Are Computers Magic?

[d^_^b 27]

You'd say no; computers are technology, which is true. But I'd like to think that they're magic!

 

If you've gotten an education in computer science and technology, you'll understand how computers work and thus you'd probably don't believe that they're magic. But I didn't receive that education! I don't really understand how computers work to produce audio, sound, and the ability to interact with it, so I assume that it's magic. I look at mechanical machinery and see how they work; now THAT's technology, to me! 

 

I think that some sorcery is used to make all those boards, chips, cords, and capacitors work together to produce the tools that we use to go on the Internet, check our e-mails, do art work, type word documents, watch videos, play video games, make phone calls, etc. Maybe there's a demon inside... You might say that it's synergy. That's true. All those components are needed to produce audio, video, and the ability to interact with it, otherwise they'd be duds. I understand that they won't work without electricity, but I don't understand how they work without magic. 

 

I'm not religious or anything; I just believe in the extraordinary and the supernatural, such as karma. 

Edited June 4, 2016 by d^_^b

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,705]

Well, this Youtube channel explains how various aspects of computers work with usually five minutes per topic if you're curious.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/Techquickie

Well, this Youtube channel explains how various aspects of computers work with usually five minutes per topic if you're curious.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/Techquickie

[cmarston1 5,951]

Nope.

Because technology is made through science and science is the exact opposite of magic.

[Anneal 2,194]

Nope.

Because technology is made through science and science is the exact opposite of magic.

Science can make things look like magic though.

 

Also why not, magic is fun. I wish my fridge can shoot ice bolts.

[boiteporte 591]

And I wish I could turn lead into gold...now that's high level magic for you. Unfortunately, this won't happen. There might be things that science can't explain at the moment..but all things that look like magic because they're unexplained will eventually be explained sooner or later.

 

EDIT: Physically speaking, it is possible to turn lead into gold..but if we talk from a practical point of view, you'll never ever ever ever see something like that happen.

Edited June 4, 2016 by boiteporte

[BlackWater627 700]

 

 

Science can make things look like magic though. Also why not, magic is fun. I wish my fridge can shoot ice bolts.

Hey fridge! I just bought these half-melted ice cream sandwiches. Quick! Cast Frostbite Level 5!    

[[NULL] 906]

Let me know if we discover Element Zero, or we invent Nanomachines that can do anything beyond logic, then we'll talk about technology being magic.

[I used to be a stranger 7,989]

While I appreciate the tongue-in-cheek nature of ascribing technological prowess to spirituality, I find it also very aggravating.

 

As a mechanical engineering student, it is literally mind-boggling how common-sensical every complicated thing you've ever seen, actually is when deconstructed and described. When people ascribe technology=magic, unfortunately there are token minorities of idiots who genuinely believe it, impeding common understanding of physical principles.

 

 

Nope.

Because technology is made through science and science is the exact opposite of magic.

 

I don't think you fully appreciate the meaning of the word "science".

The fact that Twilight Sparkle is able to repeat her teleportation spell means, by definition, that she has scientific knowledge of that magic.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Blue

[Looks 130]

It's fine to consider technology to be magic, there's nothing wrong with that! Just don't let it stop, or intimidate you from learning how they work ^^

 

(Also pls I wanna shoot laser beams out of my eyeballs)

Edited June 4, 2016 by Looks

[Libarty Justice 18]

Nope.

Because technology is made through science and science is the exact opposite of magic.

 

 

I think Twilight may beg to differ with you on that one

[AzureNightLight 122]

Anything that can't be explained by science, is magic. Anything that can't be defined by magic, is science.

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

 

Basically they're interchangeable depending on the world and how it developed. I like to think in MLP magic and enchantments are the equivalents to our technology.

 

If you go back in time (assume time travel exists IRL for a moment) you would be able to easily convince ancient people that a simple flashlight is sorcery, and would probably be run out of town for it or burned at the stake.

Edited June 5, 2016 by bronislav84

[Invincible 2,090]

In fact, i DID receive education in computer science. I can at least try and picture it to you.

