Original scientific paper
The Virtual Reality of Half-life in Philip K. Dick's Ubik as the Timeless Intermediate Possible World
Mirko Šešlak
Abstract
Using Doležel’s possible worlds theory, coupled with Suvin’s theoretical work on science fiction, the paper attempts to discern whether the world of Dick’s Ubik is truly science-fictional. Suvin agrees with Doležel that science-fictional texts construct natural fictional worlds, analogous to our empirical reality. If fictional physical laws breach the actual natural laws, such texts construct supernatural possible worlds. Ubik is often criticized for venturing out of the accepted science-fictional tropes because of the presence of events, objects and characters which seemingly do not follow real-world logic. One such fictional phenomenon is half-life, a virtual reality experienced in cryonic suspension. The purpose of half-life is to stave off the psychological degeneration of the mind in the absence of external stimuli by providing a reality surrogate. Its existence can be explained through Doležel’s concept of intermediate possible worlds. Such worlds provide a fictional plane where supernatural objects and events (in dreams or various altered states of mind) can be encountered without endangering the naturalness of the fictional universe.
Keywords
Suvin; science-fiction; Doležel; natural and intermediate possible worlds
Hrčak ID:
318963
URI
Publication date:
15.7.2023.
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