Chaos theory, Asimov's Foundations and Robots, and Herbert's Dune: the fractal aesthetic of epic science fiction

Abstract

Introduction Asimov's Foundation Series Psychohistory and Chaos Theory: Metaseries' Architecture and the Foundation Series' Premise and Plot Structure The Back-up Plan, Guardian ship, and Disguise: Interrelated Fractal Motifs on the Same and Descending Levels of Scale The Persistence of Prejudice: Asimov's Crusade Against Bigotry as a Fractal Theme Asimov's Robot Stories and Novels Chaor-Theory Concepts in the Robot Stories and Novels Reiterated and Themes in the Robot Novels Integrating the Metaseries Herbert's Dune Series Plots Within Plots...Patterns Within Patterns: Chaos-Theory Structures and Concepts in the Dune Series The Monomyth as Fractal Pattern in the Dune Series The Monomyth and Chaos Theory: Perhaps we should believe in magic Endnotes Bibliography Index