The DHARMA Science Team - headed up by the DeGroots - arrived on the Island in the early 70's and, using Hanso’s Military-Industrial funding, built the Stations and the tunnels connecting them to each other.
The original goal of this Science Commune appears to have been the study of several fields in combination with the Island’s Unique Properties.
These fields of Scientific Study included:
Weather Control
Zoology
Utopian Social Studies
Psychology
Parapsychology
Electromagnetism
It seems to me that the original DHARMA Scientists succeeded (at least partially) in all of the above fields of study:
Weather Control: Danger on the Island is often correlated with rain - the death of Pilot Seth, the death of Shannon, the death of Ethan ... The weather, (combined with the Island’s electromagnetic anomalies) has also been responsible for “bringing” castaways to the Island: the Statue-builders, the Black Rock, Danielle’s boat, The Elizabeth, Henry Gale’s balloon, the Beechcraft, Flight 815 and Naomi’s chopper. I’m not convinced that the Weather is under human control - but it certainly appears to respond to the Will of Someone or Something.
Zoology: The Hydra Station appears to have been built for the “enhancement” of Bears, Dolphins and Sharks and strikes me as a bit “silly”. I’ve written elsewhere that Walt may have “wished up” the 1970's Polar Bear Study Program as a plausible “explanation” of the Polar Bear he Manifested in 2004.
Utopian Social Studies: It seems to me that within the Ben/Richard Family there are strong elements of a Utopian Society (at least within one sub-group). This utopian sub-group are Good Guys - who are not Killers. They value/expect/require Love, Honesty, Selflessness, Loyalty and Courage - all of which Jack was tested for at the Hydra Station. If someone within this Group makes a mistake, the transgressor must Repent, Apologise Sincerely and will then be Forgiven. We haven’t seen much of this Group, but Ben considers himself a member of it and I think that Richard will be educating John about these folks within the first few Eps of S5.
Psychology: It would seem that the DHARMA researchers made great progress in this field, with Ben being the consummate practitioner of this Science. He certainly knows which psychological buttons to push to get people to “choose” to do what he wants them to do. Note that Ben - in 304 (“Every man for himself”) told James: “You’re pretty good, but we’re better”. One of his key strategies is to find out what/who a given subject values and to then threaten and/or promise to “save” the “hostage” (Kate/James, Juliet/Rachel, Michael/Walt ... )
Psychology also includes “Brainwashing” - which seems to have been the purpose of Room 23.
Parapsychology: Remote Viewing, Pre-cognition, Telekinesis and Telepathy are all included in this “Science” - and there’s some evidence that the DHARMA Scientists succeeded in all of these fields.
Remote Viewing: I think our Losties have been Observed for decades. In the Pearl Orientation video Karen DeGroot is quoted to have said: "careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness". Note that there are cameras and monitors in various Island (and off-Island) locations - even including on-board the Kahana.
Having said that, Remote Viewing doesn’t require cameras - but may explain how Tom “kept tabs” on Michael after he returned to The World.
Pre-cognition: Richard, Ben (and I think Tom) have seen (at least part of) The Future - which is why they’re always at least one step ahead of our Losties. Having seen The Future (in which he’s still alive), Ben knows that he’ll survive being shot by a cross-bow bolt, Sayid’s interrogation, and Jack’s assault.
Telekinesis: the Others leave no tracks because they’ve mastered this Science. Ben can teleport himself into a locked Funeral Home (and possibly from Tunisia to Iraq). As Tom told Michael: Some of his people (including Richard and Ethan) can “travel” to/from the Mainland when they wish - no submarine required.
The fact that Bea (in 222 - “Three Minutes”) asked Michael if Walt had ever been seen “in a place he wasn’t supposed to be” supports the notion that Telekinesis was an active field of study for her and her colleagues - and that Walt has a Natural Teleportation Ability - coupled with his Natural Manifestation ability.
Telepathy: We know that Smokey can read and download memories. We know that Miles is a Natural Telepath. It would therefore seem reasonable to suppose that at least some of the Islanders have learned (or been bred) to wield the power of Telepathy.
In “The Man from Tallahassee”, Ben tells Locke: ”If you met Mikhail, that means you were in the Communications Station ... which means you've found the explosives ... so, you're not planning to pilot the submarine anywhere, are you?" This set of "conclusions" sound like deduction, but I think it's telepathy.
I think that Tom (in “Meet Kevin Johnson”) read Michael's mind when he confronted him in the alley, about to kill himself. After telling Michael: "we gave [Walt] back to you in one piece", Tom hesitates for a moment (during which I think he reads Michael's mind) and says: "you told him, didn't you? You couldn't carry the guilt all by yourself, so you shared it with a 10-year-old kid." I think he again read Michael's mind after he'd boarded the Kahana: "Wait a day or two until you're out on the open sea, then you're good to go." Michael doesn't say anything, so Tom says, "Oh, you've met some of them now ... Got some names and faces and you're getting cold feet, huh?"
DHARMA’s study of Electromagnetism (coupled with the Island’s Geologically Unique Electromagnetic properties plus the existence of “a pocket of negatively-charged Exotic Matter) led to the #1 most important DHARMA discovery - Time Travel.
