The author’s foreword to The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 1 discusses the properties of science fiction. While interesting, I found it quite vague conveys and decided to extract a clearer ruleset from it¹, which those aspiring to write in his style might find useful. Or it might help readers assess the sci-fi novels/stories² through a Dickian lens. In this post, I develop the framework and fit some books and movies (whose books I haven’t read) to it.

Dick’s Framework for Sci-Fi

According to Dick, a work qualifies as sci-fi if it has three core principles:

1. Conceptual Dislocation: Creating a world and society that could exist but doesn’t actually exist - a fictional world that differs from our reality in a significant, coherent way.
2. The Great New Idea: This dislocation must be conceptual in nature - neither trivial nor bizarre, but a meaningful difference that generates events impossible in our world.
3. Subjective Distinction from Fantasy: Science fiction deals with what’s generally regarded as possible under the right circumstances, whereas fantasy involves what’s considered impossible. Dick says that this distinction is subjective, using the example of Ted Sturgeon’s mutants to demonstrate how the same work could be science fiction or fantasy depending entirely on the reader’s belief about what’s possible³.

Application of Framework to Two Dick’s Novels

Below are two of Dick’s works evaluated against the three principles of novel-writing. He creates intricate worlds where characters’ psychologies drive the narrative. Both books demonstrate how the novel form (as opposed to the story form) allows him to explore conceptual dislocations using well developed characters.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

This novel centers on Deckard’s psychological journey and moral development, with his actions emerging from his evolving character rather than merely serving plot functions.

1. Conceptual dislocation: A post-apocalyptic society where artificial beings are nearly indistinguishable from humans, and where natural animals are precious rarities, inverting traditional value systems.
2. Nature of dislocation: The conceptual exploration of what constitutes humanity when the line between human and machine blurs. This is non-trivial as it challenges fundamental philosophical questions about consciousness, empathy, and authentic existence.
3. SF boundary: The elements (advanced androids, mood organs, empathy boxes) exist in a realm readers could believe possible through technological advancement, placing it within science fiction rather than fantasy.

The Man in the High Castle

This novel examines its characters’ inner lives and relationships as they navigate this altered reality, with their personalities driving their unique responses to the world rather than the plot dictating their behaviors.

1. Conceptual dislocation: An alternate America divided between Japanese and German occupation following Axis victory in WWII, creating a society that could plausibly exist but doesn’t.
2. Nature of dislocation: The conceptual exploration of power dynamics, cultural identity, and reality itself through this altered history. The novel uses this setting to examine profound questions about authenticity and perception.
3. SF boundary: The alternate history premise feels scientifically plausible as it stems from actual historical events with different outcomes. The meta-fictional element (book-within-book showing Allied victory) further explores the nature of reality and possibility.​

   Applying the Framework to other works

   Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fits pretty nicely to Dick’s three principles:

1. Conceptual dislocation: A dystopian American society where books are banned and firemen burn them rather than extinguish fires. A world that could plausibly evolve from our own but doesn’t exist.

2. Nature of dislocation: The conceptual exploration of a society that has systematically eliminated intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. This dislocation is non-trivial as it fundamentally transforms the relationship between citizens and knowledge, creating a populace controlled through mindless entertainment and censorship.

3. SF boundary: The elements (wall-sized interactive televisions, mechanical hound, ear-shell radios) represent technological extensions of media and surveillance tech that readers could believe possible, placing it within science fiction rather than fantasy.

