Feb

22

Is Daniel Faraday Losing a Memory or Gaining a Vision?

Posted by lostfan

February 22, 2008 |

FaradayEvery time I try come up with a Lost theory, prediction, or wild guess I find myself stuck between two theories, and I don’t think that is on accident. I get stuck between two theories that are almost mutually-exclusive. That, in my opinion, is deliberate. Hasn’t that been the theme of Lost all along? It is a battle between dualities.

Take Daniel Faraday for example. There is no denying he is a genius. He has a firm understanding of Einsteinian and Newtonian physics, yet when we meet him he is hyper-sensitive, living with a caretaker, and apparently, he might have a memory problem as well. So, what is going on?

One theory (my favorite and most likely) is that Faraday has suffered some sort of traumatic brain injury such as an aneurism or stroke. This is supported by his need of a caretaker, and his inability to comprehend the reality of the plane crash.

As a result, he has symptoms that are similar to that of a savant, with highly specialized knowledge in some areas, and no aptitude or ability in others. Faraday has been briefed on the healing abilities of the island. His tests with Charlotte are designed to gauge his progress towards being healed. While his healing isn’t as dramatic as Locke’s walking again, Charlotte seems encouraged by the results.

If this is true, the experiment will be repeated, and he will continue to improve.

OR

The other theory is that time is just really messed up on the island. The time shift represents a moving through time in such a way that experiences can be relieved, avoided, or predicted. This theory explains Desmond’s reliving of so many events, and his constant struggle to save Charlie from impending doom.

Daniel, because of his intelligence, can anticipate these shifts, and he is attempting to predict or even will what cards are present. Unfortunately, as with Charlie, some future events are so strong that they can’t be avoided. Therefore Faraday cannot predict all of the cards.

I don’t like this theory as much because it blurs the lines between Miles and Daniel too much. Daniel Faraday is the man of science, and Miles is the Faithless man of faith.

But, If this is true, in future episodes we will see more of his predictive abilities.

Which of these theories do you agree with, or do you have your own?


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Scott on February 25, 2008 6:17 pm

    I think Daniel Faraday is clearly a veiled reference to Michael Faraday who was a late 19th century physicist who experimented with electromagnetism and discovered the association between magnetic fields and electricity. I believe the writers have put him in the story as a clue to the nature of the island’s time-shifting via a magnetic force generated by the island.

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