<P> Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (retitled Blade Runner: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? in some later printings) is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in 1968 . The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where Earth's life has been greatly damaged by nuclear global war . Most animal species are endangered or extinct from extreme radiation poisoning, so that owning an animal is now a sign of status and empathy, an attitude encouraged towards animals . The book served as the primary basis for the 1982 film Blade Runner, and many elements and themes from it were used in its 2017 sequel Blade Runner 2049 . </P> <P> The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter who is tasked with "retiring" (i.e. killing) six escaped Nexus - 6 model androids, while a secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-par IQ who aids the fugitive androids . In connection with Deckard's mission, the novel explores the issue of what it is to be human . Unlike humans, the androids are said to possess no sense of empathy . </P> <P> In post-apocalyptic 1992 (2021 in later editions), after "World War Terminus", the Earth's dirty atmosphere leads the United Nations to encourage mass emigrations to off - world colonies to preserve humanity's genetic integrity, with the incentive of free personal androids: robot servants identical to humans . On Earth, owning real live animals is a status symbol, because of mass extinctions and the cultural push for greater empathy that has motivated a technology - based religion called Mercerism . Poor people can only afford realistic - looking electric animals . Deckard, for example, owns a robotic black - faced sheep . Mercerism uses "empathy boxes" to link users simultaneously to a collective virtual reality of communal suffering, centered on a martyr - like character, Wilbur Mercer, who eternally climbs up a hill while being hit with crashing stones . </P> <P> The story also contains passing mention of "Penfield mood organs", which fill the role played by mind - altering drugs in other Dick stories . The technology can induce any desired mood in the people nearby, such as "an optimistic business - like attitude" or "the desire to watch television, no matter what is on". A passage in the opening chapter has Deckard and his wife, Iran, discussing what settings to use to start the day . She announces that she has scheduled six hours of "existential despair" for later in order to deal with their loneliness in an almost - deserted apartment building . </P>

What is mercer in do androids dream of electric sheep