Magic or Technology?

[Scurrybt]

If you had to choose, would you want to live in a world full of magic or futuristic technology? Personally, I find worlds dominated by futuristic technology to be far more interesting, though either they are really grim or really hopeful.

[Magic A. I.]

Scurrybt の投稿を引用：

Magic or Technology?

Oh, come on now!

[Scurrybt]

☎need4naiim☎ の投稿を引用：

Technology that came with 19th Century Industrialization is just a branch of Magic. Don't even hesitate about that.

The KNOWN, MEASURABLE parts of Magic is called Technology.

This also explains how and why the ancient monumental pyramids were erected. Because they were used by a different sect of Magic, in other words, "Ancient Technology" which is currently unknown by mortals.

To elaborate my point; the devices you hold in your palms now are "magical devices" for those who are totally foreigners of those devices and the technology inside. However, for YOU, it is technology, not magic. In fact, all of them are of same derivatives of same universal rules;

The Rules of God, written aeons ago, even "time" was not a thing to comprehend. :skull_happy:

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

[Moogal™]

Since i prefer fantasy over sci fi/cyberpunk, then of course magic.

[Moogal™]

Sir Seanicus, Esq. の投稿を引用：

Magic.

Technology is easily destroyed.

That too.

[Masque]

Magic. More cheesy 1980s radio hits confirm that it's the preference.

https://senselist.com/2006/09/20/11-billboard-top-20-hits-with-magic-in-their-titles/

How many songs with the word "technology" in the title or lyrics?

"She Blinded me with Science" doesn't count, so save it.

[A&A]

Scurrybt の投稿を引用：

A&A ✠ の投稿を引用：

If there's one thing I don't see possible, it's turning back time. while with magic, it does

Perhaps we can exploit the fact that time is non linear.

With the Big Bang, the universe is expanding, and I guess there will come a point where it will begin to contract, until all the energy gathers in one place again and it starts all over again. Which means there should be the same start and the same end, but it is not exactly so. Much depends on how the energy will be distributed. Is it even balanced? Probably not and this makes the time to be linear dinamical time.

[Moogal™]

Masque の投稿を引用：

Magic. More cheesy 1980s radio hits confirm that it's the preference.

https://senselist.com/2006/09/20/11-billboard-top-20-hits-with-magic-in-their-titles/

How many songs with the word "technology" in the title or lyrics?

"She Blinded me with Science" doesn't count, so save it.

I guess it is pretty much confirmed then.

[steven1mac]

Magic, it doesn't require the infrastructure that technology does.

[Scurrybt]

steven1mac の投稿を引用：

Magic, it doesn't require the infrastructure that technology does.

Good point

[Kobs]

Technology IS magic to the simple minded

[Tonepoet]

Magic and science are more similar than you may think. Not only did Arthur C. Clark famously stipulate that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, but long before that Noah Webster, not so famously gave it a secondary definition of being "the secret operation of natural causes", which is a definition merriiam-webster retained in many successive dictionaries and magic is often described as being "arcane", which effectively means hidden or obscure or unknown.

Noah Webster also describes technology as "a description of arts, or a treatise on the arts", with "art" likely meaniing "The Disposition or modification of things by human skill, to answer the purpose intended. In this sense, art stands opposed to nature." with a likely relation to the word artificial meaning "Made or contrived by art, or by human skill and labor, in opposition to natural; as artificial heat or light; an artificial magnet." This is likely the same sense of the word art used in the term "magical arts", but also the juxtaposition of artifice to natural also aligns nicely with the word supernatural and preternatural


We also should forget the magician's code, which is to never reveal the secret of how an act works. Once the secret of how the effect was achieved revealed, it ceases to be an amazing display of magic, and becomes a mere trick. The technobabble in sci-fi shows such as Star Trek is a large part of what distinguishes the impossible effects of those shows from the magic of Merlin.

Thus the only main difference is that we can know how science works to achieve artificial effects, but we do not know how magic works. Granted, perhaps as a consequence, it would arguably be more accurate to describe the world of Harry Potter as being one of alternative science, rather than true magic. True magic, if it can be taught at all, is traditionally taught through selective apprenticeships or recorded in books sequestered away in hidden libraries, to maintain the secrecy of it.

So what does all of that have to do in which type of world in which I would rather live? Well, it is prerequisite to be able to distinguish one from the other in order to state a preference. There is one further difference, in that magic has an association with words (runes, chants and it is part of why spells are called spells) and throwing (you 'cast' a spell, in much the same way as you 'cast' a fishing line), although I would rather not go into detail regarding this since it is not particularly relevant to answering the question.

So getting back to the point, in not knowing how magic works though, it can be said that magic is not ascribable to any known laws or principles, and could thus be used to achieve the variety of effects outside the scope of known science. In consideration of these facts, it can be said that magic is more powerful than science, since the effects are only achievable by those who know the secret.

A world full of magic is a world where a few select people can achieve fantastical effects that the ordinary person can not replicate, if not only because they do not know how it works, and may never learn how. Maybe some beings can even produce magical effects that only they know how to create, or ever can create due to their very nature.

A world full of science however, is one where at least the basic operational principles of a device is common knowledge, and it seems to me that anybody can pick up a weapon and use it.

So the big question here for me is what is my station in life? Am I one of the lucky few to know some variety of useful magic, and preferably one that can defend me from the various spells and the curses people might think to throw my way or am I one of the ordinary masses.

If my capabilities remain the same as they are now, and I just so happen to live in a world where some magician can bully me around by trying to make me dance by tossing miniature fireballs at my feet and steal my lunch, then no thanks. I'd rather not have to live in fear of some evil semi-immortal necromancer turned lich with a megalomaniacal streak unleashing an outbreak of zombies and vampires out upon the world.

