psychohistory

E39706

concept in science fiction fictional academic discipline fictional science

Psychohistory is a fictional scientific discipline from Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series that uses mathematical and statistical laws to predict the future behavior of large populations.

Statements (49)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	concept in science fiction → fictional academic discipline → fictional science →
appearsIn	Forward the Foundation → Foundation → Foundation and Empire → Foundation series → Prelude to Foundation → Second Foundation →
associatedWithOrganization	First Foundation → Second Foundation →
basedOn	large-number statistics → probability theory → statistical laws of mass behavior →
countryOfOrigin	United States →
creator	Isaac Asimov →
developedByCharacter	Hari Seldon →
fictionalFounder	Hari Seldon →
field	futurology → history → mathematics → sociology → statistics →
firstAppearance	Astounding Science Fiction magazine →
firstAppearanceInStory	Foundation (1942 short story) →
genre	science fiction concept →
goal	long-term prediction of historical trends → prediction of future behavior of large populations →
hasConcept	Prime Radiant → Seldon Crisis → Seldon Plan →
influencedByRealWorldConcept	cliodynamics → social physics → statistical mechanics →
inspiredRealWorldField	discussions of mathematical history →
inUniverseStatus	closely guarded by the Second Foundation → highly secret discipline →
languageOfOrigin	English →
limitation	accuracy decreases with smaller populations → cannot predict actions of specific individuals → vulnerable to unpredictable individual actors →
publisherOfFirstAppearance	Astounding Science Fiction →
requires	very large populations →
setting	Galactic Empire in the Foundation universe →
themeIn	determinism versus free will → predictability of complex societies → role of individuals in history →
usedFor	creation of the Seldon Plan → shortening the period of galactic chaos →

Referenced by (1)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Isaac Asimov →	notableIdea