Author Philip K. Dick possessed?

I've read a couple of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick's books like The Man in the High Castle, seen Minority Report and Blade Runner too, but have just recently discovered the oddities of his life. Especially his later life when he either became a completely paranoid schizophrenic or was possessed by something.

Anyway, in 1974, eight years before he died, he was in the hospital on a lot of drugs (plus he did a lot of recreational drugs) when he claims to have been overtaken by some kind of force that from then on directed his life. For the positive it seems. He began to spew greek words, which his wife wrote down phonetically and apparently could be translated into meaningful greek text (he claimed to never have studied the language). The entity in him also told him his newborn son had a potentially life threatening illness even though he bore no signs of it. He took the child to the doctor and he indeed had a hernia which could manifest into fatal gangrene if not treated surgically. He also was told to go to the doctor to treat high blood pressure, and he did, coming back feeling far better. He also managed to get money flowing. Several thousands of dollars from previously unpaid debts suddenly came in. He also purportedly could predict he would recieve a death threat and what day it would come, and indeed he did (in the form of one of his books with all malicious words underlined).

Philip called this entity the "VALIS" (an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligence System). Which showed him all of reality that man sees is simply a filtered illusion. He ended up writing until his death an 8,000 page journal on this that is now called the "Exegis".

All the positive and seemingly factual stuff didn't come without its doubts though. He became very paranoid that the FBI/KGB was spying on him. At one point he thought they had rifled through his papers only to later concede it was probably himself who did it. He also made claims that at least one specific popular singer on the radio would speak directly to him about how worthless he was and how he should just die. This is typical of schizophrenics. His wife would claim that their radio came on by itself (and unplugged) around 2am at times, but she never did hear the voices directed at her author husband. The Exegis journal is basically the ramblings of a man who may or may not have been driven mad.

I've only just found out this information about him, but it does sound fascinating. I only wonder if it was something real and not psychosis why do possessions happen so randomly and without any meaningful way of gathering more evidence as to their reality.

[Edited on 6-9-2003 by heelstone]

Actually during a psychotic episode not everything that a person experiences is "irrelevant" or inconsistent with intellectual pursuits of interest to the main stream. As far as speaking one language he claimed he did not learn he could have been exposed to it at a very young age and while consciously did not remember, retained to information unconsciously.

The sensation that one is interacting with a vast archive which is seemingly aware and helpful is also not as unusual as some may think, one example is the stories of the bible which consistently speak of voices from God, saints and angels. Essentially the issue of psychosis comes to bear when the events are detrimental to the patient (in the case of defining the term possession the same applies). As far as PK ability its very rare in the case where a person is simply psychotic, but if the person is very intelligent???

A drug induced psychosis is often the result of brain damage, in this case it sounds very much like the connections between the halves of the brain were not responding as they should.

Such events as the realization his son was ill and that he was as well, was in all probability something he could have done prior to the problem. It is simply that the experience created a condition in which precognition could be assessed as the result of an outside force causing him pay more attention.

Defining a reaction to an event as psychotic is often a response when the behavior is clearly negative and bespeaks of conclusions (on the part of the subject) not taking into consideration all possible perturbations. So if I say to you there is life after death and your response is to attempt to commit suicide, as a result. The act your attempting to commit is clearly the result of psychotic behavior.

People who for instance believe they are Santa Clause but otherwise do not act out there belief in negative ways (breaking into people homes on Christmas Eve) are often labeled as psychotic, for the record the label is applied as a precaution.

To be specific the aggressive behavior is a major factor (which is why it is not uncommon to be confronted by a person who thinks he is Jesus Christ) otherwise it is perhaps more appropriate to define them as eccentric. In the case where the individual is in control of his or her faculties the term gifted often applies.

Any thoughts?

philip.k.dick is quite possibly a sci fi genius.. its just a shame most geniuses are borderline schiztophenics. some even cross the line never to return...some even take their own lives...

the 3 most well known short philip.k.dick storys to be turned into films are...allthough they are ussually titled different they are very similier to the films..

blade runner..
minority report..
total recall..

[Edited on 6-9-2003 by The Blade Runner]

Is the Exegis in book form? IS it online? Can you buy it?

Dick is definately one of my favorite authers, have read all his books except Man In The High Castle (been sitting on the shelf for dcades - could never get into it)

Dick, I believe, gets as close as anyone ever has to "the truth", while still maintaining a sense of humour

If your interested in reading P. K. Dick, I would recommend the following;

UBIK

NOW WAIT FOR LAST YEAR

A SCANNER DARKLY

FLOW MY TEARS THE POLICEMAN SAID

THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITHCH

I found a collection of short stories of Philip K. Dick last summer, and for the life of me, I can't remember the title. if you can find his short stores, I highly recommend them

and Minority Report was great up until the last 10 minutes or so. darn Spielberg. :p

I've got a great introduction by him to a collection of his short stories, explaining past lives and the possilbe meanings of life from the past experiences he's had. I'd love to post it but it's really long and I don't think it would be allowed. What do you think I should do?

I just started reading my first PKD book.

I'm currently on chapter 11 in the novel VALIS and MY MIND IS BLOWN. I am not a quick reader as I navigate books like mollasses in honey. I stop to ponder and marinate on a few paragraphs or chapters of the book I choose to read (I am very selective with what I spend my time on). I slow cook books like a BBQ'er has to slow cook brisket for optimal flavor and taste.

I get the feeling that PKD was on that edge. The REAL edge. He produced tons of work from an area that exists thats the closest any original artist can get without falling over. An area where the likes of Sid Barrett and many others have gone into without coming back out.

I am a visual artist. I conduct research in my studio. My immediate current investigation so far has carried from Ready Player One by Ernest Cline to PKD which carried me to the king of bohemia and the alchemists. I started reading PKD after I heard the story of the Black Knight satellite. I guess you could say I've stop trying to directly look for answers and started directly looking for more questions.


VALIS ONLINE