A podcast about the science fiction novels and stories of Isaac Asimov. Jason Stark, a seasoned reader of Asimov's novels, joins Stephanie and Jacob Junker, newcomers to the material, and together they investigate the themes and meanings behind the stories of one the most famous Sci Fi authors of all time. From positronic brains to psychohistory and beyond, join Jason, Stephanie and Jacob as they look for the relevance that these stories have for today, and how they speak to big questions and ideas.
Episodes
Wednesday Jan 06, 2021
Wednesday Jan 06, 2021
When you think Isaac Asimov, what book comes to mind most readily? For many, that would be Foundation. On this episode we begin our analysis of what has been considered one of THE quintessential science fiction novels, and has been an inspiration to countless readers and sci-fi creators. We talk about about Book 1, "The Psychohistorians," and we discuss the concept of Galactic Empire, the extent to which Psychohistory is realistic (or hopelessly doomed to fail), and how we respond to figures of authority and expertise when our interests are on the line.
Also, we briefly discuss Cliodynamics and the far-out (or are they???) theories of Peter Turchin. Here is a link to an article from Nov 2020 (around when we recorded this episode) that talks about Turchin and his predictions of societal collapse:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/can-history-predict-future/616993/
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