2) Do you think Frank's creation of the spice originated with the prevalence of cardamon in everything edible in the Gulf? I mean, really, get it off my ice cream!
I honestly have no idea if this concept was borrowed or not. I assume it was but maybe not in the same way as you think. I see spice as a fundamental part of Dune's universe in a similar way petrolatum products are in our world. Although directly these products do not share the same qualities as spice. Indirectly the products increase our life span and keep the "engine" of progress turning. Without these products our modern world would ground to a halt. Spice is an amalgamation of these products; travel, medicine, economic, military, etc. It is a source of strength but also our weakness. The over-reliance of spice created a state of stagnation in the Imperium. Old space travel technology was abandoned, developments in medical fields were left to rogue states that were isolated from the general population. It also became a source on conflict. States would rise and fall over spice. It led to the destruction of the AI Empire, the Corrino dynasty, Harkonnen, Atreides and in the later series, the Imperium. However as long as the spice flowed the lose of a state did little to change the system. For example America could fall but the oil must flow. A new state rises filling the power vacuum but nothing really changed. The system remains the same the Guild, Oil companies, are still in charge with a new mouth piece. In later books Leto limited the spice supply for the sake of the Golden Path. He shattered the Imperium by limiting the sole resource that was key to their universe. By doing so he created a period of time leading to innovation and exploration; No-ships, the Scattering. It also force humanity to face it's demons which are in the form of AI. Humanity faced it's fear, and taboos. AI being seen as a threat as found in the prequels anything deemed to close to an AI became taboo. Human's became the new super-computers, Mentats. Call it Oil vs Wind, Solar, Bio fuels or Bio vs Mechanical. We are now in a mechanical age after centuries of a bio age. By the end of the series the two ideologies were merged.
We should not fear the past or unknown. We should not become reliant on certain resources less it limits our potential and led to stagnation. Never stop innovation or exploration. Different ideologies can become combined into a new one.
3) Are you familiar with the growth of Frank's body of work, how he began with publishing shorter novels having to do with hive mind and viral mind control? If so, how do you feel that influenced his research into prophethood and religion?
I've never read his work outside his novels and Kevin's series set in the Dune Universe. The prequels featured the AI Empire in detail. While not a hive mind in it's true form I think it is a closer representation than religion.
Religion in the Dune novels reflected religion of the past. A developed religious organization that rivaled all other political bodies except for the Guild. However to the general population the Church's members were feared more than respected. The Fremen were the last of the Jews. There is a family tree built up over the 3 time lines following themes of the Exodus, Kings, Dispora and reunification of the People. Now if this concept of actually being the Jews is more Kevin than Frank, lets just call them the "Chosen Peoples". Their prophecies came true, they were the true believers, they followed the path in the face of all challenges. Like-wise they became arrogant, suffered for it then rediscovered themselves during humanity's armageddon against the AI, devil.
The Church became divided in the Scattering. One faction becoming more entrenched in their system along with "spirituality" spice provided. The other lost touch with this concept developing a system that encompassed the 7 deadly sins in different forms. This faction became materialist. Both factions became combined into an new ideology forming new concepts.
Dune portrays a universe similar to our own in a few ways. The prequels are set in a materialist world driven by technology to the point of enslaving us. We become the machines of our creations. It also recreates religion as a unifying factor more than any morale guide. Franks standard series reflect a reactionary view of needing to fall back to our roots, fear developing to fast and general fear of the unknown even the elements that are in our society; The Church and Guild. A Savoir appears to save us but in order to do so he must destroy us. The Sequels are our destruction as all view points, Bio/Mechanical and Spirituality/Material, go at it in a free for all. These concepts combine creating a new gold age for humanity. Past and Future are united in the Present. Old and New are combined. Humanity is at balance with it's self and world around it.
Topic: Frank Herbert's Dune NOT Kevin Herbert's, please