1
$\begingroup$

(third and last question in a span of a few hours, I hope I'm not breaking a rule) If in my world, magic is just "cosmic energy" or just energy that exists in the "gray area" of every atom, element, and cell condensed, how would I connect this to real-world science?

So far, I think the magic would be able to bend the laws of nature but not break them. It would also need a catalyst/material of some sort for the magic to happen.

An example would be building a house with magic: You can use the energy to move materials and assemble them, but you cannot create a house out of no material, and everything as to follow the laws of thermodynamics and nature. This relies heavily on science.

So my main question is, could this exist in a hypothetical world, following every rule we have?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
5
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Probably? Recommended reading: The Elfhome series by Wen Spencer. Magic exists and is susceptible to scientific analysis; our dimension just happens to be deficient in it. (The ones next door, not so much.) $\endgroup$
    – Matthew
    Commented Dec 14, 2019 at 0:15
  • $\begingroup$ Maybe my answer here is relevant: worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/161700/… $\endgroup$
    – Dragongeek
    Commented Dec 14, 2019 at 0:36
  • $\begingroup$ @Dragongeek I love your explanation. I'm slowly getting how I calculate everything with my magic. $\endgroup$
    – giantfoot
    Commented Dec 14, 2019 at 0:52
  • $\begingroup$ Peter J. Carroll This book, the last part is about magick and science, just have a look. $\endgroup$
    – Carl Poirier
    Commented Dec 14, 2019 at 3:10
  • $\begingroup$ Welcome! There are the makings of a good question here, but as has been pointed out, your question is vague. I'd suggest keeping the title question and reworking the body. Building a house by using magic to move materials doesn't actually involve the integration of magic and science. That's just application of a force to do work. $\endgroup$
    – elemtilas
    Commented Dec 14, 2019 at 23:47

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6
$\begingroup$

The basis for your question is a typical category confusion. namely, believing that in world where magic exists it bends the laws of nature. Magic will be part of nature.

Since science is the study of nature. Natural philosophers, the name scientists had before the name of scientist was invented, will observe and conduct experiments into nature. They observe certain natural phenomena behave in certain ways when magic isn't involved and different ways when magic is involved.

In the historical past of our world there existed a category of phenomena they called 'natural magic'. Usually this was electrostatics and magnetism. Getting small electrical shocks from rubbed cat's fur and seeing compass needles swinging to the North must have seemed magical.

In your world where magic is part of nature, science will incorporate nature as we know it, and nature where magic is involved. Nature and magic will be one and the same thing. Science is the study of nature. The science will be more magical than the science of our world.

The application of science combined with magic is basically technology. Please note: magic has always been a technology. It is intended to do useful things, either for good or ill.

When magic is part of nature it should definitely follow laws of nature similar to those in our world. So, yes, there could be a thermodynamics of magic. How this would work will involve thinking how a process works in our world. How entropy applies, forces, conservation of matter and energy, etc etc, but with a magical component that follows exactly equivalent laws of nature.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .