ABSTRACT
Science fiction is not only a literary genre but also encompasses a broad context that includes utopian and dystopian fictions about the past, present, and future of societies. From this perspective, the utopian/dystopian narratives created can be considered as valuable data sources. As Stephan Shaviro has stated, although establishing and testing scientific hypotheses and creating fiction may seem distinct, they are fundamentally similar in that both involve speculative extrapolation. Max Weber similarly compares the creation of ideal types to the creation of utopias. Therefore, it is possible to examine science fiction sociologically. This examination can be conducted by considering the utopian/dystopian elements in science fiction works as ideal types, as in Weberian sociology. Thus, a sociology of science fiction can be developed. In this study, how the sociology of science fiction can be applied is explored through Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy. Foundation, a science fiction classic, offers a critical projection into the future regarding the promises of the information society between the years 1951 and 1953, when it was published. In this sense, these works have much to say about today’s discussions on digitalization and the digital society. Accordingly, this study explores the possibility of establishing a sociology of science fiction by analyzing potential answers to the question of what crises societies may face due to digitalization, using the utopian and dystopian elements of the Foundation trilogy as ideal types.