As a novel, it centers on Montag’s psychological and philosophical transformation from book-burner to book-preserver. His character development drives the narrative as his growing awareness leads to actions that emerge organically from his changing consciousness. The depth of his character and the detailed world-building of this alternative society fulfill Dick’s criteria for the novel form, where Montag’s unique personality ultimately dictates his rebellion rather than the plot simply driving him toward a predetermined crisis and resolution.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Children of Men (film)

This aligns really nicely to Dick’s sci-fi model:

1. Conceptual dislocation: A near-future world where global human infertility has persisted for 18 years, leading to societal collapse and authoritarian control. This is a world that could plausibly exist (stemming from our current society) but doesn’t.
2. Nature of dislocation: The conceptual exploration of how humanity faces extinction not through sudden catastrophe but through the gradual absence of new life. This dislocation is profoundly non-trivial, as it fundamentally transforms social structures, political systems, and psychological outlooks when society has no future generation.
3. SF boundary: The global infertility crisis is presented as potentially having scientific causes rather than supernatural ones, placing it within what viewers might consider theoretically possible rather than fantasy. The focus on sociopolitical consequences rather than technological spectacle aligns with Dick’s emphasis on how the conceptual change transforms society. The film is notable as it exemplifies Dick’s principle that science fiction isn’t defined by futuristic technology or setting, but by its conceptual transformation of society. “Children of Men” contains few technological advances (at least not central to the plot line) beyond our world, focusing instead on societal regression in response to the fertility crisis. Movies are typically “novels” as they’re driven by characters and this centers on Theo’s psychological journey and moral awakening, with his character development driving the narrative rather than the plot merely pushing him through events. His actions emerge organically from his evolving perspective as he rediscovers purpose in a seemingly hopeless world. The film is also a great example of Dick’s view that good science fiction uses its conceptual premise to explore profound questions about humanity, society, and existence itself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Prestige(film)

Obsession is a young man’s game.

The Prestige film adaptation largely adheres to Dick’s model of science fiction, much like the novel, though with some notable differences in how it handles the material:

1. Conceptual dislocation: The film retains the same fundamental science fiction premise—Tesla’s machine that can create perfect duplicates of a human. This creates a world nearly identical to Victorian reality but with one impossible technological element.
2. Nature of dislocation: The film maintains the conceptual exploration of identity, sacrifice, and obsession when perfect duplication becomes possible. However, the film emphasizes the rivalry and psychological warfare between the magicians more prominently than some of the novel’s deeper philosophical examinations of identity.
3. SF boundary: The film presents the science fictional element in a similar way to the book—as an extension of electrical science rather than magic—keeping it within the realm of theoretical possibility rather than fantasy.

Key deviations from the source material:

1. Narrative structure: The film simplifies the novel’s complex epistolary structure (diaries, letters across generations) into a more straightforward dual-timeline narrative, making it function somewhat more like a “story” in Dick’s framework.
2. Character depth: While still character-driven, the film necessarily condenses the psychological complexity of the protagonists, particularly reducing the novel’s deeper exploration of the duplicates’ existential crises.
3. Timeline compression: The film significantly compresses the timeline, reducing the multi-generational impact explored in the book.
4. Tesla’s role: The film expands Tesla’s character and makes his scientific contribution more central and explicit than in the novel.
5. Emphasis on rivalry: The film focuses more intently on the direct rivalry between Angier and Borden, heightening the thriller elements at the expense of some of the novel’s philosophical rumination. Despite these differences, the film still operates as science fiction under Dick’s principles—it creates a conceptual dislocation through a coherent (if impossible) scientific advancement that transforms the protagonists’ reality, and it explores how this change impacts human psychology and identity. The film retains enough character development and psychological exploration to function more as a “novel” than a mere “story” in Dick’s framework, even with its more streamlined approach.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Fantasy in the Dickian framework

I also examine “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” using Dick’s framework. This firmly sits in fantasy: its central premise of innate magical abilities contradicts known scientific principles and is generally regarded as impossible.

1. Conceptual Dislocation: The world contains a hidden magical society existing alongside our ordinary world, completely separate and governed by entirely different rules.
2. The Great New Idea: The central concept revolves around magic as an inherent ability possessed by certain people, with its own established rules and institutions that have existed parallel to our world for centuries.
3. Distinction as Fantasy: The magical abilities depicted (casting spells, brewing potions with magical effects, magical creatures) are generally regarded as impossible under any scientific understanding.