Today’s topic comes from QSFer Hank T. Cannon:
“How do you handle the social effects of “advanced medical magic” in a fantasy or science-fantasy setting? Are there economic gates preventing access to everyone? Has the legal system evolved to deal with verifiable reincarnations and resurrections? Do intrabloodline intrigues expressly involve ways to make sure old rich granddad stays dead do they can finally inherit (Or is inheritance outdated)? Are afterlives actually counted as part of the population and their inhabitants just another demographic of the planet/nation entity?”
Lots to unpack here – but let’s start with the intersection of medicine and magic – or medicine and science so far advanced that it is indistinguishable from magic.
What Hank’s questions boil down to (according to me – and he may disagree) is what happens in a society when medicine reaches the point where people no longer die, or can be resurrected? What would this do to society? And what limits might there be on this kind of medicine – legal or actual?