Identifying with Muggles: Magic & Science in the World

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 158259

---  "Ken Hutchinson" <klhutch at ...> wrote:
>
> > 
> > Quick_Silver: 
> 
> > I agree that Hogwart's focus on the pragmatic ... 
> > unfortunate ...the joke that's called History of 
> > Magic). The Sciences are an interesting topic however 
> > especially since JK and Hermione stated that 
> > technology
 specifically computers, radar, and ...)
> > electricity don't work around ... magic (like 
> > Hogwarts). ...
> >  
> 
> Ken:
> 
> JKR and Hermione may both say the electricty doesn't 
> work at Hogwarts but the hard science fiction reader
> in me cannot accept this. Human beings like all the 
> higher animals have nervous systems that run on
> electricity. ..
> 

bboyminn:

Fair point but one doesn't necessarily eliminate the 
other. The brain is a electical instrument that is 
suprebly insulated. For example, when your TV reception 
suddenly goes staticy, it is because of outside electical
interference; lightening strike or whatever. But when 
that happens, you brain doesn't go all staticy.

On the subject of lightening strikes, most people do 
survive them, but very very very few electical or 
electronic devices do. Another indication that the 
electical properties of the brain are far different
than that of electical or electronic devices.

When you put your brain in an MRI (Magnetic Resonance 
Imaging) it still functions, but any electronic device
put into the same MRI is going to go into 'overload'. 

I have always speculated that the aura of magic around 
Hogwarts doesn't prevent the simple flow of basic 
electrical current. For example, a simple flash light 
(torch) would likely work. But any electronic devices 
like calculators, radios, TVs, computers, printers, fax
machines, cell phones would be 'overloaded' by the 
magical energy.

So, the magical aura /can/ overload electical and 
electronic devices and still /not/ overload the human
brain.

> Ken:
>
> ...edited...
> 
> Hogwarts students need a science education as much as
> anyone else. Magic in the Potterverse has to be viewed
> as an extension of ordinary physics not a denial of it. 
> ...edited...

bboyminn:

I've already said that Wizards do study science, they 
study the science of magic, which in their world serves
that same purpose as technology in ours. I've also always 
contended that magic is just science/physics that muggles
haven't discovered yet. Many items in fiction, even at 
the time unbelievable items, eventually become reality. 
Science has always been considered magic, until some 
muggle comes up with an explanation, at which time it 
is no longer 'magic' but science.

If magic exists in the muggle world. That is, if we 
assume for the moment that it is real, then it must work
within the realm of physics and other natural laws. We 
muggles simply haven't discovered that aspect of physics 
yet. I suspect what is holding us up is our absolute 
denial that magic is even possible. Some muggle scientist
at some point is going to have to be convinced that it is
possible before he will make the effort to discover how
and why it is possible.

It is possible in 500 years, muggle will discover the
science of magic, and apply it to magical energy free 
cars, to faster that warp-speed spacecraft, to magical 
farming and food production, to powering our cities 
without polution. 

I'm reminded of the Star Trek Prime Directive that 
forbids tranferring technical knowledge to worlds until
they are ready for it, until they have discovered it on
their own. The reason the wizard world is hidden from us
is because, like those primitive planets, we muggles
simply aren't ready for that knowledge yet. When we 
finally are ready we will discover and apply it on our 
own. Only then can the walls between the wizards and
muggles finally fall.

Just one man's opinion.

Steve/bboyminn