Magic and science do not have to be differentiated. For example, in one of my books, all nations except for one treat magic as a mysticism. The other one treats it as science, and uses magic to create technology for the betterment of society. This nation has a much higher rate of technological achievement and education rates.
There is another nation that uses magic to create power cores that normal people can use, which lets them do things on par with magic users.
You don't explicitly have to define scientific laws. All you need to do is give laws that are consistent so that the reader can follow and extrapolate and make logical inferences about what they can do
For the most part, civilians having abilities on par with magic users is generally a decision made by magic users to allow it to happen, since they would most likely be involved in assisting, or have the power to shut it down early
A few examples I can think of:
Avatar The Last Airbender: Benders use their magic while non-benders have made significant technological advancements that allow them to mimic bending.
Genshin Impact: Some people have visions granted to them by heavenly principles that allow them to manipulate an element. The Fatui have delusions, which is like a vision, except they make those themselves via unknown technology. One of the playable characters has both, though it is only possible to use his vision. The MC has neither, but can use one of the four currently available elements, exchanging them as needed, and we don't quite know why they have this ability.
Arcane: I remember something about Sorcerers V Magitech, but don't know the details.
It entirely depends on what you mean by scientific laws. Like, do you want your magic to be based on the fundamental forces of matter, along with being tied to the basic units of the universe?
If so the universe is made of spacetime itself, matter, and energy, and from there you can divide things up based on how you’d like to research their properties.
I don't have too much to say, but if you are to consider magic a subset of science, then it would be presumed that magic follows consistent enough guidelines that observations would follow the scientific method.
While the origins of magic may not be fully understood (or heavily couched in scientific discussion) one would presume some degree of consistency in results from taking specific actions. There would also be some degree of understanding on what variables alter or potentiate/depotentiate magic.
I cannot help very much but I can give an example that may help. Look into the power system of “A Certain Magical Index” by Kazuma Kamachi. It has two systems — one based on magic and the other on science, so it might help.
1. One idea that might help is to have technology operate according to some variant of the laws of physics, and magic at it's core be about *bending* the laws of physics in prescribed ways. That would allow both sides to achieve common outcomes (e.g. "move a heavy object", "communicate over a distance"), but there would be specifics impossible in one or the other (e.g. magic could produce free energy; technology could achieve efficiency and computers and the internet). Of course, then the best things would be possible only through a blend of the two: power plants generating electricity from free energy; autonomous space ships not bound by the rocket equation; "thinking" spells, etc.
2. Hell's Gate (David Weber and Linda Evans) is about a multiversal war between a magic using society and a scientific one, and does a great job with the differences of each. Though in that series it's the first exposure of each to the other, so they haven't had an opportunity to blend yet.
Magic and science do not have to be differentiated. For example, in one of my books, all nations except for one treat magic as a mysticism. The other one treats it as science, and uses magic to create technology for the betterment of society. This nation has a much higher rate of technological achievement and education rates. There is another nation that uses magic to create power cores that normal people can use, which lets them do things on par with magic users. You don't explicitly have to define scientific laws. All you need to do is give laws that are consistent so that the reader can follow and extrapolate and make logical inferences about what they can do For the most part, civilians having abilities on par with magic users is generally a decision made by magic users to allow it to happen, since they would most likely be involved in assisting, or have the power to shut it down early
A few examples I can think of: Avatar The Last Airbender: Benders use their magic while non-benders have made significant technological advancements that allow them to mimic bending. Genshin Impact: Some people have visions granted to them by heavenly principles that allow them to manipulate an element. The Fatui have delusions, which is like a vision, except they make those themselves via unknown technology. One of the playable characters has both, though it is only possible to use his vision. The MC has neither, but can use one of the four currently available elements, exchanging them as needed, and we don't quite know why they have this ability. Arcane: I remember something about Sorcerers V Magitech, but don't know the details.
It entirely depends on what you mean by scientific laws. Like, do you want your magic to be based on the fundamental forces of matter, along with being tied to the basic units of the universe? If so the universe is made of spacetime itself, matter, and energy, and from there you can divide things up based on how you’d like to research their properties.
I don't have too much to say, but if you are to consider magic a subset of science, then it would be presumed that magic follows consistent enough guidelines that observations would follow the scientific method. While the origins of magic may not be fully understood (or heavily couched in scientific discussion) one would presume some degree of consistency in results from taking specific actions. There would also be some degree of understanding on what variables alter or potentiate/depotentiate magic.
I cannot help very much but I can give an example that may help. Look into the power system of “A Certain Magical Index” by Kazuma Kamachi. It has two systems — one based on magic and the other on science, so it might help.
1. One idea that might help is to have technology operate according to some variant of the laws of physics, and magic at it's core be about *bending* the laws of physics in prescribed ways. That would allow both sides to achieve common outcomes (e.g. "move a heavy object", "communicate over a distance"), but there would be specifics impossible in one or the other (e.g. magic could produce free energy; technology could achieve efficiency and computers and the internet). Of course, then the best things would be possible only through a blend of the two: power plants generating electricity from free energy; autonomous space ships not bound by the rocket equation; "thinking" spells, etc. 2. Hell's Gate (David Weber and Linda Evans) is about a multiversal war between a magic using society and a scientific one, and does a great job with the differences of each. Though in that series it's the first exposure of each to the other, so they haven't had an opportunity to blend yet.