Miracle, Magic, Mystery

Thursday, November 8, 2007, 6:27 AM [General]

miracle An event that appears inexplicable by the laws (more correctly, "regularities") of nature. This is only part of the definition. The other essential requirement is that (by explicit declaration, or by significant correlation), a reasonable inference may be made that the inexplicable event is associated with the intention of an intelligent (or at least sentient) being. The intelligent being to whom the intention behind the event is attributed may be (but not necessarily) an invisible entity (e.g. an angel, a demon, a god or the god of monotheistic religions). The intentionality of the event is more fundamental than its inexplicability: an ordinary natural event, if suitably rare (e.g. a thunderbolt striking a specific house) can be considered a miracle if the event has been declared with sufficient accuracy prior to its occurrence, because a presumed connection between the prior knowledge and the event can be reasonably established.

magic the purported capacity to control or forecast natural events, effects, or forces by recourse to charms, spells, and/or rituals and/or by invoking invisible entities.

mystery an event, ordinary or extraordinary, in which is declared to be and/or perceived to be the presence of an entity, or state of reality which cannot be explained by recourse to its phenomenal appearance.