Writers who have created science fiction that could save the world

I'm at Norwescon, and one of the panels I was on posed the question, "Can science fiction save the world?"

Much discussion ensued, most of it excellent. Conclusions: Maybe. It has (think of Orwell, Bradbury, etc). It's often the stories and books that are written with no agenda to save the world that have an affect on it. At any rate, later in the panel, we made a list of authors who's books the panel and audience felt contained either new ideas so fresh they spawned change or warnings or social commentary so important and so well-relayed that they were heard by at least many of the people who read the books. Here is the list.

Octavia Butler

Paolo Bacigalupi

Steven King

Cory Doctorow

NK Jemison

Nnedi Okorafor

Neil Gaiman

P.K. Dick

Tamora Pierce

Scott Westerfield

Ian McDonald

China Mieville

Mary Rosenblum

Mary Russell Doria

Now, in most cases the books were not listed – so think of this as a brainstorm list and add if you'd like. In some cases, you might question the choices, but they all made sense in the room in context to the fan or writer who spoke highly of them. And I promised to post the list, so here it is.