In all ancient societies, whose history becomes known to us, in many others - medieval, modern - we meet people whose main social occupation is predicting the future. These are shamans, oracles, magicians, prophets, astrologers, clairvoyants, magicians, magicians, futurologists, utopians, etc. How, when and, most importantly, why did this occupation appear and turned out to be so necessary in various times to various peoples?