So I read this book a few years ago, and didn't understand

>being confused by scifi genre fic

Wew

>>8303431
what if I told you the answer is fucking obvious and has to do with the entire theme of the "book?"

>>8303431
bump

>>8303431
iirc Rick kill the woman that looked like rosen, which was of the same type as her - a sort of filial relationship between the two existed
rick was disposing the android, but these type androids, probably among many others, were remarkably human, to the point that the human-android distinction blurs in matters of psychology. rick got rid of the androids for being androids, rosen kill his goat out of revenge, being human, just like the androids rick kills for a living

I don't remember much of the book, but it might have been something like that...

I didn't like the book but I always think about the devo song Mongoloid when I remember the retarded animal repair man. I wonder they are related. Or if those guys had this book in mind writing it.

>>8303431
The book suggests that empathy is the distinct and defining human characteristic that is important because it brings people together (there is a line in the book which observes that empathy blurs boundaries and overcomes division; between hunter and hunted, victor and defeated.)

They live in a post-war society which encourages empathy and community by two constructs; animal owning, and the Mercerism religion. Rachel destroys the goat because she does not comprehend the value of empathy and spirituality (note that her fellow androids wanted to discredit Mercerisim.)

It is also a chance for Dick to pun, because Rachel literally gets his goat.

PKD points out that societal constructs are unnatural, like the andoids, robot animals, and sham religion - but he suggest that these constructs are validated by the genuine feelings they engender in us, of love, empathy, and greater purpose.

By this he is also hinting that a strongly imposed perception of something can change reality, an idea that pops up elsewhere in his books.