User blog comment:Paarthurnaux/Alteration?????/@comment-3202167-20120916174736/@comment-3492791-20120919155833

I have 38 Ultimate healing potions (the ones that heal all your health). Does that make Restoration useless?

I have a follower. Does that make conjuration useless?

I have a sword. Does that make destruction useless?

Alchemy, well that get any effect you could get through magic by smashing two mushrooms together.

There are multiple ways to achieve the same thing, to allow for a multitude of playstyles. Just because something can be done in one way doesn't make the alternative useless.