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A world of science or magic?


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#1 SushiKitten

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Posted 26 June 2013 - 02:35 PM

Hey guys! So this topic was being discussed in another forum that I frequent. I thought I'd ask the same question here.

 

"Say you get the opportunity to live in a world of magic, as opposed to the world of science we currently live in. 
 
In this world impossible miracles can happen, but due to a lack of science we are living in what is akin to the Medieval Ages. That means no video games, no internet, no electricity, no medicine, and a bunch of other useful things are missing. Since this is not a world of science, the world is almost entirely theist too.
 
While medicine doesn't exist, healing magic does almost as good a job and the occasional miracle does happen. Guns don't exist either, which means any fighting will depend upon your strength or magical abilities alone. So a lot of things are a trade off."
 
 

 

To me, we have boxes that make screens light up. flying machines based on aerodynamics, vehicles that can take us out of the Earth's atmosphere. Sure, it has a different flavour to 'fantasy magic' but I always viewed science as our own form of magic. We're taking control of the universe's properties and using them to create things. The only reason fantasy magic is so interesting to us is because it's unknown. If we lived in a world of fantasy magic, I think we'd have it just as figured out as we do science, and we'd view it to be just the same. 
 
I think it's more the setting that I romanticize over, with fantasy settings and even alternate universes like steampunk. The overall look and feel and the simplicity of it all is what draws me to them. But I know it'd make no difference, because I'd probably think it was boring it and fantasize over something else if I lived in such a universe. It'd have no special appeal to me if I was born there.
 
I actually played a game similar to this called Machine Knight, where a man from a very scientific world who love to explore ended up in the generic magical world. It's a decent JRPG style game, for free on Android if you'd like to play it. 


#2 Guest_ElatedOwl_*

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Posted 26 June 2013 - 03:07 PM

I think I'd choose real world every time.

 

Assuming in this fantasy magic world you'd have to train for your spells I'd probably end up focusing on the following

  • alla-kah-mcnugget
    • turns a chicken into cooked, edible food
  • whippy-zippy-levate-and-skippy
    • allows for flying/faster travel over great distances
  • message-do-mindo
    • let's you remotely communicate with an individual

so I mean, more or less I'd want to train for powers to improve my quality of life that I already have in this world. x:



#3 Wolf

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Posted 26 June 2013 - 09:39 PM

I like the thought behind this thread, and I like your science-magic analogy, too.

 

Personally, I think I would go for magic. Science is awesome and all, but the unpredictable and occult manner that traditional "Fantasy Magic" is presented in is far too interesting for me to pass up. Science is, by nature, finite and defined. A world ruled by science is a world rules by... rules.

 

A world of magic would be a world that constantly fosters a sense of wonder. The world we currently know would pale in comparison to the depth and interest found in a world of magic. Although I like the science-magic analogy, Magic would win out every time due to it being a lawless, unfettered power.

 

 

Plus, science can't turn me into a critter, yet. So, boo science.



#4 Diabolical_Jazz

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Posted 27 June 2013 - 05:56 PM

Honestly, it probably wouldn't matter much?
I'm not particularly a scientist, and I can only assume that I wouldn't be much of a magician either.
I enjoy agrarian living, mostly, so the low-tech stuff wouldn't especially bother me.

No, hold on. <__< Actually, science has a huge advantage in that, once a scientific discovery is made it is available to everyone. Whereas if some guy happens to know a spell, that doesn't necessarily mean he is going to use it to benefit the common people. So essentially, wizards would end up being incredibly powerful, and probably wielding that power with impunity over everyone else. Sortof like what happens with the wealthy in our society, but because magic is individually innate, it would be next to impossible to break a wizard's power.

So I choose our universe. Feudalism with near-invincible masters is not my cup of tea.


I don't think he needs to be immortal. I think all he needs to do is to write the right story. Because some stories do live forever.

#5 Affray

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Posted 27 June 2013 - 09:43 PM

I would opt for the magic world.

This other world may be in the medieval stages of it's timeline now, but that doesn't mean that it will remain that way forever.

This mundane world we life in, mundane by comparison I mean, has no magic attributed to it and has "science" as you put it.

If I were in this other magic world, would the same physics not apply to it?

If I built a wing would it not function the same way that a wing does here?

If this magic world still operated within the same fundamental rules of physics that ours does, which it must if it is full of everything that is present in our world, there is no reason for science to not exist at all. Given this, the magic world is the clear choice as you could simply apply science to the world and bring it up to speed.

Thus, giving the best of both worlds.

Magic abound with all the benefits of modern science.


It is perfectly acceptable to fear and admire a being you could not possibly understand.


#6 LittleLioness

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Posted 02 July 2013 - 11:58 AM

I like to read all your points of view, really interesting!

 

Personally for me it would depend if in the magic world, we would know about this reality, as we now "know" about fantasy worlds. I think it would be more annoying to live in a magical world, but to know about what we have here, than the other way around. So "if you don't know any better", it would not really matter where you'd live. I too really romanticize the different fantasy worlds, but I think that is also because though all the different stories you read and hear you would still not perceive the complexity of living such life unless you actually live it.