Spell casting a obscure science or just wishful thinking?

Question

The reason i ask is because there are so many different types of Magic or Mysticism in the occult world that they all can just be flukes.

Answer 1

Magic is not science... Magic is not even a "real" (outside of the believer's mind) phenomena

Science is the study of the natural world and we can all readily observe its results.

Magic (the spellcasting kind) has its origins in a form of primitive egoism - that we can, through our thoughts or actions, affect our environment/future. It is a condition that evolved with human culture and is still seen today in many (if not all) of the world's religions and is especially pronounced among professional athletes (a "lucky shirt" or such).

Currently, there is no evidence supporting such abilities/qualities, in fact, all of the evidence counters these supernatural claims: In most cases of magical thinking the believers are mistaking correlation (two events coinciding) with causation (one event influencing the second).

I also feel I need to address comments such as, "...with so many people saying that they can do magic (etc.), they can't all possibly be lying" - and this could, indeed be true... they don't all have to be lying, just be mistaken (a much more plausible solution)

Answer 2

It is all these these things, science, art, the world of thought and still more, but woe to those would dare use this thing, spell casting.

Obsurity says nothing nor asks anything.

As to wishful thinking? well, that is exactly the foundation and whole thesis of conceiving of casting a spell in the first place -- that of "wishful" thinking -- and which results can be as dreadful as the casting itself, because the quality of the thoughts themselves are the seedbeds, intention, and matrix of their very objectives.

It is in truth a premeditation of harm to dare transgress the personal space and spiritual domain of another soul, corrupting the life plans and contract set with Life, and which life plan exists for reasons that surpass the mind's capability to conceive of them, and which are no less crimes than any accusation and possible conviction brought before the common courts of law and the State.

However, in this instance that you ask of, the State dwells in realms about which only few indeed have merit to peer into and know. Today, the consequences of such things can report with lightning speed back upon the perpetrator, for Life has accelerated considerably now, and the warp of time and space is not what it was just ten years ago and has in reality, collapsed in much greater measure.

Hence, the very word you use here -- "obscure." It derives from the same connotation as occult, of which one meaning of occult is, ' unknown,' and another, 'foreign' in make up...

There exists flukes, yes. But these are built-in failsafe mechanisms that happen naturally, whether through intent or negligence on the part of the fool practitioner who dares to use it to not good ends. These so-called flukes are there to rightly "obscure" the truths and knowledge that can otherwise well corrupt others and which if placed in the hands of the wrong person will wreak certain harm or worse.

Some have even taken to using chemicals or drugs to bring this same result -- these are the most dispicable criminals of all and who more than likely have forthcoming the most dire awakenings of all, and the swiftest of retributions or, say, highly like to reap the most painful of causes and effects played back.

Bear in mind, these things that you speak of are considerably scientific and spiritual in nature but existent in ways that common knowledge and practices have no skill at all in trying on, say, and thus should well stem away from -- completely.

Answer 3

I suspect the results of spell casting are an example of the self fulfilling prophecy.
For example, if someone truly believes he's been magically granted good luck, he'll probably be more happy and outgoing and more likely to take risks, which in turn introduces him to more experiences, oppurtunities, friends and success. Failures will seem like temporary obsticles. Each day he'd focus on what went well as proof of his luck.
Someone who truly believed he'd been cursed would probably shy away from new things, new people, and risks on the grounds that his efforts are doomed. Setbacks and failures would be seen as "proof" of his curse.
Other examples of the self fufilling prophecy are:
The Placebo effect- symptoms go away because a patient (mistakenly) thinks his medicine (or magic) works
The Pygmalion effect- students do well (or poorly) because the teacher expects them to do so.
As far is we can tell, there's no paranormal force causing the magic- it's just a quirk of human behavior.

Answer 4

Magic: Witchcraft and/or Scorcery dates back from ancient mythology of the Greeks, Persians, etc... up to the Dark Ages/Medieval Ages. This was(and is still even today) a world wide spread Theological Ideal. It is truely based on spiritual origin, strong faith and belief. In the Orient, is the Power of Buddha and the Mighty Ancestors. In the Mediterannian(spelling?), it is the Gods of Olympus(Zues, Aries, Hades,etc.) with their reign spreading from Ancient Persia across the Roman Empire(what is Italy in today's eyes) and the Gods of Egypt. North of that across Europe were the Pagens. The Early Vikings believed they got their strength not from themselves, but their god "Thor". The Idea and belief of Magic, Scorcery, Witchcraft is that it was a gift from the God(s) and that you obtained it by being born blessed with it.

On the otherside of the world, in North America, the Native Americans believed in the Great Spirit. Which watched over the various tribes protecting them and providing them with food to harvest. The Realm of the Great Spirit was even descerned in Central and even South America among the many temple ruins from the Mayans, Aztecs, and one other (the name of which escapes me). There the belief for the Great Spirit was so devout that the tribal priest sacrificed criminals as a way to show that the Great Spirit wanted a pure tribe. On very special occasions, the priest would sacrifice the purist woman in the tribe.

So really it is based on strength of the belief and the Faith. The same way that Faith is measured in Christianity and other faithes of the world today. Take me for example, I believe in God the Almighty Father...but I also believe that there was a time when Dragons existed too. Take it how you see it.

Answer 5

Obscure science. I think it does work for some people. Some people seem to be born with the ability to do strange things. Of course, until you meet and connect with someone like that, most people will never believe that. I always thought that was just a mind over matter thing and that you can make yourself believe anything. But I've seen spells cast on others. How can it just be in their minds if they never believed or never knew a spell was cast? However, I do think there are a lot of phonies out there and a lot of people that just make stuff up.

Answer 6

its a mixture of things.

There are different energies and they have different effects and you can get pretty scientific about them (though most don't)

There is intention - wishing - which can have an effect if you do enough meditation and strengthen the power of the mind.

There is ritual - meaningless except that it helps create a meditative frame of mind. And therefore helps the intention see above.

there is also a fair amount of sheer nonsense mixed in i am sure. It would be good to see some truly rational research on this...

Answer 7

You cannot manipulate the universe with words. Words are human conceived things.

In many cultures, people have more than one name....a magical name, which is their real name and is not to be spoken, and a name to be used and called by. Often times the magical name is derived from something which the culture believes harbors great power. This is just a example of how the association of magical properties to words can arrise just about anywhere.

Of course, spells aren't usually just words. They often involve doing things and mixing things. There IS some truth to this. Modern day chemistry derives from alchemy which derives from mysticism. Some of those potions from pre-scientific method times did work but the people didn't neccisarily understand why.

Answer 8

spell casting isn't an obscure science... it is psychiatry/psychology. Either the caster/viewer is so convinced the potion or spell will work that the self fulfilling prophecy (psych term--- not fortune telling) comes into play, or the power of suggestion comes into play, or in the case of fortune telling, the information is vague enough that you fill in the holes to make it work.

Answer 9

Magic is something that’s all in the mind of the user ... in this case, the 'believer'. I think the whole spell casting and such things doesn't exist. The reason why, is because if you wanted to believe something - then its more than possible that you could convince yourself it was true when in fact, it wasn't.
Example, years ago - around the 1700's, people were accused of being witches and werewolves. Couldn't it have been possible that half of these people were more 'obsessed' over the idea of being one, they tried to act the part? If one wanted to BE a werewolf, or witch, he or she could convince themselves it were true. All it takes is a little 'will power' and believing so. And then, acting the part. I mean, if I wanted to convince myself I had Superman powers, I could - and all I'd have to do is convince myself it were true. From there, I would look like a total idiot - acting like that. Couldn't the same apply to those people who claim they are witches, and can cast spells?
Anyway, the point I'm trying to get at is that it's all in the mind of the person who wanted to believe it.

Answer 10

Firstly there's absolutely no science or anything scientific involved. Wishful thinking would be correct.
Just imagine, if casting spells worked we would cast spells, etc., on our superiors at work ... if we even wanted to work. We could cast a spell on the IRS ( internal revenue service ) and receive a check for any amount of legal tender we wanted for as long and often as we wanted.
Or I could cast a spell on Yahoo and all my answers would be picked as the 'best answer(s)' ... see what I mean?

Mack