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JoshuaZ comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 7 - Less Wrong Discussion

7 Post author: Unnamed 14 January 2011 06:49AM

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Comment author: JoshuaZ 28 January 2011 07:26:02PM 7 points [-]

There are some implications in canon that wizards are more durable than Muggles, although canon isn't completely consistent on this matter. It may be simply due to the unconscious or reflexive use of magic. The two data points that are most relevant in canon off the top of my head are Hagrid's remark in book one that there's no way Lilly and James would have died in a car crash, and the fact that the upper limit on the lifespan of wizards is apparently much higher than that of Muggles (Dumbeldore is well over a hundred.)

Comment author: Desrtopa 29 January 2011 03:03:59AM 14 points [-]

Of course, it's possible that James and Lilly would never have died in a car crash because they have no need to drive.

Comment author: Raemon 28 January 2011 07:30:43PM 2 points [-]

I thought it was more of a joke about the movies, where people get thrown around in typical hollywood fashion in ways that should kill a human but barely seem to phase the wizards. (Mostly during Quidditch)