Divination Essay: Art or Science?

[Bridget O'Neill]

Place your assignments on my desk please, and thank you!

Professor O'Neill

[Alessandro Darko]

Alessandro meandered slowly into the Divinations room, rifling through his messenger back and pulling out a couple sheets of parchment which had his unique brand of print-cursive handwriting scrawled all over the front. Laying the parchment down on the professors desk, he nodded slowly, eying her with a smile twirking up the left corner of his mouth. Having recently developed a seer talent of his own, he was quickly learned on the subject and quite confident with the outcome of the assignment.

[EXIT: Alessandro]

Alessandro Orion Darko
Divinations
17 February, 2019

Divination: Art or Science?

Divination. It is defined as "the practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by occult or supernatural means." Many believe that divination is a farce, and can not be held accountable for "coincidental" events that were supposedly predestined to occur. However, it is in my opinion that divination is a useful tool in practical magic. The question comes down to whether it can be assigned as an Art, a skill that is either passed on, or learned, that is honed by the individual, or is it a Science? Something that has strict rules and theories.

For one, Divination is first and foremost an Art. Many seem to view it as an absurdity in the magical curriculum for the sheer fact that they do not possess an ounce of divinatory prowess. Close-minded individuals that would rather focus on learning powerful spells which can easily incapacitate an opponent, would be in for a big surprise when someone skilled at divining outcomes can predict their moves. They would find that they are countered quite easily as they go to draw their wand, but before they achieve their incantation, a silencio spell is thrust at them, defeating any chance of utilizing verbal spellcraft.

Of course, divining the outcome is something that takes great patience and skill to achieve. Not to mention talent. Those with an innate talent, such as precognition, clairvoyance, and or psychometry are lucky individuals whom can see events that take place outside of their current time, allowing them information that not every other witch and wizard possesses. There are many different mediums of divination, thus, specializing in one of the forms would define it as an art. Tarot readings, rune stones, crystal gazing, scrying. Each method is different within itself, but all reside under the name of divination, and all reach a specific, shared goal: gaining knowledge.

Divinations cannot be classified as a science. It is something that cannot be measured by mundane means, not that we live in a mundane world ourselves. Science strictly adheres to rules, hypotheses, and theories. For divination to be a science, everyone would be able to predict events, and then that would mean that there is a specific pattern being followed throughout time. This is not the case. Surely if there was a specific pattern, we would already know what was happening next, for we would have already lived through this life many times. But I digress onto other areas detailing reincarnation. Getting back on track, divination is not something that everyone innately possesses, but everyone can at least achieve some form of divination, if they would open their minds and interpretations.

To conclude, Divination is considered an art, in my opinion, because it is something that cannot be measured by scientific means. There are those of us lucky enough to possess psychic abilities relating to divinations, prophetic dreams, and seer talents which can include clairvoyance and precognition. Divination is a magical art that is not always 100 percent accurate, as I have had several instances of misinterpreted readings, including misreading a dogs head from an iceberg, I know that there is a margin of error in the subject. Although having innate talent can help, there is always a margin of error. It is imperfect. Art is imperfect. Divination is an art.

[Caitlin Collins]

Having been late to the lesson, Caity had known she would need to get in the homework set as soon as possible to avoid any bad impression sticking. She thought she had done pretty well with the essay topic, but with no real knowledge of divination other than the basics she couldn’t be entirely sure that she would get one of the higher grades. The ‘science’ part she had taken in general to mean the muggle variety. Having had a good dose of biology, physics and chemistry at the muggle school her parents had sent her to during the time she was out of Hogwarts, she could relate to it fairly well. Placing the essay on the Professor’s desk, she took a moment to look around the rearranged classroom before leaving again, heading down to the Great Hall for lunch.

Caitlin Collins
Divination – Professor O’Neill
17/2/19

Should Divination be considered an art or a science?

In everyday conversation, the phrase “the art of divination” is certainly used more frequently than one might say “the science of divination”. But there are certainly elements of science involved in the subject.

For example, for the more traditional methods of divination taught in a classroom – such as tarot or reading tea leaves – you must generally follow the instructions. As with muggle science, you need the “apparatus” – the tarot cards, or tea leaves – to make anything of it. Opposed to other branches of magic, Divination is not really one where a wand is used massively. Astrology is generally considered a science, yet is also used to predict the future in what could only be called a rather select branch of divination.

However, scientific results are usually quite easy to predict. Divination is almost impossible to predict before you begin. Both science and divinatory studies centre around predictions, but with different purposes; for science, it is to prove ready-made predictions, whereas the purpose of divination is to actually make those predictions.

There is also the fact of countless examples of people, who have more logical minds that tend towards science, and are much less likely to choose to study divination because they view it as a “soft” subject. Instead they might choose to go with more solid subjects; those that could more easily be related to science. One key of divination is skill – you need at least some degree of talent in divination to go very far with it. Arguably, science also needs skill, but not to the same level. On a similar point, science is something you can teach yourself to be good at. However, with no raw potential in divination you can do hardly anything with it – it is not something that can really be taught from books.

