Where Does MAGIC Come From? - Harry Potter Explained

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re discussing MAGIC- specifically, what it is, where it comes from, and why only some people can channel it. Expanding on that, we’re going to be looking at the physiological differences between wizardkind and mugglekind- attempting to identify biological characteristics that may differentiate the two. 

Magic is defined as ‘the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces’, which on paper seems like a fairly fitting description. However, the part of the definition I take issue with is the ‘supernatural’ component- as this implies that magic is beyond scientific comprehension. Supernatural means just that- a force that transcends the laws of nature.

But is magic really SUPERNATURAL? Is it a force that relies on religious influence? Or can it be biologically explained?

From what I can tell, this aspect of magic seems to have been interpreted very differently across a broad spectrum of Harry Potter fans.

Some fans view / have viewed magic in the Harry Potter series as being based on science- a natural force that can be studied and understood through the study of magical theory and the practice of magic. Reinforcing this is the fact that the use of magic in the series often involves scientific principles such as the conservation of energy.

However, many others view / have viewed magic in the series as being based on religion- a mysterious and unknowable force that is beyond the understanding of mere mortals.

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