Post originally by IMAGinES at 2004-09-11 22:14:40
Converted from Phorums BB System

Jack Holcomb wrote:
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I have to part ways on the last one. Herbert didn't include psychic powers (as they are conventionally understood) in Dune; he did include abilities that were tremendous extensions of real human capabilities... While these abilities LOOKED like magic to the uninitiated in the Dune-iverse, Herbert was always pretty careful to ground them (at least a little) in real human faculties. About the most radical speculation he makes in the direction of psychic powers is the idea of genetic memory, which still doesn't go that far.
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Hello, Jack. On the face of it, I'd have to disagree with you slightly on the psychic powers vs. potential of the human brain biz. I'm with you on the cpabilities of the Bene Gesserit and Mentats, but if there's one thing that throws the issue into something of a cocked hat, it's the Reverend Mothers of the Fremen (and presumably the Bene Gesserit as well). Jessica manages to inherit the personality and memories of the Reverend Mother of Stilgar's Tribe - and the memories of those RMs who came before - without any sort of physical transferrence that could put a hole in the "psychic" explanation. Even genetic memory doesn't quite work, as we're talking about branches of the BG that probably haven't been woven back into the mother organisation.

Anyway, I hope you'll pardon me for being nit-picky.