Current Search: Dick, Philip K--Criticism and interpretation (x) » FAU (x)
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Title
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Would Lord Running Clam wear Wubfur slippers? The ethical imperative of empathy in the alternate ecologies of Philip K. Dick.
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Creator
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Aaronson, Russell S., Florida Atlantic University, Collins, Robert A., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of English
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Abstract/Description
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Although critics have observed Philip K. Dick's references to empathy throughout his novels, short stories, and essays, no analysis has attempted to examine the role of empathy in his writings. In contrast to the element of ratiocination (or logical extrapolation) widely considered to be the hallmark of science fiction, Dick's fictions are held together by the value they primarily place not on reason, but on an empathic understanding of our actions and their effects upon the lives of other...
Show moreAlthough critics have observed Philip K. Dick's references to empathy throughout his novels, short stories, and essays, no analysis has attempted to examine the role of empathy in his writings. In contrast to the element of ratiocination (or logical extrapolation) widely considered to be the hallmark of science fiction, Dick's fictions are held together by the value they primarily place not on reason, but on an empathic understanding of our actions and their effects upon the lives of other entities. Using two early short stories ("Beyond Lies the Wub" and "Roog"), two non-Earth ecologies (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Dr. Bloodmoney). I will demonstrate that Dick's works are united by an ethical imperative to understand the thoughts and emotions of others, human and nonhuman alike.
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Date Issued
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1996
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15339
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Subject Headings
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Dick, Philip K--Criticism and interpretation, Dick, Philip K--Ethics, Empathy in literature, Science fiction--History and criticism
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Format
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Document (PDF)
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Title
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Ubiquitous entropy and heat death in Philip K. Dick and Pamela Zoline.
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Creator
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Kasdorf, Krista., Florida Atlantic University, Scroggins, Mark
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Abstract/Description
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My scientifically informed readings of Philip K. Dick's Ubik (1969) and Pamela Zoline's "The Heat Death of the Universe" (1967) consider entropy's multifarious meanings from both thermodynamics and information theory. Additionally, rather than relying upon overarching assumptions about the texts' cultural moment, I explore each fiction's presentation of entropy as negative or positive. For Dick, the loss of female mothering accelerates the heat death of late-capitalistic society, with entropy...
Show moreMy scientifically informed readings of Philip K. Dick's Ubik (1969) and Pamela Zoline's "The Heat Death of the Universe" (1967) consider entropy's multifarious meanings from both thermodynamics and information theory. Additionally, rather than relying upon overarching assumptions about the texts' cultural moment, I explore each fiction's presentation of entropy as negative or positive. For Dick, the loss of female mothering accelerates the heat death of late-capitalistic society, with entropy a negative, destructive force. Zoline, however, recognizes the injurious ramifications of entrapping women within the gender role of self-sacrificing wife/mother; her protagonist purposefully accelerates entropy production to destroy such a closed system.
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Date Issued
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2006
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PURL
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http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13359
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Subject Headings
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Entropy (Information theory), Literature and science, Science fiction, American--History and criticism, Dick, Philip K--Criticism and interpretation, Zoline, Pamela,--1941---Criticism and interpretation
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Format
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Document (PDF)
