Prescience and Power

Frank Herbert’s God Emperor of Dune functions as a myth for Western intellectuals in assisting them to understand, both cognitively and emotionally, contradictions brought about by the disjunction between knowledge and power. Leto II enjoys both. Yet even with nearly absolute power and the ability to foresee the future. Leto’s actions lead to unintended consequences. Through an understanding of Leto’s use of the double-bind, Herbert leads the reader to a cognitive reprise of the risks of power. Reminiscent of Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor and Orwell’s O’Brien. Leto’s explanation of the motives behind his actions and of his loneliness form a kind of’ duction that touches the reader’s emotions. Herbert’s novel addresses hubris and helps make the intellectual’s frustration bearable. (SMF)

Ancient history · Art · Emperor · Physics · Power (physics) · Thermodynamics · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History · Philosophy · Religious studies