As a quick crash course, magic exists, and because it does, so too does magic that cancels magic. We are the magical race whose magical ability is to instinctively banish magic. Either we lost the rest of our magic with some huge cataclysm, or we chose to seal it (literally) once and for all, or we just didn't have strong secondary magic to begin with. In any case, the world we exist in now is one that will not allow magic to exist because of our fears. Contrarily, if magic doesn't exist, then overcoming our fear of it would have no effect. That brings you up to date on all my research into all models of magic.

There have been tales of shapeshifting throughout human history. From my analysis, it comes in two primary forms: Transfiguration and transformation. The former deals with complex surfaces, vision, spacial sense and advanced detail. The latter deals with intuition and composition, and is a much simpler thing.

As /sci/entists, you're probably not all that afraid of magic in the first place. However, the psychic pressure you no doubt emit if magic is assumed to exist is notable regardless. Even if you aren't filled with dread, these concepts will likely generate a small amount of discomfort to consider, even on a purely conceptual level. I'll post my hypothesis momentarily.

My proposal is that we can use category theory to advance the study and categorization of magic. If fear limits us (and it does) then we can design a system of magic that a maximal amount of people find actionable and safe. Thus far, people seem to be minimally afraid of magic so long as that magic affects only the mind. This allows practitioners to have deeply strange paranormal experiences, but because nobody is forced to believe anything anyone else has experienced, it does not cause waves of fear to ripple across the population. Physical magic has been reported by all practitioners that I've come across as "excessively difficult," for comparison.

>cont. to hypothesis