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Explorers We
"Golly," Parkhurst gasped, his red face tingling with excitement. "Come here, you guys. Look!" They crowded around the viewscreen. "There she is," Barton said. His heart beat strangely. "She sure looks good." "Damn right she looks good," Leon agreed. He trembled. "Say-I can make out New York." "The hell you can." "I can! The gray. By the water." "That's not even the United States. We're looking at it upside down. That's Siam." The ship hurtled through space, meteoroid shields shrieking. Below it, the blue-green globe swelled. Clouds drifted around it, hiding the continents and oceans.
9 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1959
92 people want to read
About the author
Philip K. Dick
2,006 books22.4k followersPhilip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 4, 2019
“Explorers We,” first appearing in Fantasy and Science Fiction (January 1959), begins in typical classic sci-fi fashion. A crew of astronauts, returning to earth after a dangerous nearly deadly voyage and eager to be back home, lands somewhere in the outskirts of San Francisco.
But things do not go well: little children flee from them, and—when they enter into the city—people routinely scatter at their approach. Something must be seriously wrong with San Francisco. Or is there perhaps something wrong with the explorers themselves? Are they really human beings after all? Or do they just appear to to be?
This tale shares a similar theme with the Dick’s “Human Is” and “Impostor.” Although the plot itself is not as interesting as those of these other two stories, its reflection on the human and alien condition—particular by FBI agent Wilks—is haunting and thoughtful: “… if they—whatever they are—feel human, might they not become human, in time?”
April 24, 2024
داستان “ما کاوشگران” از فیلیپ کی دیک داستان ۶ فضا نوردی رو میگه که بعد از دو سال از مریخ(بعد از کلی فراز و نشیب و مشکلات تو مریخ) برگشتن زمین ولی وقتی که با انسان ها مواجه میشن مردم دور و ورشون به دلیل نامعلومی شوکه میشن و ازشون فرار میکنن،و حالا باید بفهمن دلیل این همه ترس و تعجب مردم چیه؟!
و همچنان داستان دارای پلات توئیست از نوع فیلیپ کی دیک هست.
و اینکه این داستان از فیلیپ کی دیک از داستان های کوتاه دیگه که تا الان خوندم یه خورده ضعیف تر بود.
این داستان رو من تو قسمت ۳۲ ماهنامه ی بازخورد(علمی تخیلی) خوندم.
و همچنان داستان دارای پلات توئیست از نوع فیلیپ کی دیک هست.
و اینکه این داستان از فیلیپ کی دیک از داستان های کوتاه دیگه که تا الان خوندم یه خورده ضعیف تر بود.
این داستان رو من تو قسمت ۳۲ ماهنامه ی بازخورد(علمی تخیلی) خوندم.
July 2, 2021
“Anything that looks so human, behaves in such a human way, must feel human … and if they – whatever they are – feel human, might they not become human in time?”
Explorers We, which was published in January 1959 in Fantasy and Science Fiction, is one of those seemingly straightforward PKD stories which stagger you with both a brilliant idea and an unforeseen ending – just like Colony. If you have not read the story, it may be unwise for you to go on with my review as I am going to give away the whole story.
A group of astronauts return from a dangerous Mars mission, and just before arriving back on Earth, some of them express their desire to see their families again, while others are looking forward to less mature pleasures. Spirits are indeed running high, only for the men to receive a punch in the gut when they find everyone they meet – children, a man in a petrol station, guests in a diner – panic at their sight and run away from them. Eventually, they are rounded up by some FBI men and learn that all of them were actually killed in an accident on Mars and that since that time, some unknown force has been sending replicas of them back to Earth. Fearing that these replicas want to spy on Terrans and somehow take over the planet, the FBI officials kill every single one of them – only to set the cycle in motion again.
Dick’s writing of this story is simply brilliant in that he makes his readers share the perspective of the astronauts for most of the story, leaving the readers as ignorant of the fact that these are not the original explorers as the explorers, themselves, are. He also refrains from giving any information as to who actually keeps sending out these replicas and with what intention in mind. Thus, we cannot help asking ourselves whether the rather bleak interpretation of the FBI is true or whether the Martian force might not simply be motivated by benevolence, trying to send those unlucky men back home to their families and friends despite their “death”. But maybe, the Martian power also thinks that the best spy is he who does not suspect being a spy at all – and so we’ll never know for sure. Still, we cannot help feeling pity for those guileless men …
Dick also gives us insight into the mind of one of the FBI man, a guy named Wilks, who has not been on this job for a long time, and who still has qualms about carrying out his lethal orders. After he has shot one of the replicas, he muses like this:
And here, we will feel a certain amount of pity on the murderer, too, who obviously cannot quite convince himself that what he is doing is the right thing to do. Knowing that he also killed out of fear of the unknown, he quickly decides that he just did as he was told and that his superiors know best. After all, they “have to” believe that on the other side of the fence, there is just malevolence, deception and that nothing of this is human at all. Such a belief makes it easier to obey orders and to kill. This is the psychology exploited by war propaganda, and maybe, just as the best spy is the one who does not suspect being a spy, the best citizen is the one who does not suspect that his government may be wrong from time to time and who therefore does not ask awkward questions. Gruesome!
