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magic

Magic and religion

Magic continues to be widely perceived as an archaic worldview, a form of superstition lacking the intrinsic spiritual value of religion or the rational logic of science. Religion, according to seminal anthropologist Sir Edward Burnett Tylor (1832–1917), involves a direct, personal relationship between humans and spiritual forces; in religion’s highest form, that relationship is with a personal, conscious omnipotent spiritual being. Magic, on the other hand, is characterized as external, impersonal, and mechanical, involving technical acts of power. Magic seeks to manipulate spiritual powers, while religious prayer supplicates spiritual forces, a distinction explored by Bronislaw Malinowski (1884–1942) ... (100 of 6779 words)

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Aspects of the topic magic are discussed in the following places at Britannica.

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Magic - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)

Magic is the art of performing tricks to make the impossible seem possible. Magicians amaze audiences by appearing to make objects disappear, read minds, or float off the ground. But for thousands of years, people believed that magicians actually had special powers. They thought magicians could control other people and natural forces, such as the rain or the wind. People thought to have magical powers were also known as witches, wizards, and sorcerers.

magic - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Conjuring, or magic, is a theatrical art in which a magician performs illusions that make the impossible seem possible. In this type of magic as entertainment, the spectators know that the magician is not actually using supernatural powers. Nevertheless, even though they may try to watch the magician’s every move to discover how the magic is done, in a successful trick they are amazed, unable to discern the secret. While deceiving them, magicians challenge their abilities to perceive, imagine, and reason-one of the aspects of magic that has long made it popular all over the world.

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The topic magic is discussed at the following external Web sites.
the Mystica.org
Collaborative encyclopedia of mysticism and the occult, with articles contributed by readers.
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