S&S vs. SF in BotNS

Daniel Petersen · 21 Dec 2011, 09:02 · from 2011-December.txt.gz

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From: danielottojackpetersen at gmail.com (Daniel Petersen)
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:02:31 +0000
Subject: (urth) S&S vs. SF in BotNS
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Ok, Jerry, so I think you, like me, have 'magical' as a subset of
'supernatural' or 'paranormal'.  But, if not in terms of spells, etc., then
in what sense are these phenomena 'magical'?  (I think I normally think
there has to be some human agency in terms of cooperation with greater
powers through arcane [and usually uncertain] rules or rituals.  That's the
kind of stuff I feel I don't see in BotNS.  If the Thecla ritual eating is
to be thought of this way, then, for once, I'd probably tend toward a more
'scientific' explanation as has been discussed.)

-DOJP

On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 1:23 AM, Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman at yahoo.com>wrote:

>
> Daniel Petersen:
> >I meant 'magical' in the spells and incantations sort of sense. If you're
> explaining the Inhumi and alzabo phenomena in non-naturalistic
> (supernatural, paranormal, etc.) terms, then I agree. Or at least, I'm as
> open to that possibility as any other.
>
> Okay, there aren't any spells or incantations.  (The closest thing to that
> is the one from Isangoma, which may or may not work.)  I think of contagion
> as specifically magical, not just supernatural or paranormal in general.
> The blood or flesh carries the memories because it's connected to the
> brain.  I might not be right about that, though.  "Contagion" more often
> means the reason people who believe in it bury their hair and fingernail
> clippings to keep someone from using them in a curse.
>
> Jerry Friedman
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