Hocus Pocus. Those words imply magic is silly because it solves problems too easily. That's why fantasy novelists strive to avoid Abracadabra type of situations when designing magic system from scratch. Patrick Rothfuss (author of The Kingkiller Chronicle) explains how magic can be divided into two camps: the poetic and the scientific. Tor.com critic Martin Cahill appreciates Rothfuss's work because he combines both types of magic in his novels. And psychology professor Carol Nemeroff reveals why our brains are hardwired to believe in magical thinking.