Another prominent feature of science is control – making sure conditions are the same to gain the most accurate results. In divination, this is almost impossible. Those with seer-like abilities, for example, cannot for the most part control when they get their visions, however much they might wish to be able to. You can compare similar results, but not as factually as can be done with scientific experiments. Still, you can garner conclusions from both.

Art, on the other hand, is much easier to relate to the subject. It is much less precise than science and you need a certain skill to continue to an advanced level. Overall, I believe divination should be considered an art. It counters most if not all of the arguments against science as detailed above. It requires raw talent and is subjective rather than the generally objective nature of science.

[parisnowan]

Paris casually walked into the room, holding a file folder under her arm. After observing the room for a second, she quickly pulled the file folder out and handed her essay in. She'd rushed her essay, but thought that it deserved a decent grade. She usually did well when it came to writing; but a weakness of hers was to ramble on too long. So, this time, she'd rushed herself a bit so it would be shorter. Paris hoped that the experiment would pay off and she would get a good grade. After a narcisstic smile, Paris was on her way to her next class.

Paris Nowan
02/17/19
Prof. O'Neil's class

Divination: An Extraordinary Art

Divination; a form of magic that’s use has benefited Wizard kind for centuries. The ability to predict and understand properties of the human mind, and aspects of the future; a form of magic truly remarkable. Some have gone as far to suggest that this amazing form of magic is a science rather than art. This is not so. Because of its unpredictability, personal bias, and inability to be wholly classified into mathematical formulas or restriction, divination truly is an art.

Divination is largely unpredictable; one example of this is in the several documented cases where seers have gone into “uncontrollable fits”, seeing visions of the future, with no logical explanation of why that particular vision took place at that time. Science, on the other hand, although having to do much with unpredictable events (such as the study of unexpected volcanoes and such) is all about the logical explaining of such situations. Science results can be largely formed from a logical basis; whereas fits of divination come largely from visions and inherited talent that are unexpected and many times illogical. Art too is not always based on a logical process; coming more from a person’s emotions than a drawn out logical process. For these reasons, divination truly can be unpredictable and illogical, merely based of instinct, just as art is and not science.

Divination is also based off of personal bias, such as an emotional interpretation of foresight. We truly see this through one’s interpretation of their own visions; often times, quite different from how another person would interpretate the same vision. Science, on the other hand, is a drawn out logical way of thinking which involves no bias in emotional extent for it is focused on the laws of nature and not the laws of an individual’s perception of an event. In art, emotional interpretation is also a major component. Science does not involve itself with emotional and personal bias; therefore, divination is not a science.

Finally, divination is not able to be wholly classified into restrictions of mathematical formulas, such as science is. Although there are some formulas involved; such as tea leaves and such, divination in itself cannot be explained by formulas as a whole. For, unexpected visions, although closely tied with astronomy, cannot be predicted and explained by mathematics; especially when regarding the material and subject of unexpected visions. Astronomy cannot predict the material of one’s vision, or the depth of such vision; although it can be tied to dates and such. There has yet to be a mathematical formula to explain how visions come to pass, why they come to pass, and how to predict the content and depth of one’s vision. While science is based upon mathematical formulas; divination is not; nor is art. Art cannot be tied down by mathematical restrictions. Therefore, divination is truly more of an art.

Divination truly is a remarkable art that has been used for centuries by the people of the Wizarding world. Divination if full of unpredictable tendencies, emotional bias, and fails to be classified into mathematical formulas and restrictions. Science, on the other hand, is the opposite of the description, while art is compatible with divination’s description. Therefore, Divination is not a science, but rather, an art.

[scarlettcooper]

When Scarlett had received the pile of textbooks and other assorted things, her jaw had dropped. She had been even further shocked as Professor O'Neill had given them an assignment - reading and an essay . What class did Professor O'Neill think she was teaching? This was like no Divination class Scarlett had ever experienced. They weren't supposed to actually do anything! Yet she'd been given more textbooks than even fit in her bag.

Still not believing this class wasn't a joke, she'd merely skimmed the chapter she was supposed to read and thrown together something that barely qualified for fulfilling the assignment. Scarlett truly was a good student. Divination was just not a class one actually did work in. Or so she thought.

She easily relocated the Divination classroom. Pulling the single, slightly bent up parchment out of her bag, she placed it on the professor's desk. Satisfied with her work, though still shocked she'd actually had an assignment in Divination, Scarlett left the room to begin the search for her next classroom.

Scarlett Cooper
2-17-19
Divination

Is Divination an Art or a Science?

