Letters to the Editor
Xanthro
Published Letters: 522 Editor's Choice: 47
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Predication only counts if it's repeatable and testable.
[Read the article: Pluto's retreat]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]French astrologer Andre Barbault predicted the fall of Eastern bloc Communism under the mundane, cyclic influence of Saturn and Neptune.
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It matters naught that Andre Barbault predicated the fall of the Eastern Block. As the saying goes, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
Predicting the fall of the Eastern Block was easy. I did so, and named the order that each Country would leave, the reasons it would leave, and the approximate date, all more than a year before the breakup began.
My predication had nothing to do with Astrology or Saturn or Neptune, but required an understanding of the politics of the Eastern Block.
FYI, experts had been predicating the fall for years before it fell. Most thought it would happen in the order of poorer to richer nations. That's not what happened, it was based on lack of policital legitimacy.
The problem with Astrology and other pseudo sciences is that they take an outcome and correlation and concluded a causal relationship, when such a thing hasn't been proved.
Skirt lengths have nothing to do with changes in the stock market, though they exhibit a strong correlation.
Astrology has nothing to do with anything even if you show a correlation. You have to show causation.
Here's a simple question. What force from the planets causes the effect that Astrology claims to intepret?
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My claim is that the method itself doesn't lead to profitable results.
[Read the article: Pluto's retreat]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My question is: is your ability to forecast, geopolitically, economically, meteorologically useful to you? Do you make decisions based on those conclusions?
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Yes, but such conclusions are based on facts and reason. It's a thesis grounded in reality.
Astrology is not.
"Economic forecasters and weather people are using cycles to make forecasts."
Such forces are understood to a certain degree, but not enough for absolute certainty, hence not every enconomic or weather forecast is correct.
"Most astrologers do the same. The cycles are not repeating or repeatable in the mode required by scientific method."
The difference is that astrology is akin to arguing that Thor is causing lightening. The Thor thesis predicts lightening, it explains what we see, but it's hogwash in terms of anything truely useful.
"TRUE! These are not scientific methods, yet they yield profitable results. "
Bone readers claim to have profitable results, as do voodoo practicaners.
If I tell someone, "You are going to have a great day" odds are better that person will than will not. It has nothing to do with special powers other than suggestion.
That's what Astrology is, the power of suggestion. It's a fairly general statement that some people subconscious will work to prove true. It's doesn't really produce a profitable result anymore than any other method of suggestion.
If I take two groups of people, take two professional astrologers, and give one astrologer completely fake birth dates and years, the results will be the same for the two groups. That's why astrology fails all double blind tests.
Plus, you fall for the old lunar theory. People aren't really more likely to commit crimes or engage in any otherwise abnormal behavior, outside of those that require more light, than at any other time. What happens is that people REMEMBER actions more because it's a full moon. Nobody gets robbed and says, "Wow, look it's a waxing moon tonight, that's why I got robbed." They see a full moon and it sticks in their mind.
The Moon at least has a gravitational effect on the Earth. If you are claiming gravity causes behavior changes, at least then it's a force that exists. Problem is the doctor delivering a child has more gravitational influence than Saturn or Mercury.
Astrology is like tarot cards, palm reading, numerology or other forms of "entertainment." As long as they are viewed as such, they are basically harmless.
What I object to is people advocating there is actually something useful when there demonstrably isn't. This leads people to believe unsupportable ideas such as man has never landed on the Moon, because it hurts critical thinking and reason.
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Two thoughts
[Read the article: Pluto's retreat]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm really into astrology, and I have no reason to doubt that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Hold those two thoughts in your mind at the same time. MJM
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Naturally, not all people who believe in astrology believe in silly conspiracy theories, and I never claimed otherwise, so there is nothing mutually exclusive in my position.
That said, the logic used in Astrology is the same type of logic used by those who don't believe we landed on the Moon, or that the Holocaust never happened, or that the Government killed JFK.
It doesn't mean that you personally apply astology's invalid logic to other areas, but by supporting such logic you add to the problem of lack of critical thinking and proper logic.
Sometimes endeavors such as superstition or astrology can be fun, but when people leave the realm of entertainment and start advocating that there is something real is when it becomes a problem.
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Facts
[Read the article: Pluto's retreat]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's probably pissing you off that I don't fight facts. Wonder Women
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No, it doesn't because I don't expect any person who believes in Astrology to care about facts, much less fight against them.
Again, what force is involved that causes planets to affect a person's personality?
It's a simple question and if Astrology has any basic truth to it, any real Astrologer would be able to answer it.
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Perhaps you misunderstand the question
[Read the article: Pluto's retreat]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Xantho: Again, what force is involved that causes planets to affect a person's personality?
wonder woman: Semiotics.
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Semiotics is the method by which you study the influence of the planets, since Semiotics is basically the study of signs.
What I'm asking, is what force do planets posses that you are studing? Is it gravity, electromagetism, or some yet underdiscovered force.
If planets interact with a person's personality, then there is some force by which this interaction takes place, and I'd like to know what force this is. Not the name of the discipline used to study the influence of the force.