Understanding magic

I'm studying up on blog copyrights, in order to maintain at least some claim to whatever original ideas I may post publicly. In the case of something I really want to hold on to, I will become a little more...generalized in my descriptions. This is one such case.

I have worked on an idea for a novel that concerns "the science of magic." The real question is whether magic can be subjected to the same academic scrutiny as science, and thus reveal particular immutable laws about itself that would allow someone to master its use. What's interesting is that this ongoing brainstorm has resulted in an unanticipated, additional storyline.

I think it is generally accepted by fans of fantasy and science fiction that magic is somewhat like "the Force." It cannot be entirely understood and there is a certain amount of faith involved. Thus, the above mentioned storyline has added to its development a faith-based component, so I now have three components to the story: science, magic, and religion. It's beginning to get interesting...

-Mark