Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep — Philip K. Dick

Read: 12.14.15

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep summarizes humanity's biggest curiosity towards artificial intelligence: will it be capable of empathy? Or rather, will we be able to empathize with it?

This dystopian novel features human Rick Deckard, an android bounty hunter, and how differently he begins to perceive himself as he fluctuates between exterminating and empathizing with androids. Eventually, Rick discovers the greater truth behind Mercerism, a prevalent religion held by those left on Earth, and loses his ability to distinguish life and their respective electric forms (but maybe that's a good thing).

Philip K. Dick's style was unlike any other I've read before. Forget about the usual introduction > rising action > climax pattern. At one moment two characters may be exchanging a friendly conversation, only to fight to the death in the next sentence. No hints, no foreshadowing.

Dick's descriptions lay simple and straightforward, but much of the character's dialogue were layered with insight into the book's themes (Life vs. Artificial Intelligence, the value of life, emotional capabilities of love and empathy, etc.) and symbols. I do not think reading this book just once will do it justice— too many implications and significant exchanges have been left unexamined through my first read. Hopefully I'll catch more of them the next time around.