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Strilanc comments on HPMOR Q&A by Eliezer at Wrap Party in Berkeley [Transcription] - Less Wrong
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Comments (17)
Why not to use explanations for magic that actual "thaumaturgical" traditions used? Basically that reality is a projection of our minds, and sufficiently concentrated and focused minds can change reality in ways that is perceptible for others too, and thus magical rituals and chanting and spells are ways to concentrate and focus the mind. You can also give it a neat theistic angle, such as when god made man in his own likeness it meant also giving him some of his creative power, to make things ex nihilo just with his mind.
"reality is a projection of our minds and magic is ways to concentrate and focus the mind" is too non-reductionist of an explanation. It moves the mystery inside another mystery, instead of actually explaining it.
For example: in this universe minds seem to be made out of brains. But if reality is just a projection of minds, then... brains are made out of minds? So minds are made out of minds? So where does the process hit bottom? Or are we saying existence is just a fractal of minds made out of minds made out of minds all the way down?
In this yes, but if a magical universe is roughly like what people hundreds of year ago thought our universe is, then the brain can simply be a radio receiver getting messages from a ghostly soul.