Astrology - Entertainment or Hoax (1965, news, rock, Queen)

[Prince of Lombards]

It's not a matter of accuracy -- it's a matter of facts. It is a fact that when a stormfront is moving into an area, there's an increased chance of rain, since it's an established fact that rain comes from certain clouds. On the other hand, there is no basis to establish as fact that, for example, somebody born with the sun in Libra is more balanced or whatever than somebody who is not. I have never seen a scientific study to corroborate such assertions. Also, the outer gas giants were never included in past astrology since they were invisible until Lippershey invented the refracting telescope. Furthermore, the IAU has established that Pluto is no longer a planet, so then what? Or, even if we call Pluto a planet, what of other bodies in the Kuiper belt such as Eres and their potential effect on what Libras or whomever are doing today? Does astrology get more accurate or less every time we find a new celestial body? And what about binary stars -- since they rotate about their barrycenter how do changes in their positions affect what astrologers read from the stars?

[CosmicWizard]

Rrince Of Lombards wrote:

It's not a matter of accuracy -- it's a matter of facts.

Obviously our minds work differently. Whereas you value facts, I place more emphasis on accurracy no matter the method applied.


Prince also wrote::

I have never seen a scientific study to corroborate such assertions.

You probably never will! What works, works even if science lacks the methodology to understand how or why it works. Astrology has been practiced far longer than science. Science seems to forget that it is the new kid on the block compared to many of the older methodologies it attemps ( but often fails ) to understand.

[ontheroad]

Actually several scientists, with proper bonafides, have studied the relevance or irrelevance of astrology. Interesting results!

You might want to check out some of their studies.

Originally Posted by Prince of Lombards

I don't have any personal experience with jumping off cliffs, but I know not to do it. I also know that when you capriciously draw lines to connect stars, then declare that since you can create a vague shape by doing so, whoever is born when the sun is close to that shape takes on the attributes of the shape (a "Libra" is balanced, etc.), you aren't doing anything based on factual data, which in turn yields no useful results.

[Prince of Lombards]

Originally Posted by NewAgeRedneck

Obviously our minds work differently. Whereas you value facts, I place more emphasis on accurracy no matter the method applied.

You twisted what I stated into a strawman. When we understand why something is correct, we then make more accurate predictions understanding what is factually correct (extrapolation).

You probably never will! What works, works even if science lacks the methodology to understand how or why it works. Astrology has been practiced far longer than science. Science seems to forget that it is the new kid on the block compared to many of the older methodologies it attemps ( but often fails ) to understand.

But how do you know it works? When something is correct when doing whatever it is astrologers do with their charts and such, how can you differentiate between what is correct because of astrology and what is just luck or general enough for people to form-fit their data to the hypothesis?

[Prince of Lombards]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Actually several scientists, with proper bonafides, have studied the relevance or irrelevance of astrology. Interesting results!

You might want to check out some of their studies.

Well then, when will these people claim the million dollar prize from JREF?

[ontheroad]

Actually these scientists are members of a rather prestigious French institute and might not qualify for the randi.org.

Originally Posted by Prince of Lombards

Well then, when will these people claim the million dollar prize from JREF?

[Prince of Lombards]

Well perhaps they can answer some of the questions I submitted in my previous posts, regarding the Earth's precession and all that.

[CosmicWizard]

Prince

I think astrology works in a way that simply doesn't appeal to your mind. Seems like it is not your cup of tea so to speak.

[Prince of Lombards]

Originally Posted by NewAgeRedneck

Prince

I think astrology works in a way that simply doesn't appeal to your mind. Seems like it is not your cup of tea so to speak.

No, I think astrology doesn't work, which is why people conduct studies such as these:


YouTube - James Randi on Astrology

Here's another good one:


YouTube - James Randi and an Astrologer

[christina0001]

Even science is just a study of theories...very little is actually proven.