Real Magic? I would like to discover what you think real magic is in you opinion.

[Deleted1205226User]

According to Alan Moore, Magic has something to do with Art & Words (Grimoire = grammar, book of spell is literally that, a book where words are spelled.) In the Dark Ages, those who had the knowledge of words were Magicians, because words can change someone.

[Deleted54170User]

According to Alan Moore, Magic has something to do with Art & Words (Grimoire = grammar, book of spell is literally that, a book where words are spelled.) In the Dark Ages, those who had the knowledge of words were Magicians, because words can change someone.

 

I watched, listened, studied his works.

 

Giving power to a word made of letters and symbols which had to have had a beginning before leads me to wonder what or whom created them and when?

 

What made it possible to even imagine a symbol? Magic ???

[WakahisaSensei]

There are quite a few answers to give on this. Some say sufficiently advanced technology is magic. I would argue that makes all technology magic, as what qualifies as "sufficiently advanced" is both subjective and can change with time. So what may be "sufficiently advanced" to me may not be to you and vice versa. Furthermore, this phrase can be taken to imply that it is the lack of understanding of a technology that makes something magic. But just because you DO understand something doesn't necessarily make it any less magical.

 

I have a friend who views magic as his ability to take intended actions, and manifest it as reality (or some such thing). In a way it boiled down to "magic" being his word for "faith" or "prayer" in the religious sense. I see that answer as being not more or less valid than the above regarding technology.

 

As to whether or not I personally think magic exists, I could say yes or no. I follow a form of nihilism and the easiest way to state my opinion is that magic is neither more or less real than anything else that may or may not exist. A great deal of it depends on definitions that may not exactly be agreed upon. If we're going with the traditional sense of magic (as in wands and spells etc) than I would say no, it does not exist (or at the very least it has ceased to exist).

[HeyYou]

If you took a modern jeep back to the early 1800's, (or earlier) you would be in serious danger of being burned as a witch. :) The 'lack of understanding' IS what separates magic, from technology. Granted, it would take a lot more to impress us in this day and age, as we are not quite so superstitious as we once were..... (for the most part.....)

 

There was an episode of Babylon 5 that addressed this issue a bit. The 'techno-mage'. :D

[WakahisaSensei]

If you took a modern jeep back to the early 1800's, (or earlier) you would be in serious danger of being burned as a witch. :smile: The 'lack of understanding' IS what separates magic, from technology. Granted, it would take a lot more to impress us in this day and age, as we are not quite so superstitious as we once were..... (for the most part.....)

 

There was an episode of Babylon 5 that addressed this issue a bit. The 'techno-mage'. :D

That's kind of my point though. It's subjective. What is magic to us years ago is no longer. What may be magic to us today may not be in the future. In fact what may not be magic to some of us today, may still be to others.

 

Furthermore I've seen some amazing advances in the field of medicine and I understand generally how it works. Does that make it any less magical just because I know how it works? Maybe, but maybe not. To some people, that jeep may still be magical even in this era. To some people from the 1800's, that jeep may not be magical even if it is to most of their peers. Sure, they don't understand it. But they might assume there is a science behind it rather than magic.

 

What is considered "Sufficiently advanced" to be "magical" is subjective and a lack of understanding may not necessarily lead to the assumption of magic. Understanding may not mean that it isn't magic. In this case I could argue that all technology is "sufficiently advanced" to someone, and therefor all technology can be considered magic.

Edited November 23, 2018 by WakahisaSensei

[HeyYou]

 

If you took a modern jeep back to the early 1800's, (or earlier) you would be in serious danger of being burned as a witch. :smile: The 'lack of understanding' IS what separates magic, from technology. Granted, it would take a lot more to impress us in this day and age, as we are not quite so superstitious as we once were..... (for the most part.....)

 

There was an episode of Babylon 5 that addressed this issue a bit. The 'techno-mage'. :D

That's kind of my point though. It's subjective. What is magic to us years ago is no longer. What may be magic to us today may not be in the future. In fact what may not be magic to some of us today, may still be to others.

 

Furthermore I've seen some amazing advances in the field of medicine and I understand generally how it works. Does that make it any less magical just because I know how it works? Maybe, but maybe not. To some people, that jeep may still be magical even in this era. To some people from the 1800's, that jeep may not be magical even if it is to most of their peers. Sure, they don't understand it. But they might assume there is a science behind it rather than magic.

 

What is considered "Sufficiently advanced" to be "magical" is subjective and a lack of understanding may not necessarily lead to the assumption of magic. Understanding may not mean that it isn't magic. In this case I could argue that all technology is "sufficiently advanced" to someone, and therefor all technology can be considered magic.

 

I agree, perspective has a LOT to do with it.... We consider ourselves an 'advanced' civilization, but, are we really? The only thing we have to compare ourselves to, is our own history. So, in that sense, yes indeed, we have come a long way. Now, some alien sitting in his interstellar craft, looking down on our 'crude' rockets, would likely have a different opinion on that. :)

 

And in that same vein, the tribals that live isolated on some little island, that just used bows/arrows to kill an 'invader' (stupid american) would look at our society, and technology, and swear up and down that it is indeed 'magic'. :)

[WakahisaSensei]

 

 

If you took a modern jeep back to the early 1800's, (or earlier) you would be in serious danger of being burned as a witch. :smile: The 'lack of understanding' IS what separates magic, from technology. Granted, it would take a lot more to impress us in this day and age, as we are not quite so superstitious as we once were..... (for the most part.....)

 

There was an episode of Babylon 5 that addressed this issue a bit. The 'techno-mage'. :D

That's kind of my point though. It's subjective. What is magic to us years ago is no longer. What may be magic to us today may not be in the future. In fact what may not be magic to some of us today, may still be to others.

 

Furthermore I've seen some amazing advances in the field of medicine and I understand generally how it works. Does that make it any less magical just because I know how it works? Maybe, but maybe not. To some people, that jeep may still be magical even in this era. To some people from the 1800's, that jeep may not be magical even if it is to most of their peers. Sure, they don't understand it. But they might assume there is a science behind it rather than magic.

 

What is considered "Sufficiently advanced" to be "magical" is subjective and a lack of understanding may not necessarily lead to the assumption of magic. Understanding may not mean that it isn't magic. In this case I could argue that all technology is "sufficiently advanced" to someone, and therefor all technology can be considered magic.

 

I agree, perspective has a LOT to do with it.... We consider ourselves an 'advanced' civilization, but, are we really? The only thing we have to compare ourselves to, is our own history. So, in that sense, yes indeed, we have come a long way. Now, some alien sitting in his interstellar craft, looking down on our 'crude' rockets, would likely have a different opinion on that. :smile:

 

And in that same vein, the tribals that live isolated on some little island, that just used bows/arrows to kill an 'invader' (stupid american) would look at our society, and technology, and swear up and down that it is indeed 'magic'. :smile:

 

And there could be at least one in that tribe who does not see us as magic. And at least one alien who does see us as magic, despite his more advanced nature.

[Deleted54170User]

In that same vein I've conclude that many stupid bunches of tribal young men don't listen to their elders.

I also conclude that every tribe has at least one young genius person who doesn't agree with the rest of the tribe and doesn't get stunned by all the razzle dazzle. Instead; that person gets shunned by all the other members of the tribe because of what that person says, "IT AIN'T MAGIC!"

Then like me the person saves up some bottle caps and drives off in a car that can do more then 250 MPH; Zero to Sixty in 2.4 seconds; 2019; Tesla Roadster, which supports the family who are all looking to move to MARS.:geek: While the rest of the tribal's make some scrap leather to cover their bare feet to prepare to raid their neighbors land to grab a girlfriend and some of the local brew with some hot dogs and hamburgers before the guy with the club readies them to watch him swat his last HOME RUN BALL over the fences; before sitting back with the slave boy and slave girl (indentured servants, conscripted workers from the old country) doing all the sewing in sweat shops and making a machine put together a bundle of chip dip with a variety of meats/sausages, and finger lickin Chicken legs, hot wings, buffalo wings, pizza, pizza, pizza! Oh sorry! :confused: I got carried away there a little, and it is all in preparation for the Football Season here, futball season there, or every where a Soccer season.

Old Mc Donald had a farm Eee I Eee I Oooo!

Stay focused now. Watch the hand with the food in it!

Oh! LOOK! It disappeared! :laugh:

[Deleted54170User]

Now back to the subject. With a new question, "Where did magic come from?" Did one of our smart relatives wake up one morning and discover they were illuminated?

[RGMage2]

First question first.

 

Karma, when I see Karma in action it's magic to me.

 

I once saw a guy push by everyone else in line at an ATM outside a bank after hours on a Friday night. It was one of the rudest things I've ever seen. Amazingly the ATM picked that moment to go out of order. The guy walks away with his card still in hand and no money and a totally stunned look on his face.

 

Of course everyone else in line was screwed as well, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect... it was a magic moment.

 

Where did magic come from? That's an easy one. It comes from our imagination.