Philip K. Dick, a popular science fiction writer, explored two related themes: first, what is real and what is not, and second, how do we live authentically? He was also concerned, as many mid-twentieth century writers were, with authoritarianism and intrusions of government and large corporations into ordinary, private lives. This informed his exploration of the intersection between the idios kosmos, an individual's private world, and the koinos kosmos, society's common or shared...
Philip K. Dick, a popular science fiction writer, explored two related themes: first, what is real and what is not, and second, how do we live authentically? He was also concerned, as many mid-twentieth century writers were, with authoritarianism and intrusions of government and large corporations into ordinary, private lives. This informed his exploration of the intersection between the idios kosmos, an individual's private world, and the koinos kosmos, society's common or shared world. In an essay in Criticism and Analysis, science fiction writer Ursula le Guin likened him to Charles Dickens in the importance both placed on individual acts of human kindness, honesty and patience in what could seem a soulless world.
In his short story "Second Variety," which was the basis for the movie Blade Movie, Dick investigates reality versus illusion themes as androids become so humanlike it is impossible to distinguish them from humans, bringing to the fore the question of what is authentically human and what is not. Dick said this story, of all his writing, most fully explored this theme. Likewise in Time out of Joint, a man who earns his living solving puzzles seems to lead an ordinary life in a typical 1950s suburb until he finds out that this "reality" is, in fact, a carefully crafted illusion. Finally, going back to "Roog," Dick's first published short story, the theme of what is real versus illusory is explored through the point of view of a dog, who has a different take on garbagemen than a human would.
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