Yeah , the way Herbert is able to legitimately work swordplay and other fairy talefantasy ideas into a science fiction future is one of my favorite things about Dune . About characters communicating with their ancient ancestors in Dune , it seems to me that it ' s presented as a science fiction extension of Jungian psychology ideas of racial memory and collective unconsciousness . It does feel like Dune ' s biggest stretch compared to how we understand reality today though accepted psychology sees trends and changes over time . But it is presented in the story in a science fictionally logical way aptitude plus intense training and really potent psychoactive drugs rather than a magical fantasy just because way . In some cases , such as Alia communicating with the dead Old Baron , she might also just be an unreliable narrator with a psychological disorder triggered by early overexposure to the drug . Maybe !