Meanwhile, a world full of technology is a relatively level playing field, where minimally, the fundamental principles of how things work are known to everybody, and guns do not discriminate against their user so long as the user knows how to fire.

Obviously, if I am one of the magicians, I would rather live in a world of magic. Not only am I at an advantage in such a world, but there are very well likely fewer threats to me. Meanwhile, if I am just an ordinary person I would rather live in the technological world, so that at the very least, I am not put at a disadvantage over anybody else who might seek to abuse me.

Wan₫erlust ☄ の投稿を引用：

Magic is fantastical and often adds and element of mystery and whimsy in stories. However, technology is more practical in reality.

Unless magic can be used to teleport, a broom will be easily outmatched by future transportation.
Unless the magic is visually impressive, it would be difficult to convince others it’s working. Who would you trust more? The doctor who presented the x-ray that your broken leg is fixed, or the wizard who waved a stick and said it’s fixed.
I have yet to see a series featuring magic that goes to space? Different dimensions/portal gates, sure, but magic seems unfit for space travel.

That said, would the existence of magic be fun? I’m sure it would, be and it would certainly add an element of wonder that has been lost in todays world. Makes me think of Little Witch Academia, in some ways.

Eeh, teleportation magic is one of the common varieties seen throughout fiction, as well as portal magic, and I very much doubt there are very many effects you can achieve with science but not magic. Portal magic also works if you're in such a hurry that flying through the air on a broom is not expedient enough. The vice versa seems much more plausible in my opinion.

Moreover, I am am rather convinced that the methods of teleportation depicted in sci-fi are not actual actual teleportation. They are iinstead much as a fancy slight of hand where you duplicate a person, complete with memories, while killing the original in order to create the illusion that somebody has teleported when they have in fact died.

Also, your evidentiary standards are questionable. First, I am rather inclined to believe the magician who claims to have fixed my leg if I can walk around just fine, if I previously could not do so. Moreover, even if I see an x-ray showing my bones to be perfectly fine and fracture free and a wholly rational explanation regarding how it should be fine, I am not going to believe my leg is fixed if I feel pain shooting up my legs, collapse to the floor or maybe can not even manage to get up every time I try to take a step.

The results are the ultimate proof of what happened, and the only reason I wouldn't take the magician at his word for it, assuming it is my own leg, is if getting up prematurely would risk irreparable damage. However, such was not stipulated as a condition, and people with fractured legs and casts do often at least walk around with crutches.

I do think I get the point though. I think a better example is you're being chased down by Captain Hook, who will shoot you down for singing one too many shanties if he can get a steady lock on you. In your hurry, you end up being chased down to a cliff and have no other escape except to jump.

To your left, you see a tinkerbell looking out at the view, but to your right you see a hang glider. You only have enough time to try one solution before hook catches up.

Do you grab the fairy and try use her like a saltshaker to get some pixie dust on you to try and think happy thoughts to try to fly on your own, deftly through the air like Peter Pan, not knowing for sure if the rumors of this being able to make you fly are true, or do you take the hang glider knowing exactly how it will work and that you will not go splat immediately upon jumping off the cliff, but at the risk of being shot out of the air by the pirate's flintlock 'cause you can't really change trajectory all that much?

Also, before anybody asks how you got to Neverland in the first place if you never flew before, you get there the same way the pirates got there in the first place, which is by boat.

[Scurrybt]

Kobs の投稿を引用：

Technology IS magic to the simple minded

Yup

[Faster With Feeling]

Why not both?

Use magic to create great technology

We become technomages

Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏 の投稿を引用：

Ideally, maybe both, if possible.
I'd need more details to really make a choice on this one. However...

The argument that magic is basically just technology and or phenomena that we don't understand raises some good points. One of the implicit points that stems from it is the difference between understanding and not understanding. I think I would rather understand the thing that gives supernatural abilities rather than to not understand it. This leans my choice towards technology.

The type of fantasy that magic is usually portrayed within is typically more aesthetically pleasing, though.
I think I'd rather sit upon the palm of an elven fairy's hand than to receive a phone call from an ASI but I'll gladly take either.

I seem to recall an old story that the theme was magic was just another form of forgotten science

[Sigma957]

I want to be free の投稿を引用：

Why not both?

Use magic to create great technology

We become technomages

Kiddiec͕̤̱͋̿͑͠at 🃏 の投稿を引用：

Ideally, maybe both, if possible.
I'd need more details to really make a choice on this one. However...

The argument that magic is basically just technology and or phenomena that we don't understand raises some good points. One of the implicit points that stems from it is the difference between understanding and not understanding. I think I would rather understand the thing that gives supernatural abilities rather than to not understand it. This leans my choice towards technology.

The type of fantasy that magic is usually portrayed within is typically more aesthetically pleasing, though.
I think I'd rather sit upon the palm of an elven fairy's hand than to receive a phone call from an ASI but I'll gladly take either.

I seem to recall an old story that the theme was magic was just another form of forgotten science

It is.

[Fumo Bnnuy n Frends]

imo same ♥♥♥♥ different name

magic is just technology that hasn't been wrung through the wringer by science and the scientific method plus testing and experiments.

ex: turning lead into gold we know it's possible to use lead and other catalysts to do stuff like enrich uranium or hydrogen gas with oxygen to make water.

teleportation is a mix match concept for both but same idea

flying is possible irl and we now got actual hovering items that use air to push it up

fire and ice spells are just liquid nitrogen and flammables with air and a spark



i love animes that use technology as superior in fantasy settings like Gate or the familiar of zero.
Where fantasy meets reality with soldiers or a WWII plane can outclass dragons that breathe literal fire. Or a simple bazooka that can put any explosive magic to shame.