History Main / AsimovsThreeKindsOfScienceFiction

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* ''Literature/TheAsteriskWar'' focuses on the social aspects of the "Starpulse Generation" (people born with magical abilities after an ApocalypseHow that nearly extinguished humanity). In the wake of superpowered individuals, the government believes keeping tight control is the best way to maintain a peaceful society--not to mention a profitable one, since it's OneNationUnderCopyright--and what better way to ensure that than by making the "Starpulse Generation" fight themselves to entertain the masses?
* Long before Asimov spelled his essay, ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' was making a satire of the social impacts of the mind-blowing technology that makes FloatingContinent Laputa possible. In the third story about Laputa, its residents are revealed to be pretentious xenophobes that {{Feign|ing Intelligence}}, waste money on useless gadgets, and oppress the people outside their city.

* The majority of Creator/JulesVerne's books explore the mechanics and social implications of technology, often concluding that ScienceIsBad, and LuddWasRight.
** ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'' contains all three: The Nautilus is a technological marvel described in loving detail (some of which haven't stood the test of time, having been extrapolated from what was the cutting-edge of science), allowing the exploration of the seas more closely than any other method, and the implications of a rogue submariner running around sinking British ships in revenge for their colonial mishandlings.
* All sci-fi written by Creator/WilliamGibson (i.e. ''Literature/SprawlTrilogy'', ''Literature/BridgeTrilogy'', Literature/BigendBooks, and the [[Literature/ThePeripheral "Jackpot"]] [[Literature/Agency2020 novels]]) falls squarely in the Social camp. While Gibson does his best to research his contemporary technology, he has stated many times that he is neither interested in its nitty-gritty, nor in ''predicting'' the future. Instead, his focus is on how technological progress affects the ''present'', reflected in his imagined futures to highlight what he perceives as the most important. This focus on humanity is what gives his books a timeless quality despite the [[TechnologyMarchesOn tech in them always marching on]] and makes them time capsules of the concerns of the respective decades when they were written (''Sprawl'' in TheEighties, ''Bridge'' in TheNineties, Bigend [[TurnOfTheMillennium after 9/11]], and ''Jackpot'' in TheNewTens).

* ''Anime/PsychoPass'' is the Social type and the invention is the Sybil System, which instantaneously analyses a person's psychological profile and [[ThoughtCrime calculates the likelihood of that person committing a crime]]. Then any threat to society is the Public Safety Bureau. The anime's CentralTheme is whether the Sybil System and the Bureau [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans are worth their cost]] since they rob people of their freedom, privacy, and security; and the former can be as narrow-minded and bigoted as the humans programming it.

* All sci-fi written by Creator/WilliamGibson (i.e. ''Literature/SprawlTrilogy'', ''Literature/BridgeTrilogy'', Literature/BigendBooks, and the [[Literature/ThePeripheral "Jackpot"]] [[Literature/{{Agency}} novels]]) falls squarely in the Social camp. While Gibson does his best to research his contemporary technology, he has stated many times that he is neither interested in its nitty-gritty, nor in ''predicting'' the future. Instead, his focus is on how technological progress affects the ''present'', reflected in his imagined futures to highlight what he perceives as the most important. This focus on humanity is what gives his books a timeless quality despite the [[TechnologyMarchesOn tech in them always marching on]] and makes them time capsules of the concerns of the respective decades when they were written (''Sprawl'' in TheEighties, ''Bridge'' in TheNineties, Bigend [[TurnOfTheMillennium after 9/11]], and ''Jackpot'' in TheNewTens).

* All sci-fi written by Creator/WilliamGibson (i.e. ''Literature/SprawlTrilogy'', ''Literature/BridgeTrilogy'', and the [[Literature/ThePeripheral "Jackpot"]] [[Literature/{{Agency}} books]]) falls squarely in the Social camp. While Gibson does his best to research his contemporary technology, he has stated many times that he is neither interested in its nitty-gritty, nor in ''predicting'' the future. Instead, his focus is on how technological progress affects the ''present'', reflected in his imagined futures to highlight what he perceives as the most important. This focus on humanity is what gives his books a timeless quality despite the [[TechnologyMarchesOn tech in them always marching on]] and makes them time capsules of the concerns of the respective decades when they were written (''Sprawl'' in TheEighties, ''Bridge'' in TheNineties, the Literature/BigendBooks [[TurnOfTheMillennium after 9/11]], and ''Jackpot'' in TheNewTens).

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* ''LightNovel/TheAsteriskWar'' focuses on the social aspects of the "Starpulse Generation" (people born with magical abilities after an ApocalypseHow that nearly extinguished humanity). In the wake of superpowered individuals, the Government believes keeping tight control is the best way to maintain a peaceful society, and what better way to ensure that than by making the "Starpulse Generation" fight themselves to entertain the masses?

Note that this is ''not'' SlidingScale/MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness. That is a measure of how closely a premise sticks to real-world scientific theories; this categorizes a story on how it uses that premise, wherever it may fall on the scale.[[note]]Confusing the issue further is the fact that sociology and psychology are often referred to as "soft sciences", that is, sciences that build models based on statistical consensus rather than underlying mechanisms or strict mathematical laws. A work with a social focus can have a very "hard" (realistic) treatment of a soft science, and vice-versa.[[/note]]Do not confuse this with Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics either.