Explorers We, which was published in January 1959 in Fantasy and Science Fiction, is one of those seemingly straightforward PKD stories which stagger you with both a brilliant idea and an unforeseen ending – just like Colony. If you have not read the story, it may be unwise for you to go on with my review as I am going to give away the whole story.
A group of astronauts return from a dangerous Mars mission, and just before arriving back on Earth, some of them express their desire to see their families again, while others are looking forward to less mature pleasures. Spirits are indeed running high, only for the men to receive a punch in the gut when they find everyone they meet – children, a man in a petrol station, guests in a diner – panic at their sight and run away from them. Eventually, they are rounded up by some FBI men and learn that all of them were actually killed in an accident on Mars and that since that time, some unknown force has been sending replicas of them back to Earth. Fearing that these replicas want to spy on Terrans and somehow take over the planet, the FBI officials kill every single one of them – only to set the cycle in motion again.
Dick’s writing of this story is simply brilliant in that he makes his readers share the perspective of the astronauts for most of the story, leaving the readers as ignorant of the fact that these are not the original explorers as the explorers, themselves, are. He also refrains from giving any information as to who actually keeps sending out these replicas and with what intention in mind. Thus, we cannot help asking ourselves whether the rather bleak interpretation of the FBI is true or whether the Martian force might not simply be motivated by benevolence, trying to send those unlucky men back home to their families and friends despite their “death”. But maybe, the Martian power also thinks that the best spy is he who does not suspect being a spy at all – and so we’ll never know for sure. Still, we cannot help feeling pity for those guileless men …
Dick also gives us insight into the mind of one of the FBI man, a guy named Wilks, who has not been on this job for a long time, and who still has qualms about carrying out his lethal orders. After he has shot one of the replicas, he muses like this:
”I did wrong, he thought to himself as he stood looking down at it. I shot it because I was afraid. But I had to. Even if it was wrong. It came here to infiltrate us, infiltrating us so we won’t recognize it. That’s what we’re told – we have to believe that they are plotting against us, are inhuman, and will never be more than that.”
And here, we will feel a certain amount of pity on the murderer, too, who obviously cannot quite convince himself that what he is doing is the right thing to do. Knowing that he also killed out of fear of the unknown, he quickly decides that he just did as he was told and that his superiors know best. After all, they “have to” believe that on the other side of the fence, there is just malevolence, deception and that nothing of this is human at all. Such a belief makes it easier to obey orders and to kill. This is the psychology exploited by war propaganda, and maybe, just as the best spy is the one who does not suspect being a spy, the best citizen is the one who does not suspect that his government may be wrong from time to time and who therefore does not ask awkward questions. Gruesome!
January 19, 2025
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
4.5/5 (Very Good)
"Philip K. Dick’s “Explorers We” first appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, ed. Robert P. Mills (January 1959). You can read it online here.
Six astronauts–Parkhurst, Barton, Leon, Merriweather, Captain Stone, Vecchi–return to earth from a voyage to Mars, “that damn red waste. Sun and flies and ruins” (89). But they are not met by adoring crowds as [...]"
4.5/5 (Very Good)
"Philip K. Dick’s “Explorers We” first appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, ed. Robert P. Mills (January 1959). You can read it online here.
Six astronauts–Parkhurst, Barton, Leon, Merriweather, Captain Stone, Vecchi–return to earth from a voyage to Mars, “that damn red waste. Sun and flies and ruins” (89). But they are not met by adoring crowds as [...]"
June 16, 2019
How does he do it? Such a strange/weird story where the question what makes us human is a subtle undertone.
Cool, very cool!
Cool, very cool!
April 25, 2021
Interesting story about six androids from Mars who arrive on Earth. They must be killed!
Maybe this story can be compared to the cheap 1962 move The Planets Around Us. In that movie, space aliens clone a bunch of androids that look like the son of an industrialist and use them to sabotage Earth stuff and steal secret Earth science things.
Maybe this story can be compared to the cheap 1962 move The Planets Around Us. In that movie, space aliens clone a bunch of androids that look like the son of an industrialist and use them to sabotage Earth stuff and steal secret Earth science things.
May 2, 2018
This should have been a Twilight Zone episode! The tragedy of cycles.
February 26, 2023
Another creepy premise by PKD. Really interesting concept, but too short to make anything interesting happen with it.
January 22, 2024
Creepy, dark, and very very sad. Just how I like 'em.
February 25, 2025
This is a genuine page-turner, the kind of story you can't wait to find out what's happening! Someone else here on Goodreads mentioned this should have been a Twilight Zone episode and I agree. And I think this one is gonna reside in my brain for good, like Price Day's "4 O'clock."
Read
April 2, 2021The
October 1, 2023
Justice for Captain Stone
October 1, 2024
Explorers We- Another clever use of the POV of the unaware imitator/duplicate. Always unnerving! ****
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews