Walsh-test

The Voigt-Kampff Test measures involuntary physical responses to questions. If a test subject responds flatly to a question involving emotionally challenging scenarios, the test subject is concluded to be an android because of the lack of empathic response.

What is measured by the Voigt-Kampff Test, and how do the results indicate whether or not the test subject is an android?

Owning an animal is Deckard's greatest desire. The thought of owning a real owl was beyond his wildest dreams. When it was revealed that the owl was a fake, Deckard was more devastated by this realization than by the inaccuracy of his android-human testing methods. Deckard's desire to own the owl was more powerful than his desire to save mislabeled humans from bounty hunters.

Why is Deckard more disturbed by the realization that the owl is fake than by the results of his test session?

. Polokov's attempt to masquerade as humans in a variety of professions indicates that androids possess a strong sense of survival and a cleverness that is challenging to humans.

What does the interaction between Deckard and Polokov imply about the escaped androids?

Deckard dials his home number and a woman he has never seen before answers the phone.

What happens when Deckard calls his wife?

Kipple is the amassment of useless items left over from the evacuation of Earth by a majority of its population. As everything degrades, the amount of worthless garbage begins to outweigh the amount of items still useful to Earth's inhabitants.

What is "kipple"?

Barbour expresses his sincere sorrow when he hears that Deckard's sheep is mechanized.

What is Barbour's reaction to Deckard's confession that his sheep is not real?

A "special" is a human being who has sustained mental damage from the radioactive dust covering Earth.

What is a "special"?

Bounty hunters use the Voigt-Kampff Test to determine the involuntary physical responses of the test subject. The test involves questions that stimulate emotional responses in humans.

How do bounty hunters test for this difference?

. Garland realizes that he is included on Deckard's list of androids.

. What does officer Garland notice about Deckard's list of androids?

Deckard looks for Polokov at the Bay Area Scavenger's Company because he is masquerading as a special who works in a menial position for the scavenging company.

. Why does Deckard look for Polokov at the Bay Area Scavenger's Company?

The W.P.O. is concerned about the accuracy of the test methods involving androids and they want one of their own members to observe a bounty hunter in action.

. Why does the W.P.O. want to send one of their own officers to accompany Deckard on his mission?

The police officer hasn't heard of Deckard or any of his coworkers. When the officer heads to the police station to book Deckard, it is apparent that the officer is taking Deckard to a different station because they are traveling away from Deckard's station.

. Why is Deckard confused by the police officer who arrests him?

. The Nexus-6 model of android is thee newest model available. Their brain systems render them more intellectually capable than most humans who have been classifieds as specials.

3. What is special about the Nexus-6 model of android?

Although the Rosens argue that Rachel is a human who was raised in isolation and therefore incapable of responding to the questions like a normal human, her responses to the questions accurately classify her as an android.

Are the results to Rosen's test accurate?

. Deckard sees his role as bounty hunter as an entropic component that facilitates the destruction of what has been created.

How does Deckard view his role as bounty hunter?

Deckard is not able to conclusively determine if Luba Luft is an android because of the oddness of her behavior during the test session.

Is Deckard's attempt to test Luba Luft successful?

Isidore's struggle against the inevitable amassment of kipple is similar to Mercer's struggle against the inevitable destruction that is inherent to existence on Earth. Both struggles are against forces that will inevitably win. Kipple is a physical manifestation of this struggle, whereas the destruction involved in Mercer's struggle is conceptual.

How does Isidore's struggle against kipple compare/contrast to Mercer's struggle against devastation?

. Deckard has issues with retiring androids because he feels as though he is adding to the same destruction which Mercerism struggles against.

How does his role compare to the moral philosophy of Mercerism?

People who use the empathy box feel as though they are not alone in their own struggles because of Mercer's personal struggles. They are able to commiserate with Mercer and, as a result, people who use the box feel as though they are not alone.

How does the story involving Mercer affect users of the empathy box?

Iran uses the mood organ to experiment with different moods in an attempt to simulate real emotional responses Deckard uses his mood organ to dictate the mood in which he will approach his day

In what ways does Irans mood organ differ from Deckard's?

Since some humans also fail the Voight-Kampff Test, there are instances when a human could be misclassified as an android, which means that a bounty hunter could legally kill the human

What does the inability for some humans to pass the Voigt-Kampff Empathy Test imply?

Rachel Rosen tests positive as an android.

What are the results of Rachel Rosen's test?

. Isidore is disturbed by the mechanized animal because it is sick and its responses are identical to those made by a real animal.

What disturbs Isidore about the cat he has just picked up?

Deckard discovers that Kadalyi is actually Polokov, the android that Deckard has been pursuing.

What does Deckard find out about the Russian police agent, Kadalyi?

Isidore thinks that both Friendly and Mercer are in competition for the minds of humans still living on Earth.

What does Isidore think about Buster Friendly and Wilbur Mercer?

. Rachel Rosen offers to assist Deckard in his mission. This is strange because she is an android offering to help in the destruction of other androids.

What does Rachel Rosen offer Deckard and why is this strange?

The empathy box depicts Mercer in his struggle through a barren landscape as he tries to ascend a hill in order to escape from the tomb world.

What does the empathy box depict?

The woman doesn't claim to know about Buster Friendly (the most popular television personality on Earth), she has difficulty telling Isidore her name, and she doesn't have an empathy box. Also, she seems nervous upon meeting Isidore until she learns that no one else lives in the building.

What is odd about the new tenant in Isidore's building?

Both stations are called "Hall of Justice" and both employ bounty hunters to administer tests to suspected androids and retire those who test positive.

What is similar about the police station on Mission and the police station on Lombard?

Androids are incapable of feeling empathy, an emotion that humans are able to experience with respect towards one another.

What is the fundamental difference between androids and humans?

Resch uses the Boneli Reflex-Arc Test.

What type of test does Phil Resch use?

Deckard goes to the San Francisco Opera where one of the cast members is an android.

Where does Deckard go to find the next android on his list?

Resch explains that he has often thought that androids were probably hiding out as humans in significant positions with corporations and/or police organizations.

Where does Phil Resch suggest that some androids may hide?

Rachel Rosen is Deckard's first test subject.

Who is Deckard's first test subject?

Humans on Earth appeal to Wilbur Mercer, as an iconographic figure, for a sense of companionship and commiseration in their struggle for survival on the planet

Who is Wilbur Mercer?

. Real animals are extremely expensive and rare. Because of the harshness of the environment on Earth, real animals frequently get sick and die. Many people own ersatz animals as an alternative because they are more durable and cost-effective.

Why do some people own mechanized animals instead of animals that are real?

Owning a false animal is less desirable than owning a real animal because of the rarity of real animals. Admitting to owning a false animal brings shame to the owner because of the lack of authenticity of the false animal.

Why does Deckard keep the falsity of his animal from his neighbors?

The empathy box is what enables humans to connect to Wilbur Mercer and feel companionship with other humans. Everyone owns an empathy box and Isidore finds it odd that the woman didn't have room for it amongst the belongings she chose to bring with her when she moved.

Why does Isidore find it odd that she doesn't have an empathy box?

Isidore uses his empathy box for companionship. Isidore lives in isolation and the empathy box makes him feel as though he is not alone.

Why does Isidore use his empathy box?

Isidore warns Pris Stratton about borrowing items from other people's apartments because borrowing items from other apartments invites the accumulation of "kipple."

Why does Isidore warn Pris Stratton about borrowing items from other people's apartment?

The Rosen Association is concerned with testing methods because if a test proves faulty in determining android or human, then the Rosen Association will be required to suspend its production of androids.

Why does the Rosen Association care about which test methods the bounty hunters use?

. Both Friendly and Mercer are prominent figures in society, but Friendly denounces Mercer regularly on his show. Isidore is confused about why Friendly would be allowed to make such comments if officials who control the television programming are the same people who promote the movement of Mercerism.

Why does the prominence of both characters in society seem contradictory to Isidore?

Deckard gives an alias at the animal shop because he is ashamed of not having enough money to purchase the real ostrich.

Why doesn't Deckard offer his real name to the salesperson at the animal shop?

. Although Isidore isn't able to find the electrical components that exist on an ersatz pet, he still believes the cat is mechanical because the owners called the Van Ness Hospital, which only deals with mechanical animals.

Why doesn't Isidore realize that the animal is real?

The Rosen Association manufactures the Nexus-6 android. Because methods of testing have come into question, Deckard is sent to the company to try the Voigt-Kampff test on a number of human and android test subjects to see if the test is accurate in its classification.

Why is Deckard sent to the Rosen association?

The Rosens attempt to bribe Deckard with a real owl. Owning an animal thought to be extinct is something beyond Deckard's wildest dreams.

Why is Deckard tempted by the bribe put forth by the Rosen's?

Mr. Sloat is angry because of the waste involved in the death of a real animal.

Why is Isidore's boss, Mr. Sloat, upset when he realizes the animal is real?

The current method of testing is a concern for the police because some humans who are schizophrenic have failed the Voigt-Kampff Test and achieved results identical to those of androids.

Why is the current method of testing for androids a concern to police organizations?

The real ostrich is so expensive because it is the only one remaining on the West Coast.

Why is the real ostrich so expensive?