This theory attempts to combine and make sense of some of the other theories out there, along with my own ideas about what the island is. I apologize if parts of the theory are not new to you. The major impetus for this theory comes from Al Trautwig's latest video post, specifically the idea that parts of human history have been reproduced on the Island. Thanks to him and the other people whose theories have contributed to and influenced this one.
We know from a clip from outside the show that Dharma was originally founded in order to find a way to alter one of the factors in the Valenzetti Equation (the infamous numbers), thus staving off the annihilation of human existence. Also, in this year's Comicon video, Pierre Chang is seen begging for the Dharma Initiative to be re-instituted. I think that the Dharma Initiative was re-instituted at some point in the future. I also think that the Dharma Initiative was responsible for the existence of the Island in the first place.
As Al Trautwig points out, a lot of events (primarily bad) from human development appear to be represented on the Island. The presence of Egyptian ruins represents human civilization in its infancy, and the Egyptians used what knowledge was available to them (their mythology) to explain the Smoke Monster and the various other phenomena extant on the Island. The Black Rock represents slavery as it was a slaver vessel, the Purge represents the Holocaust (they even used gas), and the Jughead bomb represents the introduction of the nuclear threat. All of these things represent a progression of the human species that is clearly headed in the wrong direction, and are steps that apparently indicate an escalation in the likelihood of human extinction, which the Valenzetti Equation predicts.
We know that Damon Lindelof has said the show was heavily influenced by Watchmen, and I think he specifically means the idea of a Doomsday Clock. I think the Dharma Initiative was reconstituted in the future, and created the Island as the Doomsday Clock at that point in time is close to midnight. I think the Island is mankind's last hope to alter one of the factors in the Valenzetti Equation. Here's what I mean-
Anyone familiar with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will have a good reference for this idea. I think Dharma made the Island, probably by using an existing land mass and then modifying it (ie. donkey wheel, smoke monster, electromagnetic forces etc.). The Island was then sent back in time, allowing for things to progress on it, as a type of experiment. Things happen on the Island, and they observe it from the future, but the experiment ends up with the wrong outcome, meaning imminent human extinction. Then, Dharma sends the Island back in time again, in order to run the experiment again, but this time they change something, something happens differently in the timeline. They hope this change will yield a positive outcome, but it doesn't, so they send the Island back in time again. They change some things, observe the outcome, then send it back in time again. They keep doing this over and over, and will continue to until they manage to change something that will chan! ge one of the Valenzetti factors. Who knows which iteration of this experiment we are watching? It's also pertinent to point out that Dharma is a Buddhist idea, and Buddhists believe you continue to be reincarnated over and over until you 'get it right', and so the name was a hint at this all along. Ironic, too, that 1970's Dharma is the reason future Dharma makes the Island.
I think the reason women can't give birth on the Island is that this time around one of the things future Dharma is changing is population. They control the population in order to see what effect it has. I think Jacob is the chief scientist in the future who can occassionally communicate what changes need to be made, which explains why they are always so concerned with what Jacob wants. I think Richard is another scientist from the future, acting as a sort of project manager, and the reason he doesn't age is that he won't start aging again until he reaches his appropriate time. I think the Smoke Monster is a way to control what happens on the Island; a way to alter things that need altering and influence things to happen.
There are many obvious holes in this theroy, such as Lockes role, but I trust they will be panned out as we proceed. Anyway, that's the gist of my idea about what the hell is going on. I hope I articulated it in a clear manner, and I'm willing to clarify anything or discuss it further via the comments section. Theory by Dorfl the Golem
We know from a clip from outside the show that Dharma was originally founded in order to find a way to alter one of the factors in the Valenzetti Equation (the infamous numbers), thus staving off the annihilation of human existence. Also, in this year's Comicon video, Pierre Chang is seen begging for the Dharma Initiative to be re-instituted. I think that the Dharma Initiative was re-instituted at some point in the future. I also think that the Dharma Initiative was responsible for the existence of the Island in the first place.
As Al Trautwig points out, a lot of events (primarily bad) from human development appear to be represented on the Island. The presence of Egyptian ruins represents human civilization in its infancy, and the Egyptians used what knowledge was available to them (their mythology) to explain the Smoke Monster and the various other phenomena extant on the Island. The Black Rock represents slavery as it was a slaver vessel, the Purge represents the Holocaust (they even used gas), and the Jughead bomb represents the introduction of the nuclear threat. All of these things represent a progression of the human species that is clearly headed in the wrong direction, and are steps that apparently indicate an escalation in the likelihood of human extinction, which the Valenzetti Equation predicts.
We know that Damon Lindelof has said the show was heavily influenced by Watchmen, and I think he specifically means the idea of a Doomsday Clock. I think the Dharma Initiative was reconstituted in the future, and created the Island as the Doomsday Clock at that point in time is close to midnight. I think the Island is mankind's last hope to alter one of the factors in the Valenzetti Equation. Here's what I mean-
Anyone familiar with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will have a good reference for this idea. I think Dharma made the Island, probably by using an existing land mass and then modifying it (ie. donkey wheel, smoke monster, electromagnetic forces etc.). The Island was then sent back in time, allowing for things to progress on it, as a type of experiment. Things happen on the Island, and they observe it from the future, but the experiment ends up with the wrong outcome, meaning imminent human extinction. Then, Dharma sends the Island back in time again, in order to run the experiment again, but this time they change something, something happens differently in the timeline. They hope this change will yield a positive outcome, but it doesn't, so they send the Island back in time again. They change some things, observe the outcome, then send it back in time again. They keep doing this over and over, and will continue to until they manage to change something that will chan! ge one of the Valenzetti factors. Who knows which iteration of this experiment we are watching? It's also pertinent to point out that Dharma is a Buddhist idea, and Buddhists believe you continue to be reincarnated over and over until you 'get it right', and so the name was a hint at this all along. Ironic, too, that 1970's Dharma is the reason future Dharma makes the Island.
I think the reason women can't give birth on the Island is that this time around one of the things future Dharma is changing is population. They control the population in order to see what effect it has. I think Jacob is the chief scientist in the future who can occassionally communicate what changes need to be made, which explains why they are always so concerned with what Jacob wants. I think Richard is another scientist from the future, acting as a sort of project manager, and the reason he doesn't age is that he won't start aging again until he reaches his appropriate time. I think the Smoke Monster is a way to control what happens on the Island; a way to alter things that need altering and influence things to happen.
There are many obvious holes in this theroy, such as Lockes role, but I trust they will be panned out as we proceed. Anyway, that's the gist of my idea about what the hell is going on. I hope I articulated it in a clear manner, and I'm willing to clarify anything or discuss it further via the comments section. Theory by Dorfl the Golem
