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So here's one thing to consider about Astrology -- it is essentially a natural calendar. And there is the phrase that history repeats itself, or at least it rh

So here's one thing to consider about Astrology -- it is essentially a natural calendar. And there is the phrase that history repeats itself, or at least it rhymes. So putting those two together, I can see how people can look to the stars for answers. Well, that and confirmation bias whenever a coincidence happens.

isostatic 8y ago
I wouldn’t be surprised if there were statistically similar traits based around the time of year you were born / entered school
- zrobotics 8y ago
  For the kind of statistical significance (read: confirmation bias) that astrology relies upon, anything will work. Horoscopes could be written based not on astrological sign, but on the first letter of street name of a person's first address and apply. Search hard enough, and some sort of correlation can almost always be found. Astrology has some value, in the same way alchemy has value: it helped start serious scientific inquiry into astronomy. Sadly, while there are now vanishingly small amounts of people who take alchemy seriously, astrology is a relatively common belief to hold, even among people who are scientifically-minded. It puts me in mind of the first 9/11 truther I knew, who was a close friend who should have known better. However, at the time she was willing to buy into it, simply because it played into her anti-GWBush sentiments. This is after I explained how the statements were false, and backed it up w/ evidence (having queried my father, who was a mining engineer and had done building implosions in his career as a blasting contractor). Unfortunately, "smart people" can just as easily fall prey to these types of delusions, it seems to be a common human trait (like all the logical fallacies). Thinking that one is immune paradoxically makes one more susceptible to these types of errors, rather the best defense is to recognize that no, nobody is immune. Much in the same way as ignoring advertising's effect on decision-making. Edit:typo
  - isostatic 8y ago
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15490760 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15490760 It links to an ifs report > Those early formative years influence attitudes and expectations about success, academically and socially, and that can possibly stay with an individual. Maybe there’s no measurable difference by adulthood, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was.
CydeWeys 8y ago
I don't understand this comparison. The calendar we use is already natural and the most logical one. Days and years are very real physical phenomena. One tracks the highly relevant daytime/nighttime light cycle and the other tracks the highly relevant annual seasons cycle. And then behind these two there's also the Lunar calendar, which can be relevant if you're near the ocean because it's connected to tides, and also the amount of available light at night when the Moon is shining. Compared to days, years, and Lunar months, what does astrology give us, orbits of other planets? Distant constellations? Who cares?! This doesn't affect our daily life in the slightest. Astrology doesn't add anything. The normal calendars we already use are the best and most relevant.
- derekp7 8y ago
  Celestial bodies give multiple calendars covering different periods, and taken in various combinations they give patterns that are at various rhythmic intervals. I wonder if that affects people's beliefs in astrology somewhat, that gives more opportunities for a coincidence to occur?
cobbzilla 8y ago
what about the fact that the constellations have move significantly since the dawn of astrology thousands of years ago? shouldn’t something be updated, or why is/isn’t the “calendar” way off?

isostatic 8y ago

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were statistically similar traits based around the time of year you were born / entered school

zrobotics 8y ago
For the kind of statistical significance (read: confirmation bias) that astrology relies upon, anything will work. Horoscopes could be written based not on astrological sign, but on the first letter of street name of a person's first address and apply. Search hard enough, and some sort of correlation can almost always be found. Astrology has some value, in the same way alchemy has value: it helped start serious scientific inquiry into astronomy. Sadly, while there are now vanishingly small amounts of people who take alchemy seriously, astrology is a relatively common belief to hold, even among people who are scientifically-minded. It puts me in mind of the first 9/11 truther I knew, who was a close friend who should have known better. However, at the time she was willing to buy into it, simply because it played into her anti-GWBush sentiments. This is after I explained how the statements were false, and backed it up w/ evidence (having queried my father, who was a mining engineer and had done building implosions in his career as a blasting contractor). Unfortunately, "smart people" can just as easily fall prey to these types of delusions, it seems to be a common human trait (like all the logical fallacies). Thinking that one is immune paradoxically makes one more susceptible to these types of errors, rather the best defense is to recognize that no, nobody is immune. Much in the same way as ignoring advertising's effect on decision-making. Edit:typo
- isostatic 8y ago
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15490760 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15490760 It links to an ifs report > Those early formative years influence attitudes and expectations about success, academically and socially, and that can possibly stay with an individual. Maybe there’s no measurable difference by adulthood, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was.

CydeWeys 8y ago

I don't understand this comparison. The calendar we use is already natural and the most logical one. Days and years are very real physical phenomena. One tracks the highly relevant daytime/nighttime light cycle and the other tracks the highly relevant annual seasons cycle. And then behind these two there's also the Lunar calendar, which can be relevant if you're near the ocean because it's connected to tides, and also the amount of available light at night when the Moon is shining. Compared to days, years, and Lunar months, what does astrology give us, orbits of other planets? Distant constellations? Who cares?! This doesn't affect our daily life in the slightest. Astrology doesn't add anything. The normal calendars we already use are the best and most relevant.

derekp7 8y ago
Celestial bodies give multiple calendars covering different periods, and taken in various combinations they give patterns that are at various rhythmic intervals. I wonder if that affects people's beliefs in astrology somewhat, that gives more opportunities for a coincidence to occur?

cobbzilla 8y ago

what about the fact that the constellations have move significantly since the dawn of astrology thousands of years ago? shouldn’t something be updated, or why is/isn’t the “calendar” way off?