dystopian science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. It is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, in a world where most animal species are endangered or extinct due to extreme radiation poisoning from nuclear global war. In this world, owning a real live animal has become a status symbol and a sign of empathy. The story follows bounty hunter Rick Deckard, who is tasked with retiring six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. The novel explores themes such as the nature of life, technology, and the human condition, and has influenced generations of science fiction writers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 1968 |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Setting | Post-apocalyptic San Francisco |
| Time period | Futuristic 1992 (2021 in later editions) |
| Earth's status | Damaged by nuclear global war |
| Life on Earth | Most animal species are endangered or extinct from extreme radiation poisoning |
| Ownership of animals | A sign of status and empathy |
| Mercerism | A technology-based religion that uses "Empathy Boxes" to link users to a virtual reality of collective suffering |
| Penfield mood organs | Technology for inducing desired moods |
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What You'll Learn
Post-apocalyptic San Francisco
In the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, the setting of post-apocalyptic San Francisco is a result of a nuclear global conflict that has severely damaged Earth and its atmosphere. The story is set in a futuristic 1992 (or 2021 in later editions of the novel), after a "World War Terminus", which has left the Earth's atmosphere highly radioactive and unsuitable for sustaining life.
The extreme radiation poisoning has led to the endangerment and extinction of most animal species, making their ownership a sign of status and empathy. This attitude is encouraged through a new technology-based religion called Mercerism, which uses "Empathy Boxes" to link users to a virtual reality of collective suffering. In this dystopian future, the poor can only afford realistic-looking electric imitations of animals, such as the robotic black-faced sheep owned by the protagonist, Rick Deckard.
The novel's post-apocalyptic setting reflects the social and political concerns of the 1960s, when it was written. The Cold War tensions between the USSR and the United States, along with proxy wars like the Korean and Vietnam War, likely influenced the novel's depiction of a world ravaged by nuclear conflict. The environmental movement of the 1960s, sparked by books like Rachael Carson's Silent Spring, also resonates in the novel's portrayal of a world struggling with the consequences of human actions on nature.
The man-made world of machines and artificial constructs, as described in Dick's 1972 speech "The Human and the Android," comes to life in the novel's setting. The environment is portrayed as quasi-alive, blurring the lines between the animate and inanimate, and raising questions about the nature of life and technology. This setting serves as a backdrop for the novel's exploration of character development, themes of human existence, and the relationship between humans and androids.
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Nuclear global war
The 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco following a nuclear global war, referred to as "World War Terminus", which has left Earth's atmosphere highly radioactive and unsuitable for sustaining life.
The novel is a product of its time, reflecting the social and political concerns of the 1960s. The Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the proxy wars fought between them, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War, likely influenced Dick's depiction of a world ravaged by nuclear conflict. The novel's exploration of environmental themes also resonates with the growing environmental movement of the 1960s, sparked by books like Rachael Carson's Silent Spring, which brought attention to the harmful effects of human actions on nature.
In the novel, the aftermath of the nuclear war has rendered most animal species endangered or extinct due to extreme radiation poisoning. This has led to a cultural shift, where owning a live animal has become a status symbol and a sign of empathy. The United Nations encourages mass emigration to off-world colonies to preserve humanity's genetic integrity and protect it from the radioactive environment.
The main plot of the novel revolves around Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter who is tasked with "retiring" (killing) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. Deckard himself owns a robotic black-faced sheep, highlighting the juxtaposition between the synthetic and organic life forms in the post-war world.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? presents a grim future for humanity, shaped by the devastating consequences of nuclear conflict. It serves as a cautionary tale, inviting readers to consider the potential outcomes of failing to address the social, political, and environmental challenges of the present.
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Endangered and extinct animals
The 1968 novel *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?* by Philip K. Dick is set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian future where Earth's life has been devastated by a nuclear global war, rendering the atmosphere highly radioactive. The story takes place in San Francisco in 1992 (2021 in later editions), after a conflict known as "World War Terminus", which has resulted in the mass extinction of many animal species. This future world, influenced by the social and political concerns of the 1960s, is polluted and largely devoid of animals, with most species now endangered or extinct due to extreme radiation poisoning.
In this future, owning a real live animal has become a status symbol and a sign of empathy. The United Nations encourages mass emigration to off-world colonies to preserve humanity's genetic integrity, and the surviving humans on Earth are left in a world where technology is increasingly sentient and encroaching upon their understanding of "life". The protagonist, Rick Deckard, owns a robotic black-faced sheep, an electric imitation of a real animal, and he seeks to buy a live animal to replace it, hoping this will bring him and his depressed wife, Iran, greater existential fulfilment.
