Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2013 - (Page 38)

off the shelf Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick Review by Mary Jane Porzenheim What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be eligible for moral consideration? Are the two the same question? Is a human genome necessary, or, as some philosophers would argue, is a capacity for suffering enough? Is sentience necessary? In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick raises such questions as he seeks to help us separate man from machine. The science fiction novel is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth that has seen most of its species go extinct and most of its human population emigrate to Mars, where they are given personal humanoid robots, called androids, as slaves. In this context, Dick not only explores definitions of life and humanity, but also seeks to define the ways in which we are responsible for being empathetic toward others and the duties we have to others. Readers are introduced to two major characters: Rick Deckard, a former police officer who now hunts escaped android slaves, and John Isidore, a man who has genetic and intellectual deficiencies resulting from exposure to toxic dust on the surface of the Earth. Deckard is plagued by his social insecurity and by his inability to feel empathy for some androids; Isidore is devalued in society because he is genetically damaged. Deckard finds himself in charge of hunting six escaped androids, while Isidore is something of an ally to them. Both have their lives endangered as the androids fight to survive. Dick creates an engaging, engrossing world. Clocking in at around 250 pages, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a relatively fast read, and it is satisfyingly referential to science, including details on such concepts as entropy, how androids might be built and detected, and the effects of radiation on the human body. The stories of both Deckard and Isidore have unexpected twists and turns, even if you have watched Blade Runner, a movie based on the novel. In the beginning, Androids is written concretely; as it progresses, Dick shifts his style to include more dream sequences and philosophical tangents. This shift in style slows the reader down enough to allow more time to process the book's weightier ideas. Though its plot incorporates a fair amount of action, Androids is ultimately a contemplative, idea-driven novel. By examining the same events through several different sets of eyes, Dick allows the reader to engage with the culture of a land entirely different from 38 imagine our own. His fascinating fictional inventions are eerily prophetic, especially given that the book was first published in 1968. A science fiction novel must not only introduce the first layer of a society different from our own-it must analyze unexpected consequences as well, and Dick's work contains a great deal of such analysis. Overall, Androids is thought provoking and unexpected. It may not be the book to read if you want high philosophy, but as a quick dystopia it works well and is well worth the time. MJ Porzenheim, 16, is a junior at the Latin School in Chicago, IL, where she does not study Latin. Her interests include the subtle art of espresso making, the natural sciences, and theater. She hopes that the next book will always be better than the last. Also recommended The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To by DC Pierson Darren and Eric are nerdy high school outcasts who bond through science fiction, video games, and shared awkwardness. When Darren finds out that Eric doesn't sleep-ever-he thinks it's a great thing to write and draw about ... until Eric steals his girlfriend. Then he shares Eric's secret with someone who could have come straight from a sci-fi story. It's a very funny book with a lot of good characters you'll recognize and relate to. -Nathan Willis, 15, PA Les Miserables by Victor Hugo The film was a huge success in theaters, and the musical has been running for over 25 years. There's something about Les Miserables that keeps you hooked, and somehow the book is even better at doing that than film or the musical. Although it is over 1,200 pages long, you can never get bored of feeling empathy for Eponine, or enmity for inspector Valvert, or compassion for Jean Valjean. -Vedika Luthra, 15, Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland The Taste of Apples by Huang Chunming This collection of short stories offers readers an incisive look into a struggling Asian culture as it resists the impending change that the 1960s is bringing. The stories transport readers to a much simpler time, allowing them to step back and analyze their lives from a new perspective while exploring the recurring themes of metamorphosis and acceptance of change. -Samantha Chiang, 15, Taiwan Nov/Dec 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2013

In My Own Words
Interested in Econ
The World in Numbers
Reckoning with Randomness
Elliptic Curves
A League of Our Own
More Than Math
Developing Your Numbersense
Where Math Meets Imagination
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Dancing in the Footsteps of My Ancestors
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Game

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2013