ABSTRACT
Magic may be defined as the use of preternatural forces to control and manipulate nature. Although such powers may or may not be supernatural, being outside the normal course of nature, they are held to be responsible for the magic’s extraordinary productions. Magical events are, thus, distinct from miracles in the sense that magic manipulates natural, though hidden, forces, while miracles are caused solely by supernatural powers. Whether assisted by angels or demons or done by purely natural means, magic seeks to place control of nature in human hands.