Note that this is ''not'' SlidingScale/MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness. That is a measure of how closely a premise sticks to real-world scientific theories; this categorizes a story on how it uses that premise, wherever it may fall on the scale.[[note]]Confusing the issue further is the fact that sociology and psychology are often referred to as "soft sciences", that is, sciences that build models based on statistical consensus rather than underlying mechanisms or strict mathematical laws. A work with a social focus can have a very "hard" (realistic) treatment of a soft science, and vice-versa. Do not confuse this with Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics either.

[{AC: Literature]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': Much of the show's plot is driven by [[{{Magitek}} Hextech]]. The social conflict wedged by the life quality (the idyllic, wealthy Piltover versus the impoverished, polluted Zaun) and technology gap (clean steampunk vs. dangerous chemicals) predates the invention of Hextech, however, the latter's apparition is used to explore the former. For one, the Hexgates turn Piltover into a trading hub of a hitherto inconceivable scale, which showers the city with money and goodies that they don't even think to share with Zaun. Then, when Jayce and Viktor build Hextech-based tools that can frighteningly easily become weapons, the militaristic potential of Piltover suddenly rockets therefore making oppressing Zaun all the easier. All of that despite the two inventors wanting to use their technology to benefit as much people as possible. Eventually, this bites everyone in the ass, as the suffering provoked by Piltover and only festered by Zaun's more ruthless individuals ends up [[spoiler: triggering the civil war nearly everyone spends the first season trying to prevent]].

* Creator/IsaacAsimov himself has written stories of all three types of science fiction.
** PlayedWith in his iconic ''Franchise/{{Foundation}}'': FictionalFieldOfScience Psychohistory is created to prevent the Galactic Empire's fall. Unfortunately, it's already beyond salvation. Barring a brief encounter while TheChessmaster Hari Seldon is still alive, the specifics of Psychohistory are not elaborated upon until the very end of the saga. Meanwhile, the plot revolves around the Foundation which is created by Seldon as the seed for a new, more solid Galactic Empire, and how it's manipulated from the shadows by Seldon's pupils to ensure it succeeds. So, the focus is largely on social conflicts but not ones that are caused by the "invention". Instead, Psychohistory is used to solve said problems, even if it has to provoke some of them to ensure the survival of the Foundation.
** In ''Literature/TheGodsThemselves'', the characters {{converse|d}} about a trans-dimensional reactor that supplies the energy needs of at least humankind and an alien race, each inhabiting their own universe. The extensive conversation allows the reader to learn the intricacies and dire, long-term, unintended consequences of the use of such technology. The reactor exploits the (fictional) isobar exchange, where two identical substances can be swapped between two parallel universes to generate energy -- the problem is that it causes one of the universes to approach its heat death sooner.
** In his collection ''Literature/IRobot'', the Three Laws of Robotics are the invention in question -- the series start detailing how the Laws are invented as well as their kinks, then move on to some adventure stories relying on the Laws, and end up with social science fiction about the impact of Three Laws-compliant AI on society, setting up his ''Robot'' novels.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': The show being SpaceOpera, it falls squarely in the Adventure classification. KidHero Ben Tennyson stumbles onto the alien-originated Omnitrix, a device that allows him to turn into a roulette of aliens, each with their own unique set of superpowers. The exact inner workings of the Omnitrix are spoon-fed to the audience, though never completely revealed and the social implications of such technology are never even glanced at. What the series cares about is Ben fending off extraterrestrial bad guys and sometimes going galaxy-trekking.

* Long before Asimov spelled his essay, ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' was making a satire of the social impacts of the mind-blowing technology that makes FloatingContinent Laputa possible. In the third story about Laputa, its residents are revealed to be pretentious xenophobes that {{Feign|ing Intelligence}}, waste money on useless gadgets, and oppress the people outside their city.

* ''Literature/HaveSpaceSuitWillTravel'' establishes semi-CasualInterplanetaryTravel, and is a ripping good yarn, but has very loving descriptions of how the titular spacesuit works and why it works the way it does, combining Gadget (a technological marvel of a one-man spaceship) with Adventure (a SecretWar between hostile and benevolent alien races).

* Creator/JanuszZajdel is one of the premier examples of then so-called ''sociological fantasy'', a Polish take on soft/social ScienceFiction. Arguably a Soviet Bloc equivalent of CyberPunk, this genre used sci-fi trappings to discuss realities of life in societies inspired by CommieLand these writers lived in.

* The majority of Creator/JulesVerne's books explore the mechanics and social implications of technology, often concluding that ScienceIsBad, and LuddWasRight.
** ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'' contains all three: The Nautilus is a technological marvel described in loving detail (some of which haven't stood the test of time, having been extrapolated from what was the cutting-edge of science), allowing the exploration of the seas more closely than any other method, and the implications of a rogue submariner running around sinking British ships in revenge for their colonial mishandlings.

