[moved] Avoiding campaign clichés

[Scholar]

The reason magic and technology are often seen as opposing forces is possibly because the purpose of magic is to break the laws of nature, which is just what science seeks to study. But in a way, science also seeks to bend the rules or at least take them to their extreme.

that's what i was trying to say. with magic ~ chaos, i don't mean it's random or unstructured, but it breaks the fundamental laws of nature/physics, especially those concerning conservation of energy and creation of matter from essentially nothing (are these the right phrases? english isn't my first language), which sets it dead on against science. again, this is my personal interpretation, but magic is, well, magical *because* it defies those laws. if magic can be scientifically explained, it ceases to be magic and becomes "The Art", "Science", or "Applied Physics".

[Lmns Crn]

if magic can be scientifically explained, it ceases to be magic and becomes "The Art", "Science", or "Applied Physics".

Who says, exactly?

[Nomadic]

if magic can be scientifically explained, it ceases to be magic and becomes "The Art", "Science", or "Applied Physics".

The definition of magic does :P

[Lmns Crn]

The definition of magic does :P

What definition, now? I was under the impression that we were discussing a fictional thing, that has been and will continue to be treated differently by every culture and every writer that approaches it. It's no good trying to speak authoritatively on a fictional topic like that.

If you want to write a world where magic is the force that binds protons together within the atomic nucleus, then fine, awesome, I'd read that. If you want to write a world where magic is the residue left over from leprechaun boogers and pixie farts, more power to you. But regardless of how you want to approach it, trying to act like it always works a certain way-- across the board, no matter who's writing it or why-- is absolutely ridiculous.

I am quite astonished at some of the broad-brush definitionmaking going on in this thread; it is pretty shocking the way some people are taking a topic as wide-open as magic and being so prescriptivist about it.

[O Senhor Leetz]

But regardless of how you want to approach it, trying to act like it always works a certain way-- across the board, no matter who's writing it or why-- is absolutely ridiculous.

I am quite astonished at some of the broad-brush definition-making going on in this thread; it is pretty shocking the way some people are taking a topic as wide-open as magic and being so prescriptivist about it.

I second this.

[Nomadic]

The definition of magic does :P

What definition, now? I was under the impression that we were discussing a fictional thing, that has been and will continue to be treated differently by every culture and every writer that approaches it. It's no good trying to speak authoritatively on a fictional topic like that.

If you want to write a world where magic is the force that binds protons together within the atomic nucleus, then fine, awesome, I'd read that. If you want to write a world where magic is the residue left over from leprechaun boogers and pixie farts, more power to you. But regardless of how you want to approach it, trying to act like it always works a certain way-- across the board, no matter who's writing it or why-- is absolutely ridiculous.

I am quite astonished at some of the broad-brush definitionmaking going on in this thread; it is pretty shocking the way some people are taking a topic as wide-open as magic and being so prescriptivist about it.

Magic is by definition a particular thing. If that thing isn't what we're talking about we should stop using the word as it has no meaning save what each individual believes and at that point there isn't mush use discussing things where it could be any number of things depending upon the person :P

[Drizztrocks]

Don't forget Battlefield Earth :p

 I hear people making fun of that movie alot, but I don't see any real huge problems with it. It got REALLY annoying how much the aliens looked like humans, though.

[Lmns Crn]

a logical fallacy[/url], it's also a little condescending!

[Nomadic]

Should you reread what I said you will note that I was being facetious.