"The core of it," Murphy began, "is what I just discussed: observe, summarize, revise, observe again, summarize again, and revise again. It's a method of understanding the world. And as long as the world is regular and comprehensible, we can use this method to understand it."
"Idealism doesn't mean the world is beyond understanding; it simply prioritizes the spirit over the material. But the methodology of science doesn't presuppose any particular worldview. In fact, from my perspective, science doesn't care whether the world is materialistic or idealistic."
"Is magic idealistic?"
"Perhaps. But does it follow any rules?"
"Clearly, it does."
"We can even logically prove this."
"Let's make a hypothesis."
"Suppose magic is entirely idealistic, with no rules at all, and our spirits completely dominate the material world, changing it at will through our magic."
"If this hypothesis is true, then magic is an unrestricted wish-granting machine."
"But this leads to a contradiction. With so many magic users, whose wishes does this machine fulfill?"
"What happens if their wishes conflict?"
"What criteria would determine which wish prevails in a conflict?"
"If there are no such criteria, conflicting wishes will prevent some from being fulfilled. Magic then is not an unrestricted wish-granting machine; it cannot dominate the material world entirely and is not purely spiritual."
"If there are criteria, their existence proves that magic is not completely without rules."
"A world of magic that is entirely idealistic and without rules is only possible if there is a single spirit in existence, and everything we know, including ourselves, is a product of that great spirit."
"But this also leads to a conclusion: we are material. We—Hermione, Tom, and I, Murphy—as well as all things in the universe, are extensions of that great spirit, born of it. Therefore, we must follow the rules set for the material world."
"You see, no matter how you look at it, the world has understandable rules. These rules might not be complete, but they certainly exist."
"If you believe magic is idealistic, then its idealistic nature is only evident at its very origin. In 99.99% of its manifestations, it still follows its own set of rules."
"And through the scientific method, we can study the rules within this 99.99% and harness them for our use."
Having finished, Murphy looked at the two children. "Do you understand now?"
"I think I understand some of it, but there's still a lot I don't get..." Hermione said.
Murphy smiled. "Understanding some of it is enough for now. I'll teach you gradually. Once you get used to observing the world with this methodology, you'll see its simplicity and clarity."
"You'll find that determining whether something is true is straightforward. It doesn't require complex and mysterious concepts. Observing things, summarizing rules, revising rules—that's the simple process through which we understand the world."
"Okay, let's get back to wands."
"You said you think a wand is like an antenna," Murphy said to Hermione. "What role do you think it plays for a wizard?"
"Amplifying... magic?" Hermione guessed.
"Good, can you be more specific?"
"It enhances or amplifies the magic a wizard projects outwardly?"
"Excellent!" Murphy snapped his fingers. "How can we verify this? Can you design an experiment?"
The idea was simple, even for Tom, who wasn't familiar with antennas. "Have a wizard cast spells with and without a wand and measure the strength of the magic."
"Brilliant!" Murphy looked at Tom. "Miss Granger has solid associative thinking and basic knowledge, but your reasoning skills are impressive."
"And reasoning, or deductive ability, is another crucial method in research, perhaps the most important."
He pointed at the tripod. "This setup is the experiment you described."
"You've grasped the essence of experimentation: controlling the key variables. In our hypothesis, the critical variable is whether or not to use a wand."
"We'll do two sets of experiments. In one, cast spells at the target with a wand. In the other, do the same without the wand."
"Then we observe the results of both sets."
"Since the only difference between the two sets is the use of the wand, we can verify whether our hypothesis is correct."
"These magic power testers are for accurately measuring magic."
"Now do you understand how to study something? Isn't it simple?"
"Observe... hypothesize... test..." Tom felt a sudden clarity.
It seemed that everything in the world could be this straightforward.
This appeared to be a key to unlocking all the world's mysteries!
When he could apply this method to view things, the confusing and contradictory aspects seemed less puzzling. In this world, things are black or white, true or false. You can continually refine your theories to approach the truth, but the criterion for truth is whether it can be experimentally verified.
Tom felt a joy in learning, believing in a phrase he read in his notes.
"I have met the person who will change my fate."
He looked at Murphy. "I understand, teacher."
A teacher imparts knowledge, guides learning, and resolves doubts.
Just this lesson alone was enough for a lifetime.
"Good, come over here," Murphy said. "Hermione, take this wand and cast your most proficient spells at the target. After this round, Tom, remove the wand, and Hermione, try casting the same spells without it."
"Tom, come here. I'll show you how to use this Muggle camera. When I say 'start,' Hermione will prepare to cast a spell, and you press this button the moment she finishes the incantation."
"Understood?"
"Understood, Professor." The two young wizards were fully convinced by Murphy, feeling like they were part of an important project, full of enthusiasm.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
"Lumos!"
"Alohomora!"
"Scourgify!"
"Reparo!"
After about fifteen minutes, Murphy nodded, looking at the girl sweating from the effort, and handed her a handkerchief. "Incredible, Miss Granger. To master so many spells in your first year, especially having never encountered magic before. Remarkable."
He then turned to Tom, who had grown silent. "Tom, want to give it a try? In research, the more high-quality data, the better."
Encouraged, Tom agreed. "Okay."
"Diffindo!"
"Immobulus!"
"Incendio!"
"Expelliarmus!"
...
Wow... Is this kid trying to outdo Hermione? He's really going all out.
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