 

Without going into too much detail (and believe me, this is the simplest it gets), imagine a simple device which represents 0s and 1s. In modern times this would be done with electricity or lack thereof. This device shows a different result depending on its state (remember, two states are possible).

 

Now imagine a microscopic form of this device. And rows upon rows of such devices working in unison, mapping out billions if not trillions of possible states.

 

This is how computer data is stored. Of course, different parts in the machine react differently to the stored data (some data are simply instructions for the machine to follow, others might be temporary information, etc.), and will often read it differently depending on how they are meant to work and what instructions they receive.

 

The logic brain behind the computer, the Processor, is a device constantly receiving input and using logic-based circuitry to manipulate it. Early ones were impressive enough, but modern ones can do millions if not billions (actually i think even more, tbh) of operations per second(!).

 

A computer is a cool machine, but no matter how sophisticated, it's still a man made tool.

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

Personally I'm not into computers and they frustrate me more that anything. But I can't help but be astonished my the concept of an inanimate object that can remember things. And not just a few little things but millions of things at once. I'll never get over that concept. 

 

Aside from that though, I wish the damn things worked better.   

 

Magic is probably more reliable. 

Edited June 5, 2016 by Dreambiscuit

[gamecubeguy214 2,511]

If you count 0s and 1s as magic, then yes.

[Libarty Justice 18]

If you count 0s and 1s as magic, then yes.

 

 

You just gave me an idea for part of a Dresden Files OC who casts their incantations in Binary.

[gamecubeguy214 2,511]

You just gave me an idea for part of a Dresden Files OC who casts their incantations in Binary.

 

Awesome. I'd like to see this OC, it sounds pretty original.

[Scrubbed user 3,415]

 

I shall consult Lord GabeN.

[ChikaChan 7,320]

Nope x3 But they do store a'lot of updates,and bluescreen of deaths! xD

[silvadel 1,393]

Computers are not magic, but the internet is a passable magical conduit.

[Buck Testa 5,503]

Claiming things you are uneducated about are some how magic in the day and age of search engines is inexcusable and down right willfully ignorant. If there is one thing that gets under my skin more than anything else, its willful ignorance. If you want to know how computers or how ANYTHING AT ALL works, all you have to do is go to Google or another search engine and find the information you are seeking. You could google how the internet works. You could google how those chips work. You could invest your time into actually learning something substantial instead of assuming pixies and leprechauns did it. 

 

Its this disregard for the vast wells of knowledge people have at their finger tips that create people like the Flat Earthers or get people roped up into exploitative cults. 

 

I need some ibuprofen now. 

[Justin_Case001 4,855]

 

No, of course computers aren't magic.

 

But...you already knew that.  I mean...how couldn't you?

 

 

Seriously, though, I do find speakers to be one of the most mystifying pieces of technology ever invented, and they're not terribly new, just getting better all the time.  I completely understand how visual displays work, but I can't for the life of me wrap my mind around how, exactly, speakers create sound.  I mean, sound is a vibration, a longitudinal wave, and speakers obviously cause vibration, because you can feel them do so, to a certain extent, but what blows my mind is how they can create any conceivable sound in the universe, whether it has ever existed or not.  It's not like they have a catalogue of sounds they can make.  They can make anything, even if it's a sound that no human has ever heard.  Perhaps the only limitation is that they can only create sound within the possible range of human hearing?  I really don't know.  I might sound dumb for saying all this.  They're probably very simple, but they just seem amazing to me.  Not magical, just amazing.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Justin_Case001

[Celli 4,332]

Well, no, of course they aren't.

Although, PCs are capable of some pretty incredible things, I guess I could see why someone would ask that 

[Lisa 5,552]

"I don't know something so that justifies being ignorant." You have a computer which obviously has internet, if you don't know something, search it. Our current era is called the 'Information Age' for a reason; you literally have tonnes of knowledge at your fingertips with computers.. 

[Nightfall Gloam 18,236]

*Imitates Kermit's voice* IT'S MAGIC, JOEL!!! 

Sorry, I just HAD to make that reference.

 

But, seriously, though, computers are not "magic". If anything, they prove how far we have progressed scientifically. I'd love to see where this technology goes in the near future, too.