The Kwisatz Haderach IS a mentat -- DUNE Novels Discussion Board

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11/ 1/25 02:52:03 [ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, [3], 4 ]

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Date Posted: 12:21:50 06/05/03 Thu
Author: IDAHO
Subject: The Kwisatz Haderach IS a mentat

Just returning to this earlier question, this passage is from the appendices of Dune, Appendix III: Report on Bene Gesserit Motives and purposes-

"The Bene Gesserit program had as its target the breeding of a person they labeled 'Kwisatz Haderach,' a term signifying 'one who can be many places at once.' In simpler terms, what they sought was a human with mental powers permitting him to understand and use higher order dimensions.
They were breeding for a super Mentat, a human computer with some of the prescient abilities found in Guild Navigators."

It sounds like the Kwisatz Haderach was intended to be basically a mentat with some prescient capabilities. I think we have thoroughly established that Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach. Whether or not he is what the sisterhood expected is another matter. He is not. It sounds like he is much more POWERFUL than the sisterhood though, as his prescient visions are far beyond the abilities of a guild navigator.
As to whether he is a mentat, considering that he went through some mentat training and that he can understand and use higher order dimensions, I would say that makes him just as much a mentat as any other mentat.

Though it probably doesn't really matter since mentats are basically human computers that are supposed to take all available data and like a computer extrapolate and predict probabilities and likely outcomes. This skill is probably a little null and void when one actually can see into the future.

As to the question of whether or not Paul is what the sisterhood thinks he is going to be, I think that Paul is not. And the question of Other Memory I will leave on the other thread.

-IDAHO-

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Replies:

I don't know the exact spot, but Paul states he is a Mentat -- The Cannabist, 12:35:30 06/05/03 Thu
I'll say it though... -- Ghanima, 12:40:19 06/05/03 Thu
- Did you not read the quote I copied at the beginning of the last thread???? -- IDAHO, 12:55:06 06/05/03 Thu
  - BUT that is an assumption. and totally irrelevant -- The Cannabist, 15:09:10 06/05/03 Thu
    - I was responding to Ghanima's comment -- IDAHO, 15:55:15 06/05/03 Thu
      - ah ok ! (NT) -- The Cannabist, 18:43:45 06/05/03 Thu
  - Indeed... -- Ghanima, 16:35:21 06/05/03 Thu
    - The problem is an inconsistencies of definitions -- IDAHO, 17:44:06 06/05/03 Thu
      - actually it wasn't superbeing.. it was the "Myth of the Messiah" (NT) -- The Cannabist, 18:48:11 06/05/03 Thu
      - True, but its fun to argue, especially with other people who know the books. (NT) -- Ghanima, 09:21:17 06/06/03 Fri