Weeks 7 & 8, Science Fiction

What was does Dick (1995) himself theories about the I Ching?

As most people would know, the I Ching is an ancient Chinese divination text, it is commonly used by people who want to find out about their future. Firstly, the person asks a question, throws some coins and looks at the way in which they fall. Then the person reads the I Ching to decipher what the coins mean. However, Philip K. Dick had his personal opinion about the I Ching. Dick theorized that we can use the I Ching for anything except for fortunetelling in the future. He also added that it is not a fortunetelling device, despite what’s been believed by both China and by Richard Wilhelm for many centuries. Although Dick thinks that the book contained a vast amount about fortunetelling as it lays before your eyes, for your scrutiny. Indeed, he refers that “the book is analytical ad diagnostic, not predicted.” (Dick, 1995)

Dick also describes the I Ching, which is based on about synchronicity, as a device by which synchronicity. In addition, he can relate deeply to schizophrenic people because he was once diagnosed with schizophrenia. He emphasizes that it is vital to have a good idea about a thought process that people’s analyzed or suffering from the disease itself in the Schizophrenia & the book of changes.

Thus, Dick uses the I Ching to develop the direction of his novels. In the story, I Ching the ancient Chinese divination text have had a huge influence throughout the whole story, it connected each and every single plot together, even though some people say there is no “main plot” in this novel.

Dick has mentioned the I Ching several times through the book. For example, one of the characters, Hawthome Abendsen who was an author wrote a novel in the story, “The Grasshopper Lies Heavy”. He used the I Ching to write the novel, and even Dick himself used it to decide some important plots for “The Man in the High Castle”. Dick also wrote about the Japanese and Americans by using the I Ching to make any important decisions. In addition to that, Dick used the I Ching to decide whether a character should tell Abendsen that he was the target of the assassins. Dick even made the character himself to use the I Ching to decide if he should be in the story.  Therefore, you can tell that Dick likes to use the I Ching as an important literary device throughout his writing.

For Dick himself, he also uses the I Ching to get advice for his own life. He mentioned in an interview, “If you use the I Ching long enough and continually enough, it will begin to change and shape you as a person.” From this point, Dick obviously showed that he appreciates the influences of the I Ching. He also claims that the I Ching analyzes the situation for him more accurately than he does, and from there it gives out advice.

Reference 

 Dick, P.K. (1995). Schizophrenia and the I Ching. In Sutin, L. (Ed.), The Shifting Realities of Philip K. Dick (pp.175-182). New York: Vintage.

 The Yijing / I Ching oracle. (n.d.). Retrieved October 09, 2014, from http://www.eclecticenergies.com/iching/