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Miracle vs Magic.
- Thread starter chinu
- Start date
Magicians use tricks such as slight of hand. Someone with astral consciousness can perform minor "tricks". Those who are at a certain level of spiritual advancement can do other things including what would be considered miracles. The difference really rests in what motivated the action. Divine miracles would be done for the upliftment of humanity.
TagliatelliMonster
Veteran Member
If you mean a magician like Harry Potter, then there is no difference.
If you mean a magician like Copperfield, then Copperfield uses illusions to trick your brain into thinking actual magic happened.
Actual magic / miracles = the violation and / or suspension of natural law.
One might be difficult to prove it did or didn't happen but the other always can be explained, especially by the magician.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
So far and universal if you don't consider the induction problem relevant and don't do science as per Karl Popper. But yes, for a certain version of science you are correct, but only in that sense.
I think Morgan Freeman is not far from what is the difference:
magic = The use of rituals or actions, especially based on supernatural or occult knowledge, to manipulate or obtain information about the natural world, especially when seen as falling outside the realm of religion; also the forces allegedly drawn on for such practices.
A specific ritual or procedure associated with supernatural magic or with mysticism; a spell.
Miracle = A wonderful event occurring in the physical world attributed to supernatural powers.
A fortunate outcome that prevails despite overwhelming odds against it.
An awesome and exceptional example of something
Miracle could perhaps be done with magic, but I don't think God uses rituals and would need such thing to make thing happen as He wants.
I'm not sure I understand the question.
To me, this reads like, "What is the difference between a mechanic fixing a car and farmer harvesting a tomato?
While both performing actions that are within their skillset, the differences between the two actions are innumerable.
A miracle is done through divine intervention. It doesn't happen because of human will/intention/powers.
Magic happens as a result of human will/intention/powers without the use of divine intervention/powers.
IOW, magic can exist without the need of a God.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Nitpick. Magic it appears in some worldviews could exist without the need of a God.
There are no absolutes in at least one version of science.
There are no absolutes here because people screw around with the meanings of words.
Both words can be used interchangeably so while not exact but precise enough to be understood.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Yeah, and now evidence in a non-binary physical sense for screw with only objective physical evidence as per science. You can do that, right?
PureX
Veteran Member
As I see it only two things matter, here.
1. That we do not inderstand the mechanism generating the result.
2. The value of the result.
Once we understand that these are the significant factors, it no longer matters how we label it: miracle or magic. The label will be a subjective bias.
1. That we do not inderstand the mechanism generating the result.
2. The value of the result.
Once we understand that these are the significant factors, it no longer matters how we label it: miracle or magic. The label will be a subjective bias.
TagliatelliMonster
Veteran Member
No. In every sense.
Certain things are simply physically impossible.
They only become "possible" by violating or suspending natural law.
When we say of something that it is actually impossible, that is in fact what we mean: it can not happen as per the laws of nature.
TagliatelliMonster
Veteran Member
How do you conclude if "supernatural powers" were involved in making the rare event happen?
For example when you win the lottery or when cancer goes into remission.
Both very rare events with "overwhelming odds against it"
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
So can you, which allows us to screw around with language.
And that smile is the very point of non-physical, yet I understand it without evidence.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Yeah, then is your non-supernatural religion in effect and requires in effect faith in a non-religious sense.
I do that differently that you and yet we are both atheists, agnostics and have a postive yet different understaing of science.
One way to start is at the induction problem, which has never been solved so far.
It depends on the event. But, I don't think anything is really a miracle, because I think everything has a good explanation.
If I would have to call something a miracle, I would say life is probably the greatest miracle, because humans can't explain it and we can't see life appearing from non-organic dead material.
mikkel_the_dane
My own religion
Yeah, I call that unknown.
That science can't explain everything at the moment is a little unjust in my view, given we have only been using some of the relevant tools for less than a century, it is not so easy to find the continuous aspects of evolution, and we only have the Earth as our playground currently. But even so, science has made great strides as to what we do know now - as for DNA and genetics, for example, and as to astrophysics, with the numbers of planets found outside our system and as to being rather common in the universe.