The Construction of Body and Consciousness in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Abstract
“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” is a significant work of science fiction that explores the concept of the post-human condition. In his literary works, Philip K. Dick undertook the task of reconfiguring the physical and cognitive aspects of both human beings and replicants. One perspective suggests that there is a growing trend towards cybernetization in the human body, while another perspective argues that the physical composition of replicants is progressively resembling that of human beings. In contrast, there is a growing interconnection between human beings and replicants within the realm of mind and emotion. This research aims to examine the correlation between the physical, technical, cognitive, and subjective aspects of human and replicant bodies, thereby offering an interpretation of this novel concept via the lens of post-humanism. The act of constructing blurs the distinction between humans and androids, hence giving rise to an ethical dilemma wherein both humans and androids vie for subjective experiences. The establishment of a novel topic incorporating both human and non-human entities, with the aim of critically examining anthropocentrism, can be seen as a potential solution to address this issue.
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