I’m currently reading Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series (currently in the middle of Foundation and Empire). For those who haven’t read it (not giving away anything that isn’t revealed in the first 30 pages of the first book), the book is based on a society created by a Hari Seldon, who perfected the science of psychohistory. Psychohistory is the ability to mathematically predict the future of masses of people (on the order of civilizaitons and empires), regardless of the individuals who arise in those masses.
My question is, is such a science a real possibility? Could someone (in the future) reasonably develop mathematical rules to predict the future of societies? Or is this just wishful thinking or a plot device on Asimov’s part?
Zev Steinhardt
This was covered here recently.
I bet you saw it out of the corner of your eye and it hit your subconscious. At least, that seems to happen to me a lot on the SDMB.
It doesn’t even work in the book
Thanks KarlGauss. As a matter of fact, now that I see that thread, I remember glancing at it and going “Who’s the Mule?” (who is mentioned in the OP and is not in the first book. I just started F&E last night), and forgot about the thread.
Sorry to step on your thread ralph124c.
OK, mods, please close it up. Thanks.
Zev Steinhardt
Before this is locked, I wanted to hijack and add that it was the Foundation trilogy, especially its “psychohistory” and wonderful applications of mathematics, that drew me to towards the sciences when I was fifteen. Before that, I seldom went to school, and just smoked dope and played chess and/or pool all day. When I finished the last chapter, I knew I was going to be a “scientist” (OK, I turned out to be a doctor, but that’s close). I started going to classes …