Chapter 500: The Necessity of Boundaries

"Some people have been questioning the computer technology problem for a long time, and this is indeed unclear, but now thinking about it, perhaps it is the 'Divination' technology of the Wizarding World." One of the scientists said very casually. "If you can predict the orbital control parameters in advance, then the requirement for calculation volume can be greatly reduced."

"Gentlemen." The Prime Minister sat down opposite them with the people from the Wizarding World, and joined the topic with high interest. "What are you discussing, Apollo moon landing?"

"Just some idle chat." Sir Travers said with a smile. "Some people have questioned the authenticity of the moon landing plan for a long time, and some of the doubts are indeed difficult to find perfect scientific explanations. However, compared to that ridiculous rumor of being filmed in a studio, we feel that a more likely situation is that they borrowed a little bit of magic's help."

Harry recalled the background of this topic. They were discussing the manned moon landing feat implemented around 1969. At that time, Voldemort was lurking in Borgin and Burkes, Dumbledore was at his peak, the Wizarding World was singing and dancing, and the Magical Congress took this opportunity to secretly do some small actions and help Muggle scientists, which seemed to be very easy to understand.

"It's just that, at that time, Death was still there, and fate had not been broken." Harry raised his doubts from the perspective of the Wizarding World. "They broke the Statute of Secrecy like this, will nothing really happen?"

"So they did it very covertly." The Prime Minister said nonchalantly. "We just talked about computer technology, this is one thing, are there any other evidences?"

"It can't be counted as evidence, just some guesses." Sir Travers continued. "Some people mentioned the loophole in the Van Allen radiation belt, perhaps they used some kind of protective magic; others mentioned the moon landing module control problem, perhaps that was the Levitation Charm—in short, we all believe that if Armstrong had a wizard colleague, then the entire plan would have become much more reliable."

Harry frowned and did not echo this relaxed topic like others, because there had always been a figure in his mind that he couldn't get rid of. He didn't believe Death would turn a blind eye to such excessive things.

"I mean, if we only start from a scientific perspective." Harry weighed his words. "Is the moon landing really impossible?"

"It's not that it's impossible, it's just that the cost is high, and it relies heavily on luck." Sir Travers shrugged. "We have always believed in the authenticity of the moon landing plan, it's just that we recently learned about the existence of the Wizarding World, so we just happen to fantasize about it."

"Ah, yes, if we use magical assistance!" The Prime Minister said excitedly. "This means that we can also, of course we can!"

"We also establish a moon landing plan, how about that? We can call it the 'Artemis' plan, not involving the ESA, our own moon landing plan!"

At least he didn't plan to call it the 'Hake Plan'. Harry wanted to laugh a bit, he tried to look elsewhere, while Snape looked a bit moved. Perhaps this name evoked some of his memories.

"Then what should we do? Just recite a few spells, right? We don't need the Ministry of Magic..." Arthur looked at the scientists with some worry, one of his hands covering his pocket under the table. "To provide other help?"

"Right, we think the most needed magical assistance is just those few technical difficulties." Sir Travers nodded to Arthur. "Use Arithmancy to assist orbital calculation, formulate orbital control strategies in advance; use Levitation and Movement Charms to assist the moon landing module in landing; use Bubble-Head Charms or Transfiguration to assist in making spacesuits. Hmm, perhaps magic plays more of an icing on the cake, or a bottom-line role."

"However," he changed the subject and faced the Prime Minister. "If we must exclude the ESA, our rocket technology itself is not complete. Even with magic, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to enter the lunar orbit smoothly."

When the Prime Minister began to worry, Harry suddenly felt a feeling of waking up from a dream: magic is not omnipotent, and Muggle technology should not be underestimated. It can even be said that the prosperity of the human species, a large part of the credit still has to be attributed to the development of technology.

"Gentlemen." He cleared his throat and started another topic. "In the period of contacting magic, do you feel that magic is helpful to the development of technology?"

"Of course," Sir Travers's expression was a bit excited. "We must say that magic is an existence that breaks scientific dogmas, which forces the scientific community to seek a more open cognitive framework, and to build another, holistic or non-causal theoretical framework."

