In this new series, our own Jean C'est Magnifique Try Baptise, accomplished writer and scholar, puts his wisdom and wit to the challenge as he takes on a series of written challenges against ChatGPT who plays the character "Dr. Arthur Telligen". Who will win? The man or the machine? We'll ask for your votes and your input on social media after you read both sides!
View Staff:
Would it be advantageous or disadvantageous for Realms civilization if magic was so universally accessible that every peasant could cast a plethora of different spells?
JB:
I have been informed I have occasionally relied on moral arguments, and while I am not sure how to argue which scenario is "Better" without morality. I am going to entirely sidestep a argument about whether or not more heroes then villains would be produced, or whether we have a right to gate-keep magical power or blah blah. Instead I will say this, Magic being accessible to peasantry would improve society by raising the standard of living on a whole.
Ignoring how useful seer-ing the weather would be for farmers, and so forth, there are two key spells that can revolutionize the world if accessible not only to sellswords and sociopaths (And people who don't live in Neden) but anyone.
These spells are circle of healing and Mystic forge.
In terms of military usage, these spells have a niche value in certain sieges or war-lines, but in times of peace, these spells can industrialized all industries mechanical and biological.
Meat industry can, and I speak entirely from personal experience here, greatly benefit from the ability to regenerate the tissue you harvest, which means you don't need to slaughter hundreds of cattle (Admittedly this is because you are slaughtering one cattle hundreds of times but at least that's less mouths to feed). Substance Farming will be a thing of the past when potato blights can be cured with a cantrip, as well as general medical advancements that can be furthered when the safety net of resurrection is applied to consenting lab-rat people.
But this is nothing compared to the speed of production mystic forge and reforge allows. With the ability to magically blacksmith we will be able to outfit all trades with top of the line equipment and reduce day long jobs into mere verbals. This will allow for the free time and incentive to allow for innovation. With shovels being a simple spell to create, newer tools will be devised to maximize the ability to dig dirt, and whether that involves mass use of intervention or new mysterious super shovels is unknown... but it will happen.
The advantage of worldwide magic use is not simply something like "fairness" but with more power comes more ways to USE that power, and improve the day to day life of the citizens and even us, as these benefits will allow more magic users to specialize in different fields as the "must have" spells get industrialized and mass used. Thus I believe universal magic is good both for its own sake (Though I have not bothered to further that argument) but also good as it furthers the ends of progress.
Dr. Arthur Telligen:
As a medieval fantasy scholar, I would argue that universal accessibility to magic would be disadvantageous for a medieval fantasy civilization.
One of the main reasons for this is the potential destabilization of society. If every peasant were able to cast a plethora of spells, it could lead to an increase in social tensions and conflicts, as some individuals or groups may have more powerful spells or abilities, creating a hierarchy of power within society. This could lead to power struggles and even wars, potentially destabilizing the entire civilization. Furthermore, the proliferation of dangerous spells and practices, such as dark magic or necromancy, could pose a significant threat to the safety and well-being of the general population.
Another issue with universal accessibility to magic is the potential for misuse or abuse. If every peasant were able to cast a plethora of spells, it could lead to a lack of regulation and oversight, potentially leading to dangerous or unethical uses of magic. This could range from minor offenses, such as using spells to cheat in business or personal affairs, to more severe crimes, such as using magic to harm or manipulate others.
Additionally, universal accessibility to magic could have a negative impact on social mobility. If magic is too accessible, it could lead to the proliferation of magical guilds or families who monopolize power and knowledge, making it more difficult for individuals outside of these groups to gain access to magical resources and opportunities. This could reinforce existing social hierarchies and prevent marginalized groups from gaining access to the benefits of magic.
In conclusion, while the idea of universal accessibility to magic may seem attractive on the surface, it could pose significant risks to societal stability, safety, and social mobility. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the potential consequences of such a system before implementing it.
Editors note: For those unfamiliar, ChatGPT is an AI language model that generates responses to any input through an online interface. All text attributed to ChatGPT (Dr. Arthur Telligen) in this series is the unedited output of that AI, all text attributed to View Staff is the unedited input given to ChatGPT. Read more about ChatCPT here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT