Magic: A Test
Let us consider the following two diagrams:
This is of course the diagram from the Issue on Madness, and may be compared with Magic, since in particular, madness involves people who make invalid logical deductions, whereas Magic, in any form, involves events which defy logical deductions.
But when we look at Magic, we may consider
(i) conjurors,
(ii) practitioners who believe in magic and may or may not cheat,
(iii) no cheating: psychosomatic studies and indeed hypnotism.
Note that unlike madness, we do not have the concept of harming both society and oneself, but like madness we have the phenomenon of more variables (or emes?) than observations, not least among those who cheat (e.g. witch-doctors and conjurors).
So to my mind, the parallels may be captured in the following table (where for prophets we may also read ‘which-doctors’ or even statisticians):
So why don’t we have a little test?
1. Black magic has been associated with a smiley, albeit with red eyes…is this exactly what you would think as well?
2. Unlike madness, greed is not shown as an alternative, demonstrate that this is surely true.
3. Where do you think the bubbles are going?
By Martin Prior
