Appears In
- Prelude to Foundation
- Forward the Foundation
- Foundation
Key Traits
- Mathematician
- Psychohistorian
- First Minister
- Founder
Importance
Creator of Psychohistory in the Foundation saga
Biography
Early Life and Background
Born on Helicon, Hari Seldon showed exceptional mathematical talent from a young age. He attended Helicon University and later moved to Trantor, the capital of the Galactic Empire, to pursue advanced studies in mathematics.
Career and Achievements
Seldon's greatest achievement was the development of psychohistory, a mathematical framework that could predict the future behavior of large populations. Initially presenting it as a theoretical concept at a mathematics conference, Seldon soon realized its profound implications for the fate of civilization.
Legacy and Impact
Using psychohistory, Seldon predicted the imminent fall of the Galactic Empire and the subsequent 30,000 years of barbarism. To minimize this dark age to just 1,000 years, he established two Foundations at opposite ends of the galaxy.
Character Analysis
Motivations
Seldon's primary motivation was the preservation of human knowledge and civilization. Unlike many scientists focused on personal glory, Seldon was driven by a profound sense of responsibility to future generations.
Key Relationships
- Dors Venabili: His wife and protector, later revealed to be a robot.
- Yugo Amaryl: His close friend and collaborator in developing psychohistory.
- Gaal Dornick: One of his first followers at the Foundation.
Impact on the Series
Though Seldon dies early in the chronological timeline, his influence permeates the entire series. His holographic recordings appear at crucial 'Seldon Crises,' guiding the Foundation through predicted challenges. The Seldon Plan becomes both a beacon of hope and a source of conflict throughout the saga.
Key Relationships
Dors Venabili
His wife and protector, later revealed to be a robot guardian sent to keep him safe.
Gaal Dornick
One of his first followers and witnesses to the establishment of the Foundation.
Yugo Amaryl
Close friend and collaborator in developing the mathematical framework of psychohistory.
Salvor Hardin
The first Mayor of Terminus who implemented Seldon's vision through political means.
Personal Timeline
11,988 G.E.
Born on Helicon, a rural world in the Outer Periphery
12,010 G.E.
Presents psychohistory paper at Decennial Mathematics Convention on Trantor
12,020 G.E.
Becomes First Minister under Emperor Cleon I
12,028 G.E.
Establishes the Psychohistory Project at Streeling University
12,038 G.E.
Tried for treason before the Commission of Public Safety
12,038 G.E.
Exiled to Terminus to establish the Encyclopedia Foundation
12,069 G.E.
Dies at age 81, after recording holographic messages for future Seldon Crises
Memorable Quotes
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."
"Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right."
"The fall of Empire, gentlemen, is a massive thing, however, and not easily fought. It is dictated by a rising bureaucracy, a receding initiative, a freezing of caste, a damming of curiosity—a hundred other factors."
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."
"The psychohistoric trend of a planet full of people contains a huge inertia. To be changed it must be met with something possessing a similar inertia."
Character Gallery
Portrait 1
Portrait 2
Portrait 3
Portrait 4
Community Discussion
Understanding Hari Seldon's Role in Foundation
Hari Seldon represents one of Isaac Asimov's most fascinating characters in the Foundation series. As creator of psychohistory, Hari plays a crucial role in the unfolding of the Seldon Plan and the preservation of human civilization across the galaxy.
Through Hari's journey in Prelude to Foundation, Forward the Foundation, Foundation, readers explore themes of mathematician, psychohistorian, first minister, and the complex interplay between individual action and historical forces that defines Asimov's vision of psychohistory.