What's the difference between magic and science?

Conceptual knowledge of the world around us comes in many forms, many look to religious, philosophic, or scientific texts and experts to explain the unknown. Science differs in its approach to understanding the world through its use of the scientific method (MacRitchie, 2018). The body of scientific knowledge is based on testable hypotheses. This applies to both quantitative (data based on numbers) and qualitative (data based on more informal experiences) (Sale & Thielke, 2018) The scientific method works by following several steps and can be found in all original research:

1. A question based on background phenomena

2. A hypothesis - a provable or disprovable prediction of what may occur given a test. if the hypothesis cannot be proved or disproved in the laboratory, the field, or through mathematical models, it is beyond the realm of science.

3. A methodology - A rigorous set of tests designed to prove or disprove the hypothesis.

4. The results - A full reporting of the results from the tests outlined in the methods. An independent researcher should be able to exactly reproduce the results given the methods provided. This is where peer review becomes an important part of the scientific process.

5. Discussion and Conclusion - An explanation of the results observed. The discussion attempts to explain all the possible explanations for why the results occurred, including new or competing theories.

It should be noted that no original research is perfect - we are all human. After original research is submitted to a journal, each step of the process is vetted by independent researchers. If results cannot be reproduced, then the original authors are asked to change their approach or otherwise make revisions to account for problems with their research. It is quite common for research to undergo substantial revisions during this step before final publication, and even then, there might be problems with original research articles. At this point, researchers publish "comments" to point out potential problems with published papers. It is also important to note that psuedo-scientific publications are out there that do not follow these methods, so it's important to read articles critically.

Many believe religion, magic, or miracles and science are inherently opposed and incompatible with each other, but on the whole they are not (Crotty, 2020). Practicing science works on testing predictions, and the existence of magic or deities are fundamentally un-testable because there are either no tests that can prove or disprove their existence, or the results of these tests are not reproducible. Therefore science and religion are not mutually exclusive. This is not to say certain aspects of religious texts are incompatible, for example, many creation myths found in religious texts are not compatible with the varying scientific explanations of how we came to be (an area of active research).

Finally, scientific knowledge is constantly being updated and revised as new methods and technologies are developed. Scientists strive to analyze older research using new perspectives and ideas, often revealing inconsistencies with the older research. Ultimately we try to acknowledge our biases and come to terms with the contexts that result in scientific publications.