Dune - What's the (philosophical) Point?

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http://tim.oreilly.com/herbert/ch01.html

Despite its complexity and loftiness, 'Dune' is essentially a multi-volume fantasy novel and for the most part simply fun to read — if you can live with plenty of koan-like Bene Gesserit proverbs and not really knowing what's going on (that aspect is the most fun and can make up for a lot of boring, seemingly meaningless pages). It's not a socio-political commentary — or if so, Herbert's intentions are not that obvious. I've read some parts many times over and always found a new angle of approach. I'd like to know the sources of his inspiration, but like Tolkien I think he would never have given a "definitive" interpretation of his work, like a "Dune for Dummies". And even if he had, each generation of readers will generate their own.
On the surface, 'Dune' is about Paul Atreides and his successors and the dangers of absolute power, especially religious fanaticism and the ability to see and control the future. The Atreides have been genetically bred and enhanced for centuries like any other member of the ruling elite. Daughters are usually given for instruction to the Bene Gesserit (a quasi-religious order, but entirely based on reason, to the point of suppressing all emotion), who achieve almost super-human powers through mind and physical discipline, a valuable asset to each power-hungry family. Their 'Reverend Mothers' use Arrakeen Spice to awaken genetic memories of their female ancestors, which gives them a somewhat unique perspective on human history. But their abilities have limits — they have the goal of creating their male equivalent with even greater powers: a true superhuman being. This 'Kwisatz Haderach' is Paul — his name, The Shortening of the Way, implies that through his powers of precognition and the experience of countless (male and female) lifetimes, he will be able to see the perfect path for humanity (That's what I make of the so-called 'Golden Path'). But alas, he slips from the BG's control through unforeseen circumstances. Clearly, there is a point beyond which even their Reverend Mothers cannot see every detail of the future, even though they have created a Mahdi religion on Arrakis for a BG-trained individual to exploit. Paul uses his indoctrinated Fremen army to conquer the Universe, but subsequently becomes the prisoner of his own myth. His precognition shows him no way to reclaim his independance. He is doomed to know and take responsibility, even as his religious empire becomes everything he hates. After losing his beloved wife Chani while she gives birth to a son and daughter, Paul walks into the desert, presumably to die. End of Act I.
What was the ultimate goal of the Bene Gesserit, the path they planned for their Kwisatz Haderach? It's not clear (or I have forgotten the clues), but with Paul the Atreides vision takes over completely, and the rest of the series is mainly about the unwilling subjects and the God Emperor(s) themselves trying to escape his absolute powers, and the Atreides ultimately preventing the self-destruction of mankind by making future precognition by yet another Kwisatz Haderach impossible, at least for the descendants of Siona Atreides — the Bene Gesserit's ambitions have come full circle. Glimpsing the future and trying to influence it leads into self-fulfilling prophecies, even for a Bene Gesserit-trained person with controlled emotions, and escaping such powers could be beyond the limits of any (if vaguely) human being. On the technical side, it's important to understand Herbert's concept of clairvoyance, and that's hard — Paul and Leto (his son) have genuine visions, but they also have access to the (genetic) memories of every male and female forebear, theoretically to the very first humans... which is why they are prisoners of the past. There is literally nothing they haven't seen, no experience they haven't had. Act II begins with Paul's son Leto claiming the throne, but he is no longer human even in a physical sense — he has undergone a symbiosis with the Giant Sandworm of Arrakis and will live for ten thousand years: the ultimate dictatorship.
The 'God Emperor of Dune' is for me the most enigmatic, yet fascinating book of the series. I don't claim to understand it all, or why Leto resurrects (and kills) his father's most loyal servant Duncan Idaho time and again, other than for breeding purposes and sentimental value (but it is a good vehicle for storytelling). This book is the (anti-)climax of the Atreides' story and also describes very movingly Leto's struggle to hold on to his diminishing humanity, with him being the longest-living and most alien creature in the universe. His death is terrible, melodramatic and ignominious, but Leto himself would insist that he is a force to be overcome.
The final two volumes of 'Dune' deal with the transformation of the Bene Gesserit, who face competition and possible extermination from a horde of women that have perverted their Bene Gesserit origins and become 'Honored Matres', enslaving males though sexual domination. The BG have, in Herbert's view, been dehumanized by suppressing their emotions. It's up to an unorthodox Bene Gesserit to remedy the situation and reintegrate the 'lost sisters' back into the order, thereby changing its face forever, but also strengthening it against a new threat that is only described in outlines — and would have been the subject of the next 'Dune' novel, had Herbert had the time to write it (His son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson have published two successive novels, 'Hunters of Dune' and 'Sandworms of Dune', both of which I haven't read).

It's clear that Herbert wrestled with sociological and moral ideas that are sometimes hard to swallow: The saving graces of Democracy, for instance, get only a passing and rather derogatory mention in 'Dune'. The same goes for technology, while the moral and practival value of eugenics is never questioned — human breeding creates the problem and ultimately remedies it. Although we are supposedly somewhere in the future, it could be the Middle Ages going on forever. It seems like Herbert (at least in 'Dune') viewed society as a never-ending cycle and the return of feudal systems as inevitable. He also has taken that Lawrence-of-Arabia cliché of the long-suffering, backward yet fanatical Desert Bedouin, put it in a still suit and transplanted it onto a desert planet, complete with mythology and language — voilà the Fremen (Free Men). I like it, but I'm not sure everybody does right now.
The idea of Genetic Memory emerged in the 1850s and was popular in the 'spiritual' Seventies (Today, it is cited among parapsychologists as an explanation for so-called 'past life regression'). With its focus on super-human powers, 'Dune' is not so far from George Lucas' Jedis. The Bene Gesserit are apparently inspired by Buddhist monks, martial artists and Herbert's deep respect for his wife, whom he considered very wise and knowledgeable. 'Dune' is often cited as an early example of environmentalist SF, although in my opinion it's merely a backdrop for the human "zoo" — apart from the childish Paul, it's impossible to really identify with any single person. Its enigmatic philosophy, powerful wording and seemingly deeply understood concepts have made the series kind of "The Lord of the Rings" for intellectuals, but sometimes I get the impression much of it is impressive sounding *beep* Decide for yourself.

Finally, an illuminating(?) Frank Herbert quote (from Wikipedia):

'I think science fiction does help, and it points in very interesting directions. ... It says that we have the imagination for these other opportunities, these other choices. We tend to tie ourselves down to limited choices. We say, "Well, the only answer is...." or, "If you would just...." Whatever follows these two statements narrows the choices right there. It gets the vision right down close to the ground so that you don't see anything happening outside. Humans tend not to see over a long range. Now we are required, in these generations, to have a longer range view of what we inflict on the world around us. This is where, I think, science fiction is helping. I don't think that the mere writing of such a book as "Brave New World" or "1984" prevents those things which are portrayed in those books from happening. But I do think they alert us to that possibility and make that possibility less likely. They make us aware that we may be going in that direction."'

Well first off you could check out the companion novel/encyclopedia. I forget it's name it's been so long but goes pretty in depth about the politics and inner workings of the landsraad and guild, bene theilax and bene geserit. Herbert also wrote that power does not corrupt,but power attracts the corruptable. Also how heartless and vicious humans can be to each other.