Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 5243233" data-attributes="member: 22779">Genre history has a lot to do with it too.&nbsp; Psionics is just an SF word for magic.&nbsp; It has little or no science to back it up, but, we can stuff it into an SF setting because it's not ((nudge nudge, wink, wink)) really magic.&nbsp; It allows SF authors to have a plot tool without having to actually do any real research into how something like this would actually work.In most fantasy settings, OTOH, you don't have to cloak magic in something else.&nbsp; It's magic and in fantasy, magic's just fine.&nbsp; Even though the effects are pretty much identical, the trappings and associations are different.For me, that's generally why I don't want &quot;psionics&quot; in a fantasy setting.&nbsp; In my mind, they're not needed.&nbsp; Not the effects, mind you.&nbsp; I have no problems with a kind of mind powered magic - see David Edding's the Will and the Word for a fantasy version of psionics.&nbsp; Steven Erikson's Malazan series has a few types of magic that are very close to either illusions or psionics, although they're not branded as such.In other words, why do you need the term in fantasy?&nbsp; Psionics is &quot;SF Magic&quot;.&nbsp; You don't need to hide behind any sort of pseudo science in fantasy, so, if you have mind magic, just call it that.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hussar, post: 5243233, member: 22779"] Genre history has a lot to do with it too. Psionics is just an SF word for magic. It has little or no science to back it up, but, we can stuff it into an SF setting because it's not ((nudge nudge, wink, wink)) really magic. It allows SF authors to have a plot tool without having to actually do any real research into how something like this would actually work. In most fantasy settings, OTOH, you don't have to cloak magic in something else. It's magic and in fantasy, magic's just fine. Even though the effects are pretty much identical, the trappings and associations are different. For me, that's generally why I don't want "psionics" in a fantasy setting. In my mind, they're not needed. Not the effects, mind you. I have no problems with a kind of mind powered magic - see David Edding's the Will and the Word for a fantasy version of psionics. Steven Erikson's Malazan series has a few types of magic that are very close to either illusions or psionics, although they're not branded as such. In other words, why do you need the term in fantasy? Psionics is "SF Magic". You don't need to hide behind any sort of pseudo science in fantasy, so, if you have mind magic, just call it that. [/QUOTE]

Verification