Technology Of The Dune Universe
The technology of the Dune universe is a key aspect of the fictional setting of the Dune series of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. Herbert's concepts and inventions have been analyzed and deconstructed in at least one book, The Science of Dune (2008). Herbert's originating 1965 novel Dune is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history. Dune and its five sequels by Herbert explore the complex and multilayered interactions of politics, religion, ecology and technology, among other themes.
The Butlerian Jihad, an event in the back-story of Herbert's universe, leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers and artificial intelligence of any kind. This prohibition is a key influence on the nature of Herbert's fictional setting. In Dune, ten thousand years after this jihad, its enduring commandment remains:
| “ | Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind. | ” |
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—Dune, "Terminology of the Imperium: Jihad, Butlerian", Frank Herbert (1965) |
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Read more about Technology Of The Dune Universe: Atomics, Axlotl Tank, Cymek, Ghola, Heighliner, Holtzman Effect, Ixian Probe, Lasgun, No-chamber/No-ship, Ornithopter, Stillsuit, T-Probe, Weirding Module, Other Technologies, See Also
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