The numbers -- 4, 8, 15,16, 23, 42 -- are, by most Lost-fanatics knowledge, more than just random numbers inserted into a computer to "save the world", as Desmond would have it. Plus, a commercial preceeding the beginning of Season 3 showed key characters reciting the numbers. There's no way these numbers are merely the collective favourites of Lindeloff & co.

Although, as I will explore in this theory, what Desmond says is still quite accurate. Are these numbers fateful?

Apparently they are. In "The Lost Experience", a (supposedly crazy) Italian mathematician - Enzo Valenzetti - was asked to discover a formula for world peace; or as one may put it Eternal Harmony. The problem was, as detailed, the formula which Valenzetti finished with was in fact a prediction for the end of the world.

Are "The Other's" a group of individuals who are sacrificing a normal life in the world as we know it in a bid to change one of these numbers? (thus rendering the end of the world an irreality) Quotes such as "We're the good guys, Michael" and "I want you to want to help me,Jack" from Ben seem to support this evidence.

Is The Island a huge social experiment? Are "The Other's" attempting to change the formula, but have been interrupted by the Flight 815 survivors arrival? Do they now feel they need to watch the survivor's perpetually and keep maximum awareness? This could be supported by the fact they have extensive records of the survivor's (or at least the ones captured during the beginning of Season 3) and have communication with the outside world. If The Other's were so bad, the outside world would surely intervene?

Flaws with this theory:

• The Other's are anything but a tight-knit community. Their actions are not entirely innocent. For example, beating Charlie to near death.
• If The Other's are "the good people", then that would candidly include Benjamin Linus in that category. Then why does Juliet secretly shoot his character down in flames in her videotape to Jack; and why does she request that Jack kills Ben? Is this an example of testing humanity? If Jack refused to commit such a crime for all of the right reasons, would that change the equation significantly?
• The above point is made difficult to assess in a positive light when Juliet is branded and scarred on her back. There's no essence of "the good people" in that action. Furthermore, their "eye for an eye" killing tendencies alienate their supposed benevolence.
• Why aren't The Other's trying to get the survivor's rescued? This would presumably reinstate their comfortable pre-crash position, whilst removing the threat the survivor's pose, in their eyes.
• What on earth is the black smoke? The only legitimate explanation (which is far fetched at best) is that the Black Smoke is a fireball being launched at people/surroundings by the "Molotov Woman" who torched the raft pre-kidnap of Walt. Unlikely, indeed.