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lonesparkN.K. Jemisin on magic systems not being the point:
But, but, but — WHY does magic have to make sense?
I think she articulates a lot of why I like what I like about fantasy, compared to sci-fi. But I also love things that blur those boundaries. Spec-fic to me includes alternate history, and you can have that with or without fantasy elements...and LeGuin scifi has a lot of science, but not the kind I'm used to...
The first thing I thought of when I started thinking about this was "Good Boy," by Nisi Shawl. That's scifi w/gods and magic...and religion for those who want to call it that...
There's also the thing where people pretend scientific truths are all logic and smoothly-working systems. Not so much. The practice of science, has, and should have, consistency and logic and impartiality and rigor. But we spend an awful lot of time simplifying things so we can model them. The full glorious wonder of truth discovered, even in pieces and hints, can feel like gods' magic. Mystery that consumes. Power that destroys. Knowledge that wears away rationality, even sanity...
It's weird because I don't mean that at all the way I see it depicted in media, often. I don't like when artists use "science" as a prop to tell stories about faith and doubt. (Which probably means I don't want to see Prometheus.) But if they respect the science, then we are all seekers of truth in various ways.
But, but, but — WHY does magic have to make sense?
I think she articulates a lot of why I like what I like about fantasy, compared to sci-fi. But I also love things that blur those boundaries. Spec-fic to me includes alternate history, and you can have that with or without fantasy elements...and LeGuin scifi has a lot of science, but not the kind I'm used to...
The first thing I thought of when I started thinking about this was "Good Boy," by Nisi Shawl. That's scifi w/gods and magic...and religion for those who want to call it that...
There's also the thing where people pretend scientific truths are all logic and smoothly-working systems. Not so much. The practice of science, has, and should have, consistency and logic and impartiality and rigor. But we spend an awful lot of time simplifying things so we can model them. The full glorious wonder of truth discovered, even in pieces and hints, can feel like gods' magic. Mystery that consumes. Power that destroys. Knowledge that wears away rationality, even sanity...
It's weird because I don't mean that at all the way I see it depicted in media, often. I don't like when artists use "science" as a prop to tell stories about faith and doubt. (Which probably means I don't want to see Prometheus.) But if they respect the science, then we are all seekers of truth in various ways.
