WIZARDS?


Andharian's avatar
Hey I know wizards need to know magic and all. But wouldn`t they need to study science anyway? I mean, do wizards not need to digest food, or are things not made out of atoms for them? Biology, and Chemistry, and most of Physics- wouldn`t they still need to learn that stuff, or do they remain oblivious to it?
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divine--apathia's avatar
Irish travellers finish school early. Most girls are pulled out around 10-11. They are very 'enclosed' culture, too. If they live that way in real life, why can't wizards?
Andharian's avatar
Well, Irish Wizards then.
divine--apathia's avatar
Wut. Irish travellers are a real culture, similar to gypsies. If a real culture can do without it, than why isn't it feasible that a fake one can?
Andharian's avatar
Are you saying knowledge isn`t important? What point are you even making?
divine--apathia's avatar
Bitch please, I'm an education student.

My point is that there are people in England that do not have education past the same age as wizards do, and their cultures are similar, in the sense that they are insular. It's not a plothole.

If you want to talk about plot-holes, They celebrate Christian things like Christmas*, yet they are 'witches', which are supposedly evil.


*I know it has roots in paganism, but they aren't celebrating pagan festivals which christmas comes from, but rather christmas itself.
Andharian's avatar
er- the whole point of Harry Potter was that 'muggles' made up the whole 'evil' deal about wizards because they saw them on a broom a few times, in their black robes. It says so in 'Quidditch through the ages'. So no, that`s not a plot hole at all, sorry.

Also I hate to break it to you, but wizards don`t exist just in England. And science is taught in schools, which was my point.
Well yes, I understand but majority do study about science but I was wondering how wizards survive with zero knowledge of that stuff.

Wait you`re an education student? If you`re a student doesn`t it imply you`re getting an education anyway...
divine--apathia's avatar
- the whole point of Harry Potter was that 'muggles' made up the whole 'evil' deal about wizards because they saw them on a broom a few times, in their black robes. It says so in 'Quidditch through the ages'. So no, that`s not a plot hole at all, sorry.


Qudditch was invented in medieval England. The bible, which had been around for MUCH longer, has the passage 'You shall not suffer a witch to live'.

So yes, plothole.

Also I hate to break it to you, but wizards don`t exist just in England

No, but we've only seen how the English system works.


And science is taught in schools, which was my point.
Well yes, I understand but majority do study about science but I was wondering how wizards survive with zero knowledge of that stuff.


...The same way that people who don't have an education in real life survive, which is my point the whole time :slow:


Do you really not know what an education student is? I'm studying education.
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stoneman123's avatar
I think the way it generally works is that magic is considered to be a force utterly removed from or directly opposed to the laws of nature. By working magic, a wizard circumvents the laws of physics, and thus would only need to concern themselves with the laws governing magic.

However, nothing is fixed in speculative fiction. I have encountered settings where the magic is itself a fundamental force of nature, interacting with matter and energy and governed by its own scientific laws. I've also seen wizards for whom magic and science were utterly indistinguishable. And I've seen wizards who, though recognizing magic and science as fairly distinct forces, were nevertheless proficient in both.

Anyway, such speculation is really only necessary if you intend to write some fantasy yourself. Like I said, nothing is fixed in speculative fiction, so when you read about wizards of varying degrees of scientific literacy, understand that there is no objective standard to judge them against. They may simply be ignorant as a product of their culture (for the pseudo-Medieval variety), or such knowledge could be completely superfluous to them.
Andharian's avatar
But I am writing fantasy xD
aand yeah I agree with you, lot`s of stuff regarding Physics would be irrelevant. But Biology and Chemistry should still be taught!
stoneman123's avatar
Oh, I see. I thought this was just idle speculation. When you write about wizards, naturally you could establish how magic works and how it relates to mundane sciences. Consider this, though: chemistry and biology are both just applications of physics, and thus should be just as easy to circumvent. If your wizards are going to be educated in both magic and science (perhaps they are scholars in addition to being wizards?) keep in mind that no scientific education would be complete without and understanding of physics. After all, nothing is fixed, but it at least has to be internally consistent.
Andharian's avatar
I agree with you! Which is why I think everything pertaining to science wizards can relate to, they ought to be taught. Why? Because it`s such a pity not knowing!
RoguishBard's avatar
The movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice answered that quite nicely, in my opinion. The wizards in that, as you say, have an extensive knowledge of physics and other sciences in order for their magic to work. i.e. In order to set something on fire, they know that they have to vibrate the atoms of a particular structure at a fast enough pace that it undergoes a combustion reaction.

Harry Potter, unfortunately, goes by the explanation of "Magic, damn you!" while beating you over the head with a spellbook.
Andharian's avatar
xD haha perhaps they teach the science behind spells then? I suppose that would be more relavant for them, like what you just said!
DarkxNight's avatar
Hmm...maybe science and math aren't big among wizards. I mean, why worry about those things when magic does so much of that boring stuff! It's those poor Muggles who have to deal, and that's why they are the cool inventors :meow:

I'm sure that there are classes somewhere...prolly not in wizarding schools. Maybe they briefly cover it in Muggle Studies?
Andharian's avatar
but but science it importaaaant ;-;
DarkxNight's avatar
xD yes, that's true.
Nenril-Tf's avatar
The have to, i saw in your reply that you mean Harry Potter saga, but if you remember they can choose some lessosns to attend as they wish but other are already decided, also you know that exist only 8 courses that are really few, so they have other to not count that before 11 years old they have to attend normal schools.

In general they have to know it, also because a branch of magic is alchemy.
Andharian's avatar
But you don`t learn any of the important stuff when you`re ten? So they wouldn`t know anything about neurones and alveoli, and villi and things right?
Nenril-Tf's avatar
how do you know it? i mean, they have only 8 courses that we noticed, probably they have also literature, biology physics math etc etc
Andharian's avatar
uhm, no in the books they mention all the options and none of those are in it, except 'muggle studies' which is probably our histories, development and life-styles, but not science.
Nenril-Tf's avatar
where? they mention only the 8 i counted, but probably i missed something, where do they mention all the options?
Andharian's avatar
Hermione took ALL the subjects, and we know which subjects she took, so those would be all.
divine--apathia's avatar
Nenril-Tf's avatar
I'm saying this, can you give me the part which all this subjects are written?
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