How Philip K. Dick redefined what in means to be (in)human

Burton, James. 2018. How Philip K. Dick redefined what in means to be (in)human. The Conversation, [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Fifty years ago, Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? questioned what it means to be human in ways that have an immense lasting influence.

The action of the novel – and the Blade Runner films based on it – largely revolves around the central tension and struggle between biological humans and artificially constructed androids. Arguably, however, the story’s greatest continuing relevance is in the way it challenges a particular image of the human that has come to dominate in modern Western culture. This image portrays certain qualities – whiteness, masculinity, heterosexuality, rationalism, professional success and physical prowess – as the ideal symbols of humanity’s success.

Item Type:

Article

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Centre for Cultural Studies (1998-2017)
Media, Communications and Cultural Studies

Dates:

DateEvent
9 April 2018Accepted
10 April 2018Published

Item ID:

23385

Date Deposited:

07 Jun 2018 08:49

Last Modified:

07 Jun 2018 08:49

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/23385

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