"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." -- Arthur C. Clarke
The quotation I cited in the main post is sort of an inversion, but is also true. Just as advanced technology can seem magical, especially to those who do not understand how it works, "magic" (at least the stuff that actually works) when understood, is explicable by science. Magic is often ritualistic and a ritual is a good way of preserving method ("do it exactly this way") in a non-literate society. Do it that way, exactly, and it (usually) works. It's empirical. But analyze it until you discover the underlying facts and principles and then it becomes understood and is no longer "magic."
This is what amuses me so much about Wicca. It's called magic, but it's not so much magic as psychology (though you can debate how much of science psychology is). The difference is that some folks just feel more comfortable with the supposedly more organic feel of "magic" rather than the supposed austerity and clinical nature of the (non-)alternative.
The thing I find amazing is that there are people in both pagan-type and Christian-type religions who REFUSE to believe that there is such a thing as coincidence. Some stuff just HAPPENS, people! It is not Ghod's Whill or Kharma or Ahnything Ehlse. Dem's da breaks. C'est la vie.
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From sci fi writer I believe
Date: 5 Dec 2008 13:56 (UTC)Re: From sci fi writer I believe
Date: 5 Dec 2008 14:18 (UTC)The quotation I cited in the main post is sort of an inversion, but is also true. Just as advanced technology can seem magical, especially to those who do not understand how it works, "magic" (at least the stuff that actually works) when understood, is explicable by science. Magic is often ritualistic and a ritual is a good way of preserving method ("do it exactly this way") in a non-literate society. Do it that way, exactly, and it (usually) works. It's empirical. But analyze it until you discover the underlying facts and principles and then it becomes understood and is no longer "magic."
This is what amuses me so much about Wicca. It's called magic, but it's not so much magic as psychology (though you can debate how much of science psychology is). The difference is that some folks just feel more comfortable with the supposedly more organic feel of "magic" rather than the supposed austerity and clinical nature of the (non-)alternative.
Re: From sci fi writer I believe
Date: 5 Dec 2008 19:07 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Dec 2008 19:12 (UTC)