25%: 8

Dick does a good job of dropping is in media res without overwhelming us with a fire hydrant of futurism. Concepts are introduced at a steady pace, and thematic expectations are calibrated via character development in a way that sets the tone for what the meta-commentary is about. The book feels very well structured so far, not biting off more than Dick wishes to chew, while still broaching a lofty set of philosophical questions (replicants and their worth baybee). Having read this out of order (relative to seeing the film, and also reading Tender is the Flesh I further appreciate Villeneuve' deviation from the source material to explore other aspects of this world, tackling similar ethical questions from a different angle that's still consistent with Dick's story.

The matter of fact and reasonable definition of what constitutes consciousness makes the discussion of the androids clear and thorough without being too heavy. We're able to actually engage with the thought w/o being bogged down by open-ended what-ifs about the world Dick presents (compared to contemporaries such as Heinlein who also shoot for the stars but have a splash more deus ex machina).

In this section of the book, the Rosen foundation is supposed to represent the broadest view of ethical consideration, but then the way that Uncle Rosen refers to his niece as a sales device and a piece of property belonging to the Associated undercuts their whole agenda. Great stuff and well-scoped while still introducing enough mystery/limited information thru the lens of Decker to wonder if he's still being had .

Guy named "Holden" gets shot early on. I'm generally in favor of characters of this name getting shot early on.

50%: 7.75

The stratification of the social classes is laid out as:

• low IQ chicken heads,

• androids,

• organic human beings on earth,

• and then all those fortunate enough to have immigrated to the space colonies.

The hierarchy is made clear via various interactions that happened in the first six chapters, especially between John Isidore and Rachel Rosen, who treats him poorly as soon as she realizes that he’s a cotton-headed-ninny-muggins. Rosen herself who was relegated from Pinocchial "I'm a real girl" status to "you are a sales device" by a couple of earthlings who's own faculties are also gradually failing them due to radiation poisoning.

We're made to be sympathetic towards Isidore's retardation – I don’t think that Dick is encouraging the reader to subscribe to the caste system laid out nor the implied eugenics of Mercer's earth. Isidore's inability to keep his own house clean due to his model of civilization is humorous and sad, and then we’re doubly sympathetic to him by his maltreatment by Rachel Rosen, and how quickly he subsequently brushes it off so: it goes.

Additionally interesting discussion of the future where empathy is the currency/eidetic piece of humanity, appreciable by chicken heads, but not by androids, and the war for human's "souls" between Mercer and Friendly – both of which are just propaganda devices themselves.

The actual bounty hunting which comprises most of this section of the book is the least enjoyable part, which says something since it's still enjoyable!

75%: 8/10

The irony is so rich.

John Isador's low IQ makes him the perfect candidate to aid in the android conspiracy. The way that he is treated less than by everyone else on earth increases his empathy towards people who are also prosecuted and also naturally makes him stupid enough to be easily manipulated by them. It's kind of beautiful.

Rick Decker spending all the money he earns bounty hunting to buy –of all things– an animal: because of the value of life. Extinguishing one life to pay for another.

Enormous irony of him scribbling down the address of the next andy on his list on the contract marking the mortgage of his new goat, purchased with blood money.

fin: 8.25

I really like that the dichotomy between Mercer and Friendly isn't binary good and evil, but rather complex ideologies of collectivism (sorrow halved, joy shared etc.) vs. Friendlies who look down on Mercerism.

Mercer becoming more and more of a god figure, one of the few things that's left open-ended in the novel.

Very good juxtaposition between Rachel and Iran. Iran is obsessed with the emotion organ to simulate feelings, Rachel demonstrates a higher capacity for genuine empathy than Iran. And yet the androids end up being just as evil and soulless as we're to believe if we were un-empathetic chicken-heads.

In the end, none of the members of the 4 classes of empathy behave the way they're "supposed" to – not the animals, low IQ, the androids, nor the humans. Really well done Philly my boy!

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