In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Phillip K. Dick introduces another bounty hunter, Phil Resch, who joins to work with Rick Deckard. Although they both originally believe to share the same motives, Deckard soon discovers that his interpretation of empathy is different from Resch's. His new perspective challenges the idea of whether or not empathy should be the characteristic that defines the human experience.
Phil Resch is the ideal bounty hunter. He doesn't ever feel any remorse for the androids he retires; he simply kills for the sake of killing. Resch also openly speaks about how androids are solely a threat to society. He then even admits that he would take his own life if he tested to be one. Based on this description, Resch's approaches follow what Deckard aspires to be from the beginning of the novel. After all, his priority is to get enough money from retiring androids to be able to afford a genuine animal. However, Deckard's identity begins to transform directly following his interactions with the other bounty hunter. …show more content…
Deckard saw something different in Luft--her genuine understanding and appreciation of the arts and human culture--that made him extend his empathy to her. The Voigt-Kampff test he later takes confirms this capability of his, meaning that his morality changes. Additionally, he begins to see a "pattern" in Resch's methods to retiring androids, noticing that Resch "[doesn't] kill the way [he does]" (137). Yet, what's important about this is how Deckard responds to his change in identity and Resch's actions. He doesn't feel that Resch is wrong in his treatment of androids, instead, Deckard starts to think that he is flawed for being able to empathize with androids, stating that's "there's nothing unnatural or inhuman about Phil Resch's reactions; its me"
Phil Resch is the ideal bounty hunter. He doesn't ever feel any remorse for the androids he retires; he simply kills for the sake of killing. Resch also openly speaks about how androids are solely a threat to society. He then even admits that he would take his own life if he tested to be one. Based on this description, Resch's approaches follow what Deckard aspires to be from the beginning of the novel. After all, his priority is to get enough money from retiring androids to be able to afford a genuine animal. However, Deckard's identity begins to transform directly following his interactions with the other bounty hunter. …show more content…
Deckard saw something different in Luft--her genuine understanding and appreciation of the arts and human culture--that made him extend his empathy to her. The Voigt-Kampff test he later takes confirms this capability of his, meaning that his morality changes. Additionally, he begins to see a "pattern" in Resch's methods to retiring androids, noticing that Resch "[doesn't] kill the way [he does]" (137). Yet, what's important about this is how Deckard responds to his change in identity and Resch's actions. He doesn't feel that Resch is wrong in his treatment of androids, instead, Deckard starts to think that he is flawed for being able to empathize with androids, stating that's "there's nothing unnatural or inhuman about Phil Resch's reactions; its me"