* ''Roleplay/NexusGate'' is the story of how space travel (through the Jump Drive technology) turns a peaceful WorldOfFunnyAnimals into an expansionistic, colonialist saddled with space pirates. So, overall, it fits the Social type but since is a Roleplay, each roleplayer's individual stories can shift the classification to Gadget or Adventure.

* ''TabletopGame/Space1889'': The Gadget and Social types are well represented. In the sourcebooks, the new technologies are described in reasonable detail and the adventures are, well, adventures. The social effects of the inventions mentioned are small (such as the difficulty of keeping clothes in their proper places in zero-G) and Europeans treat the other planets as just other colonies. Instead, the historical conventions of the late Victorian Era are played straight.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' falls under Adventure. Whatever unexplained technology [[spoiler: Bowser Jr.]] employs to disguise himself as a water-textured Mario (with occasional red eyes) is what causes the conflict -- Mario is accused of and falsely punished for vandalizing Isle Delfino. And it's the water BackpackCannon F.L.U.D.D. that solves the problem. The video game's plot is first about proving Mario's innocence then defeating the ones responsible and finally just exploring Isle Delfine at one's leisure.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' falls under Adventure. Whatever unexplained technology [[spoiler: Bowser Jr.]] employs to disguise himself as a water-textured Mario (with occasional red eyes) is what causes the conflict -- Mario is accused of and falsely punished for vandalizing Isle Delfino. And it's the water BackpackCannon [[F.L.U.D.D.]] that solves the problem. The video game's plot is first about proving Mario's innocence then defeating the ones responsible and finally just exploring Isle Delfine at one's leisure.

* Asimov himself has written stories of all three types of science fiction.

* ''Film/TheTrumanShow'' ranks on the Adventure category. The invention is an environment-mimicking dome used that hosts a small town-scaled filming set. How it came to be is never explained, just that it exists TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture and is used to trick a person into believing his life is real when, in truth, it's a staged RealityShow. The movie doesn't make a point of how the existence of such advanced biodomes would impact society nor how much of a CrapsackWorld it must be to allow such an immoral show to be produced. Instead, it focuses on the titular character's journey of realizing his life is a simulation and escaping from it.

** PlayedWith in his iconic ''Franchise/Foundation'': FictionalFieldOfScience Psychohistory is created to prevent the Galactic Empire's fall. Unfortunately, it's already beyond salvation. Barring a brief encounter while TheChessmaster Hari Seldon is still alive, the specifics of Psychohistory are not elaborated upon until the very end of the saga. Meanwhile, the plot revolves around the Foundation which is created by Seldon as the seed for a new, more solid Galactic Empire, and how it's manipulated from the shadows by Seldon's pupils to ensure it succeeds. So, the focus is largely on social conflicts but not ones that are caused by the "invention". Instead, Psychohistory is used to solve said problems, even if it has to provoke some of them to ensure the survival of the Foundation.

** PlayedWith in his iconic ''Franchise/Foundation'': FictionalFieldOfScience Psychohistory is created to prevent the Galactic Empire's fall. Unfortunately, it's already beyond salvation. Barring a brief encounter while Hari Seldon is still alive, the specifics of Psychohistory are not elaborated upon until the very end of the saga. Meanwhile, the plot revolves around the Foundation which is created by Seldon as the seed for a new, more solid Galactic Empire, and how it's manipulated from the shadows by Seldon's pupils to ensure it succeeds. So, the focus is largely on social conflicts but not ones that are caused by the "invention". Instead, Psychohistory is used to solve said problems, even if it has to provoke some of them to ensure the survival of the Foundation.

* Asimov himself has written stories of all three types of science fiction. In his collection ''Literature/IRobot'', the Three Laws of Robotics are the invention in question -- the series start detailing how the Laws are invented as well as their kinks, then move on to some adventure stories relying on the Laws, and end up with social science fiction about the impact of Three Laws-compliant AI on society, setting up his ''Robot'' novels.

* Long before Asimov put this trope into words, ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' was making a satire of the social impacts of the mind-blowing technology that makes FloatingContinent Laputa possible. In the third story about Laputa, its residents are revealed to be pretentious xenophobes that {{Feign|ing Intelligence}}, waste money on useless gadgets, and oppress the people outside their city.

* Long before Asimov put this trope into words, ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' was making a satire of the social impacts of the mind-blowing technology that makes FloatingContinent Laputa possible. In the third story about Laputa, its inhabitants are revealed to be pseudo-intellectual buffoons who use their know-how to oppress the people below while wasting their wealth on impractical junk.

* ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'' contains all three: The Nautilus is a technological marvel described in loving detail (some of which haven't stood the test of time, having been extrapolated from what was the cutting-edge of science), allowing the exploration of the seas more closely than any other method, and the implications of a rogue submariner running around sinking British ships in revenge for their colonial mishandlings.

* ''LightNovel/TheAsteriskWar'' focuses on the social aspects of the "Starpulse Generation" (people born with magical abilities after an ApocalyseHow that nearly extinguished humanity). In the wake of superpowered individuals, the Government believes keeping tight control is the best way to maintain a peaceful society, and what better way to ensure that than by making the "Starpulse Generation" fight themselves to entertain the masses?