Exegesis is a journal kept by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, documenting his alleged communication with a God-entity. His writings range from extensive philosopical commentary to troubled and psychotic ramblings. Dick's wealth of knowledge on the subjects of philosophy, religion, and science inform the work throughout. A journal (through French from late Latin diurnalis, daily) has several related meanings: a daily record of events or business; a private journal is usually referred to as a diary. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928 – March 2, 1982) was an American science fiction writer. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

The journal was authored in the 1970s, a period in Dick's life marked by the heavy use of recreational drugs. Based on a series of "visions" occuring primarily in February and March of 1974, it describes scenes of laser beams and geometric patterns. Occasional references are made to Jesus and ancient Rome. Dick's visions lead to what he describes as a double-life, one as himself and one as a Christian persecuted by Romans. Despite acknowledging his drug use, he accepted these visions as reality, and the journal argues that he had been contacted by a god-entity of some kind. This diety is refered to by several names, including Zebra, God, and most often, the Vast Active Living Intelligence System. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational rather than medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear. ... February is the second month of the calendar year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... A LASER (from the acronym of Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is an optical source that emits photons in a coherent beam. ... The boundary of the Mandelbrot set is a famous example of a fractal. ... Jesus (8–2 BC/BCE to 29–36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... It has been suggested that Black Iron Prison be merged into this article or section. ...

Besides Exegesis, Dick attempted to express his visions and faith in numerous other works, including Radio Free Albemuth, one brief passage in A Scanner Darkly,, The Divine Invasion, The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, and the uncompleted The Owl in Daylight, as well as many personal letters. jacket cover A posthumously published novel by Philip K. Dick, written in 1976, Radio Free Albemuth (originally titled VALISystem A) was his first attempt to deal in fiction with his experiences of early 1974. ... A Scanner Darkly is a 1977 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick. ... The Divine Invasion is a 1981 science fiction book by Philip K. Dick. ... The Transmigration of Timothy Archer is a 1982 science fiction book by Philip K. Dick. ... The Owl in Daylight is a novel that Philip K. Dick was working on at the time of his death in 1982. ...

Quotations

"Tractate 31: We hypostatize information into objects. Rearrangement of objects is change in the content of the information; the message has changed. This is a language which we have lost the ability to read. We ourselves are a part of this language; changes in us are changes in the content of the information. We ourselves are information-rich; information enters us, is processed and is then projected outward once more, now in an altered form. We are not aware that we are doing this, that in fact this is all we are doing."

"Tractate 36: In summary; thoughts of the brain are experienced by us as arrangements and rearrangements - change - in a physical universe; but in fact it is really information and information-processing which we substantialize. We do not merely see its thoughts as objects, but rather as the movement, or, more precisely, the placement of objects: how they become linked to one another. But we cannot read the patterns of arrangement; we cannot extract the information in it - i.e. it as information, which is what it is. The linking and relinking of objects by the Brain is actually a language but not a language like ours (since it is addressing itself and not someone or something outside itself)."

"Tractate 22: I term the Immortal one plasmate, because it is a form of energy; it is living information. It replicates itself - not through information or in information - but as information.

External links

• Exegesis Previously unpublished pages from the Exegisis, posted online by the Philip K. Dick Trust.
• Religious Experience of Dick Cartoonist R. Crumb's depiction of events, using Dick's words as script.

Robert Crumb (born August 30, 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an artist and illustrator who signs his work R. Crumb. Crumb was a founder of the underground comics movement, and is often regarded as the most prominant figure in that movement. ...