At first, the idea of garlic affecting magnets seemed ridiculous, but it made the author laugh. They believe that things that make them laugh should be taken seriously. The author then questions their initial dismissal, realizing they actually understand magnets and garlic. Ptolemy and Plutarch's belief that garlic can negate the effects of magnets intrigues the author. They believe it's because both magnets and garlic have properties that are closely related but opposite. Magnets attract while garlic repels, making the idea more interesting.