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Quote by Philip K. Dick

“I'm working on a sequel to MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE called VALISYSTEM A, which is an acronym for "Vast Active Living Intelligence System" A. It is based on modern discoveries about the right hemisphere of the brain and on AI (artificial intelligence) systems and orthomolecular psychiatry (the use of water soluble vitamins). I tried out the vitamin formula plus attempts to cause neural firing in my right hemisphere back in mid-March, with spectacular results—I believe a letter of mine about this will be published in France in a magazine which they described as being like our Rolling Stone rock magazine, with a circulation of about 20,000. I've had over four months of enormously heightened neural efficiency and firing, producing a total change in my personality and abilities and habits.”

Book:The Selected Letters, 1974

Work

The Selected Letters, 1974

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Author

Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick was an American science fiction novelist known for his unique philosophical thinking and profound futuristic imagination. His works often explore the boundaries between individuals and society, reality and illusion, and have had a profound impact on science fiction literature. more

“I am a fictionalizing philosopher, not a novelist; my novel & story-writing ability is employed as a means to formulate my perception. The core of my writing is not art but truth…. I think I understand the common ingredient in those whom my writing helps: they cannot or will not blunt their own intimations about the irrational, mysterious nature of reality, &, for them, my corpus of writing is one long ratiocination regarding this inexplicable reality, an investigation & presentation, analysis & response & personal history…. What I have done is extraordinarily valuable, if you can endure the strain of not knowing, & knowing you do not know….Someone must come along & play the role of Plato to my Socrates.”

Philosophy Science Fiction Philip K Dick Valis

Book:In Pursuit of VALIS: Selections from the Exegesis

Source: In Pursuit of VALIS: Selections from the Exegesis

“And yet, as of this March, with the sudden bombardment of the nonobjective graphics, perhaps I have once again regained contract with the authentic future; for example, the work I'm engaged in now is a sequel to MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, at last—I've wanted to do that for 12 years, but never come up with an idea good enough. Based on my experiences from March of this year on, I believe I have indeed, finally, come up with an idea good enough, and am deep into it. I feel that the external creative force which I've discussed throughout this letter, whatever its source, whatever its nature, has inspired me as I have never been inspired before. More important to me than what it is, what it's called, is the quality of its inspiration to me and the effect on my writing. Well, from these experiences over the past three months, I do have a terrific idea, I think the best of my life, and in no way will it be anything you can read about in the present day newspaper. Perhaps what has happened is nothing more or less than a sudden return of the old force of creativity which animated me in years past and novels past, before the tragic years after my wife Nancy became mentally ill and left forever with my little daughter, and I fell into despair and inactivity, and didn't write for three years. Whatever it is, God bless it, and I am grateful for it.”

Inspiration Writer S Block Valis Man In The High Castle

Book:The Selected Letters, 1974

Source: The Selected Letters, 1974

“Another reason why I've been slow to answer is that I've been working on something I've tried to get behind for 12 years: a sequel to MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE. Maybe I should keep you posted about it; possibly it will be the best thing (so to speak) that I've done or will do. Working title is: VALISYSTEM A. That's an acronym for "Vast Active Living Intelligence System" A. I have a 7-page letter on the subject addressed to Peter Fitting, one of the Marxist writers; if I can get it together to get a Xerox, I'll send it to you. Bear with me, please, because I am lazy & disorganized. But brilliant (you knew that).”

Valis Man In The High Castle

Book:The Selected Letters, 1974

Source: The Selected Letters, 1974