Divination is definitely not a science. Science is exact and calculated and stuff. Divination is just...guesswork. It's predicting the unknown future so how could it possibly be science? Therefore, Divination must be an art. People do say 'the art of Divination' sometimes, right? Or the art of guessing? The art of predicting the future? Then...I guess the Divination related talents some people have point more towards art than science too. They can't control these things, so it can't be a science. Plus, a talent is usually in an art, not a science. So, Divination is an art, not a science.

[kairava]

Kai was glad to see that at least one of the classes was more challenging than at Al'Nirah in Arabia. He was beginning to wonder if it truly was worth coming to this school but with Professor O'Neill's challenging personality, he was beginning to enjoy where things were headed.

Even though the seeming challenge was pleasant, thoughts filled with trepidation and fear edged at him while he walked towards the classroom to turn his paper in. He spent that evening touching a few objects and going through the visions that he feared might have disappeared but was thankful that they were still there. That thought, being thankful that something he, at least used to dread, was still there was a conundrum for him. Was it truly such a part of him that he would miss it if it was gone? After mulling over the idea for a long time he found that he had in fact grown attached to his ability. Now the question, should he confront O'Neill about it, arose. Deciding to wait until after the second class to make his decision he walked in and turned his paper in.

He had reviewed his work a few times and was appeased by the amount he had written. It was only about two pages but it covered the topic the teacher conveyed. He believed that divination was an art due to the fact that it was not something you could rely on hard evidence for and was always understood by interpretation which is usually biased. He also had added in a few personal experience with which he took himself out of so that it would not be apparent that he had a form of seeing. Overall, for most teachers he felt that the paper would have earned an O. Confident in his work, he left his paper on the stack of others and left the classroom.

[Katherine Knightswood]

Katherine Marie Knightswood
Divinations
17 February 2019

Divination: Art or Science?

Divination is from the Latin root word divinare, meaning to be inspired by the gods. Attempting to seek out the future through many different means was the hallmark of divination through the ages. Even Muggles have attempted to use divination to try and see into their futures. As to the question of it being an art or science, I would say that it is both. It is an art, in that it requires attention to detail, has a certain element of uncertainty, and is a creative medium involving interpretation. It is a science in that it attempts to discover how the physical world will work, albeit in the future and not the present.

There are many forms of divination used in the Wizarding world, and most rely on some sort of object to focus innate talent. Tea leaves, Tarot cards, runes, Ogham, and even natural signs are used for focusing the Seer’s gifts. Some folk can read impressions off objects. Others can see future events. And yet others can find people or things that are missing. The science is in learning what is to come to be, but the art is in figuring out how it will come to be.

Divination also involves the science of recording one’s impressions. The most famous Muggle Seer, Nostradamus of France, was known for his quatrains or simple poems in which he recorded his visions. Several Seers in the Wizarding world, including the author of our introductory text, also record their visions. They use methods from simple dictation to parables to poems. In their writings, the art of Divination comes into play.

In conclusion, I believe that Divination involves both science and art. Without out one, the other fails, and one is left with incomplete information. I am interested in learning more about both sides of this coin, as well as about the methods available to obtain information about the future. If I happen to have a Divinatory gift, I hope that I will be able to employ both the science and the art of Divination well.

[Bridget O'Neill]

Good job, students! Thank you for turning in your work.

I'll be giving you your grades shortly, but everyone will receive 5 points for their Houses.

Well done, and we'll be on to our next subject soon.

Professor O'Neill

[lydianowan]

(OOC: Um, I totally forgot about this. Can Lydia still get credit? Also, Lydia would probably hand in the essay, but I don't really have time to write another one so I'm assuming it's okay that I just post as if she turned it in? Thanks.)

Lydia entered the Divinations room quickly. Her mind on other things, Lydia spared little of her time dwelling in the classroom. Placing her short essay into an already existing pile, she smiled a little to herself before turning around and exiting the classroom. Another assignment; another hour lost to homework. At least now she had some spare time to do something exciting. She left fully with the intention of heading back to the common room, thrilled that she could do something fun.

The essay was not Lydia's finest; but not Lydia's worst, either. However, thankfully enough, writing persuasive essays was one of Lydia's small strengths when it came to Magical Academics. Although in real arguments, Lydia would often get too fired up and lose her temper, on paper she was quite logical and good with words. She argued her point clearly and firmly; appealing to emotions and using logic. Persuasion was a kind of competition; and Lydia loved competition. So, as Lydia continued on her way out the door, she smiled, knowing that she would probably get a good grade despite it not being her best work. At least she could rely on something to keep her academic performance favorable.

But as her eyes lingered on the doorway as she passed back through, her thought process was reminded of her own encounter with the Proffessor....O'Neill, was it? Yes, of course it was. The Professor had seemed quite fun and understanding about Lydia's absence of the class...and had given her a very intriguing rune; a rune of growth and good change. Lydia herself found it quite odd, still not fully understanding the meaning. Yet somehow, she trusted it...

With a final conclusion that only time would tell, Lydia left all thoughts of Divination behind and resumed her fun-loving thoughts.