Empathy and Dyspathy between Man, Android and Robot in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick and I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

Abstract

We live in an age where science and technology rapidly expand the boundaries of what is possible.One such area is the branch of technology called robotics, which deals with the construction and design of robots.However, as robots become more advanced and acquiring more humanlike features and capabilities, it is not uncommon to speculate, both in the real world and in fiction, what may happen if robots become too advanced and humanlike.These speculations are developed on in Isaac Asimov's I, Robot and Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.Not only do the two narratives explore how robots and androids change the world for the better or worse, but also how the humanlike behaviour and appearance of the artificial beings evoke empathy or dyspathy amongst the human characters.This essay will discuss why the human characters start to feel empathy or dyspathy toward the artificial beings that appear in I, Robot and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.