"Even if the principles of magic still cannot be explained by any scientific theory, do you also think this is beneficial?" Someone in the team suddenly asked.

"Hmm... yes." After a brief silence, Dr. Travers still nodded firmly. "This shows that our current basic theory still has a lot of room for development. Perhaps we will eventually understand magic one day; but even if magic is some kind of thing that can never be explained by science, at least it can also prove the cognitive upper limit of humanity for us. This is the significance for our basic physics."

"And for engineering, I believe the existence of magic is more beneficial than harmful." When Travers said this sentence, the two engineers in the team nodded deeply.

"When you say this, in fact, you also feel that magic has an adverse effect on the development of science, right?" Arthur suddenly asked.

"Uh, of course I'm not the most professional, this matter is best discussed by someone in the philosophy of science major." Sir Travers said very cautiously. "But just from my personal perspective, the adverse effect of magic is actually not that big. Of course, if we talk in general terms,

"It is a pity that the second-rate and third-rate scientists you speak of make up the vast majority of this group, am I right?" Snape suddenly said.

Sir Travers fell silent; he was unwilling to face this reality, and he had not figured out how to answer.

"According to that," the Prime Minister frowned, "the existence of magic is not a good thing for the scientific community?"

"Take you as an example," Snape said softly. "When you were planning the Artemis program, you must have been thinking about how to use magic to advance the realization of the plan as much as possible, right? But in fact, discovering problems and solving them is exactly the driving force behind technological progress. If we are always constantly using magic to help Muggles solve problems, or even avoid them, then can Muggle technology still achieve healthy development?"

"During this time, I have been in and out of various places in the Muggle World with you, and I have gained no less new understanding than Sir Travers, and my conclusion is that the existence of the Statute of Secrecy is actually very necessary." Snape said slowly but clearly, "Obviously, the conveniences brought by the technology we enjoy today were only able to be developed under the premise that Muggles did not know where magic was. Many of these technologies have allowed the Wizarding World to enjoy conveniences that wizards had never imagined, but if viewed from the perspective of spell development—you know I have done quite a bit of research on the development of spells—I think this is actually not a good thing."

"Wizards research and develop a new spell to solve a problem or to make life more convenient, and this spell happens to achieve some other functions or bring about other problems, so wizards have to continue to develop spells to solve the new problems—this is the process of the constant development of spellcraft, and I believe that Muggle technology perhaps progresses in the same way. However, if we pin everything on the other side, just like Arthur exclaiming 'amazing Muggle technology,' or the Prime Minister saying 'we use a little magic to assist,' when we encounter problems, we no longer explore our own methods but instead seek help from the ready-made achievements of another world, then until one day we encounter a problem that the ability to combine magic and technology cannot solve, perhaps that day we will sadly realize that we have already lost the ability to invent new spells or invent new technology."

After saying a long string of words in one breath, Snape picked up his water glass, while the others present seemed to have fallen into thought.

"I have to say, Severus, you are a true educator." Arthur praised.

Or perhaps, his subtext was that in the peaceful years that could be foreseen ahead, Snape had begun to gradually shed his way of thinking as an undercover agent or combatant and was truly trying to be a great headmaster.

"You are right." The Prime Minister also expressed his approval, "We should treat the exchanges between the two worlds more cautiously, and as for the Artemis program, perhaps it is better to shelve it for the time being."

"But the Floating City and the Kalia Academy, I think, are a very good, dynamically balanced concept of integration." Travers suddenly said, "The former can allow those top scholars who touch the boundaries of science to try to contact wizards to find new directions; the latter can allow those wizards who are smart enough to cautiously explore areas that can be integrated. Perhaps, with the development of the times, the boundaries between magic and technology will constantly change and be reshaped."

"As for now, I think it is still necessary for us to reiterate the confidentiality matters to avoid that kind of uncontrollable fusion from appearing."

"Of course, signing a supplementary ordinance to the Statute of Secrecy or something like that." The Prime Minister agreed to the consensus of the two academic circles, but immediately after, he suddenly sat up straight, "Eh? I seem to have just thought of a good way to deal with the Helicarrier, and even to deal with the Iron Curtain."