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+--- Thread: Magic at the horizon (/thread-16061.html)
Magic at the horizon - C C - Jun 21, 2024
https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/magic-at-the-horizon/
EXCERPT: The horizon is a special place. It marks the farthest visible point of the terrestrial world, and it is the place where day turns to night and night turns to day. It is not surprising that it captures our attention, and when rare events happen at the horizon, such as the green flash or the blue hour, it is not surprising that people give special significance to them. The rarity of four-leaf clovers and Friday the 13th is part of what makes them candidates for enchantment, but an appreciation of science tells us that the natural world is enchanting enough as it is. We need not add more magic than what is already there....
ITEMS COVERED:
The Moon Illusion
Mirages
Eric Rohmer’s Fascination with the Horizon
The Green Ray (Le Rayon Vert)
The Blue Hour
RE: Magic at the horizon - Magical Realist - Jun 22, 2024
Quote:an appreciation of science tells us that the natural world is enchanting enough as it is. We need not add more magic than what is already there....
The magic of science is like the magic of pornography--it is the engrossing spectacle of what is just there leaving little else to the imagination, and wearing off over time.