Quote Originally Posted by Fyraltari View Post
Taking the religious aspect out?
Quote Originally Posted by Anonymouswizard View Post
I mean, religion and magic aren't considered inherently connected these days.

But yeah, psionics generally seem scientific due to more often running on Sufficiently Analysed Magic (meanwhile pulp style 'mad science' seems magical because it runs on 'no plans, no prototype'). Which is different to it having rules, psionics are just more likely to be presented as researched and codified in-setting than other kinds of magic.
This, essentially. If the Force were treated more like, for example, biotics in Mass Effect, there'd be a lot fewer people seeing it as straight "magic", and star wars'd feel less fantasy-like as a result, I believe: sure, mechanically both are essentially magic, but one's treated as a mystical Force and the other as a fully scientific, quantified, known effect. In the end, it's indeed mainly the semantics of how the "magic" is explained as I doubt many people think of Mass Effect as science fantasy, despite having a fully female race of telekineticists that can live for a millenium with the ability to mind meld with people.

Not that I mean the Force should be treated that way: I enjoy the mystical, religious aspects of it and wouldn't want to see that focus change, though it'd be interesting to see someone explore it scientifically, whether they believe the religious aspects or not. But having it consistently be treated that way is, in my view, the main reason Star Wars is often seen as "science-fantasy".