Season 5 promises to reveal more about Time Travel, but I think it’s important to remember all of DHARMA’s other successes too.
Theory by Roland
The original goal of this Science Commune appears to have been the study of several fields in combination with the Island’s Unique Properties.
These fields of Scientific Study included:
Weather Control
Zoology
Utopian Social Studies
Psychology
Parapsychology
Electromagnetism
It seems to me that the original DHARMA Scientists succeeded (at least partially) in all of the above fields of study:
Weather Control: Danger on the Island is often correlated with rain - the death of Pilot Seth, the death of Shannon, the death of Ethan ... The weather, (combined with the Island’s electromagnetic anomalies) has also been responsible for “bringing” castaways to the Island: the Statue-builders, the Black Rock, Danielle’s boat, The Elizabeth, Henry Gale’s balloon, the Beechcraft, Flight 815 and Naomi’s chopper. I’m not convinced that the Weather is under human control - but it certainly appears to respond to the Will of Someone or Something.
Zoology: The Hydra Station appears to have been built for the “enhancement” of Bears, Dolphins and Sharks and strikes me as a bit “silly”. I’ve written elsewhere that Walt may have “wished up” the 1970's Polar Bear Study Program as a plausible “explanation” of the Polar Bear he Manifested in 2004.
Utopian Social Studies: It seems to me that within the Ben/Richard Family there are strong elements of a Utopian Society (at least within one sub-group). This utopian sub-group are Good Guys - who are not Killers. They value/expect/require Love, Honesty, Selflessness, Loyalty and Courage - all of which Jack was tested for at the Hydra Station. If someone within this Group makes a mistake, the transgressor must Repent, Apologise Sincerely and will then be Forgiven. We haven’t seen much of this Group, but Ben considers himself a member of it and I think that Richard will be educating John about these folks within the first few Eps of S5.
Psychology: It would seem that the DHARMA researchers made great progress in this field, with Ben being the consummate practitioner of this Science. He certainly knows which psychological buttons to push to get people to “choose” to do what he wants them to do. Note that Ben - in 304 (“Every man for himself”) told James: “You’re pretty good, but we’re better”. One of his key strategies is to find out what/who a given subject values and to then threaten and/or promise to “save” the “hostage” (Kate/James, Juliet/Rachel, Michael/Walt ... )
Psychology also includes “Brainwashing” - which seems to have been the purpose of Room 23.
Parapsychology: Remote Viewing, Pre-cognition, Telekinesis and Telepathy are all included in this “Science” - and there’s some evidence that the DHARMA Scientists succeeded in all of these fields.
Remote Viewing: I think our Losties have been Observed for decades. In the Pearl Orientation video Karen DeGroot is quoted to have said: "careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness". Note that there are cameras and monitors in various Island (and off-Island) locations - even including on-board the Kahana.
Having said that, Remote Viewing doesn’t require cameras - but may explain how Tom “kept tabs” on Michael after he returned to The World.
Pre-cognition: Richard, Ben (and I think Tom) have seen (at least part of) The Future - which is why they’re always at least one step ahead of our Losties. Having seen The Future (in which he’s still alive), Ben knows that he’ll survive being shot by a cross-bow bolt, Sayid’s interrogation, and Jack’s assault.
Telekinesis: the Others leave no tracks because they’ve mastered this Science. Ben can teleport himself into a locked Funeral Home (and possibly from Tunisia to Iraq). As Tom told Michael: Some of his people (including Richard and Ethan) can “travel” to/from the Mainland when they wish - no submarine required.
The fact that Bea (in 222 - “Three Minutes”) asked Michael if Walt had ever been seen “in a place he wasn’t supposed to be” supports the notion that Telekinesis was an active field of study for her and her colleagues - and that Walt has a Natural Teleportation Ability - coupled with his Natural Manifestation ability.
Telepathy: We know that Smokey can read and download memories. We know that Miles is a Natural Telepath. It would therefore seem reasonable to suppose that at least some of the Islanders have learned (or been bred) to wield the power of Telepathy.
In “The Man from Tallahassee”, Ben tells Locke: ”If you met Mikhail, that means you were in the Communications Station ... which means you've found the explosives ... so, you're not planning to pilot the submarine anywhere, are you?" This set of "conclusions" sound like deduction, but I think it's telepathy.
I think that Tom (in “Meet Kevin Johnson”) read Michael's mind when he confronted him in the alley, about to kill himself. After telling Michael: "we gave [Walt] back to you in one piece", Tom hesitates for a moment (during which I think he reads Michael's mind) and says: "you told him, didn't you? You couldn't carry the guilt all by yourself, so you shared it with a 10-year-old kid." I think he again read Michael's mind after he'd boarded the Kahana: "Wait a day or two until you're out on the open sea, then you're good to go." Michael doesn't say anything, so Tom says, "Oh, you've met some of them now ... Got some names and faces and you're getting cold feet, huh?"
DHARMA’s study of Electromagnetism (coupled with the Island’s Geologically Unique Electromagnetic properties plus the existence of “a pocket of negatively-charged Exotic Matter) led to the #1 most important DHARMA discovery - Time Travel.
Season 5 promises to reveal more about Time Travel, but I think it’s important to remember all of DHARMA’s other successes too.
Theory by Roland
