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@noah-cochran

I get what you’re saying and I agree that magic and fantasy aren’t the same thing. I’d phrase it as “All stories with magic are fantasy, but not all fantasy stories have magic.” Fantasy to me means the story takes place in a world that has things in it that could never exist or happen in reality (vs. sci-fi where the invented things could possibly exist) and/or it takes place in a completely separate world from our own (as in The False Prince–that story doesn’t really contain anything impossible). So I suppose we agree about the definition of fantasy.

As to magic, you are saying that we should only use that term to describe supernatural things like witchcraft and sorcery, stuff that is definitely not A-okay. You don’t think we should use that term to describe fantastical abilities that are natural to a fantasy realm, such as being able to control elements based on one’s genetics. I think distinguishing between those two things (witchcraft vs. natural abilities in an fantasy universe) is great and important, but I don’t think we need to go policing peoples’ use of the word ‘magic’. When I say a fantasy story has magic in it, I think of an ability that gives you some kind of control over something, such as the classical elements or the minds of others. I don’t think I’d use it to refer to something like Herculean strength or night vision because I see those as just heightened abilities of what we have in the real world.

I shall give you an example from one of my WIPs. Everyone, every race in this world has some kind of control over one of the elements. This is a natural-born ability and I believe you would not call this alone magic. However, these abilities can be used in good and bad ways and the users of these abilities can strengthen their abilities by connecting to the supernatural realm–either being strengthened by the God-figure of the story or by the dark forces. Would you call both of those uses magic? Or would you only call it magic when that ability is being strengthened by the dark forces? The abilities granted by each can be the same–telling the future and raising the dead are the two I have considered so far–but the one would be Lawful, as in prophecy and miraculous resurrection, while the other would be Chaotic and Evil and be termed divination and necromancy respectively. It is based on how the user strengthens their inborn powers whether such ability/magic is Good or Evil. The God-figure would never grant power for an Evil use.

I don’t know if any of this has added to the discussion but I thought I would throw it out there. In conclusion, I understand your distinction between natural abilities and magic, but I would just call it all magic, and probably just distinguish between white magic and black magic.

I am guessing that you wouldn’t read Harry Potter? Are you familiar with Brandon Sanderson’s magic systems, and if so, what do you think of them?

Honestly this discussion kind of reminds me of the beginning of Avatar: the Last Airbender where Aang says, “It’s not magic, it’s airbending! I control the air currents to make myself fly.” Although I’m not sure if you’d appreciate that show either.