The novel explores themes of human nature, technology, and the human condition, and it serves as a warning about the dangers of humans becoming "mechanical". It also reflects the concerns of its time, such as the environmental impact of war, particularly the use of napalm and Agent Orange in the Vietnam War, and the influence of Rachael Carson's book *Silent Spring*, which warned of the dangers of DDT and sparked the modern environmentalist movement.
The novel's setting and themes provided a rich context for its 1982 film adaptation, *Blade Runner*, and its 2017 sequel, *Blade Runner 2049*, which retained many elements and themes from the novel, including the post-apocalyptic world and the impact of technology on humanity.
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![By Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (2012-02-16) [Paperback]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51s+NVQ6atL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Androids posing as humans
In the 1968 novel *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*, the setting is key to the plot and themes of the story. The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic future version of San Francisco, following a global war that has rendered Earth's atmosphere highly radioactive. This has caused mass extinctions of animals, with most species now endangered or extinct. As a result, in this future world, owning a real live animal has become a fashionable status symbol and a sign of empathy. This is because the few remaining animals are expensive and hard to come by. The protagonist, Rick Deckard, for example, owns a robotic black-faced sheep, which is an electric imitation of a real animal.
The novel's plot centres on the threat posed by androids that are almost indistinguishable from humans. These androids are so lifelike that a special empathy test has been developed to identify any androids posing as humans. This test is not foolproof, however, as Deckard discovers when he meets Rachael Rosen, a Nexus-6 android so advanced that she is able to deceive the test. Deckard, a bounty hunter, is tasked with 'retiring' (i.e. killing) a group of rogue Nexus-6 androids that have escaped to Earth from Mars. These androids are dangerous and unpredictable, capable of cruelty and indifference towards humans.
The novel's exploration of the relationship between humans and androids is set against the backdrop of a dystopian, polluted, man-made environment. This setting reflects the story's themes of technology, the human condition, and the potential sentience of artificial constructs. The world of the novel is one in which the line between human and machine has become blurred, and the value of 'life' is questioned.
The novel's author, Philip K. Dick, was influenced by contemporary concerns about the environment and the increasing role of technology in society. In a famous 1972 speech, "The Human and the Android", Dick discussed the ways in which humans were becoming increasingly 'mechanical', and how the man-made world was beginning to take on a life of its own. This idea of 'science fiction forecasting' is central to the novel's setting, as it imagines a future world shaped by the social, political, and environmental issues of the 1960s.
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The human condition
One of the central themes of the novel is the impact of technology on humanity. In the world of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', humans have become increasingly reliant on technology, with machines, artificial constructs, computers, and electronic systems permeating all aspects of life. This reliance on technology has led to a sense of mechanization and dehumanization, where humans risk becoming "mechanical" themselves, as warned by Christopher Palmer. The novel's portrayal of androids, which are nearly indistinguishable from humans, further blurs the line between human and machine, challenging the very definition of what it means to be human.
The novel also delves into the concept of empathy and its role in the human condition. In a world where mass extinctions have occurred, owning live animals has become a symbol of status and empathy. This is exemplified by the character Rick Deckard, who owns a robotic black-faced sheep and seeks to buy a live animal to replace it, hoping to find greater existential fulfillment for himself and his depressed wife. The novel introduces the concept of "Empathy Boxes", which allow users to experience collective suffering and connect with others on an emotional level, further highlighting the importance of empathy in a world increasingly dominated by technology.
The environmental condition of the novel's setting is a reflection of the social and political climate of the 1960s, when the book was written. The dangers of human actions on the natural world, such as the use of DDT and the widespread environmental destruction caused by the Vietnam War, are mirrored in the novel's post-apocalyptic landscape. This "science fiction forecasting" serves as a warning of what could happen if social, political, and environmental issues are left unaddressed. The novel, therefore, encourages readers to contemplate the impact of human actions on the planet and the potential consequences for humanity.
Ultimately, 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is a profound exploration of the human condition in a technological and environmentally degraded future. By examining the complex interplay between humans and technology, and humans and nature, the novel invites readers to reflect on the fundamental aspects of what it means to be human and the potential consequences of our actions in the present.
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Frequently asked questions
The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian San Francisco in the future, specifically the year 1992 (2021 in later editions).
Earth's life has been greatly damaged by a nuclear global war, which has rendered the Earth's atmosphere highly radioactive. Most animal species are now endangered or extinct, and owning a real live animal has become a status symbol.
The setting of the novel was influenced by the social and political concerns of the 1960s, when the book was written. The world had witnessed two World Wars and was in the middle of the Cold War. The Vietnam War was also in full swing when the novel was published.
