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I deeply dislike the argument that logic and reason should be the only part of how a person relates to the world. That we should all be logical and be free of s

by TSiege 3y ago

I deeply dislike the argument that logic and reason should be the only part of how a person relates to the world. That we should all be logical and be free of spiritual beliefs. I don't think being an astrologist and an astronomer are antithetical. I don't know many people who are into astrology as means of predicting the future, but rather as a means of describing types of people and how they might interact and their place in the world. It gives them a shared vocabulary of ideas and concepts that help them make sense of our human world. Astrology is asking very different questions than an equation about astral bodies could answer. Science and reason is indisputably important for understanding the natural world and making decisions from them, but it won't tell my friends why their relationship may be not working I don't believe in astrology, and I'm not much of an astrologist. But just let people have their beliefs and do what they enjoy without implying they're irrational reactionaries who can't see the "truth." If anything it's narratives that hold people back, not facts

heisenzombie 3y ago
I agree. As a physicist, I am very comfortable with the idea that all models of reality are wrong^1, but some models are useful for some things. For example: If you want to get a rocket into space, Newton’s laws are useful (despite being “wrong” in a very real way). But Newton’s laws are not useful if you’re designing GPS (you need relativity for that) and likewise they’re not useful if you are deciding whether to ask Susie on a date. My observation is that many traditional belief systems do encode useful beliefs and behaviours. Practicing yoga is healthful, despite Qi being “wrong”. I do hope your surgeon isn’t using the Qi model to do open heart surgery of course — though many of the surgeon’s beliefs about the human body are “wrong”, he’ll get better outcomes with them than with Qi. I therefore, like you, see no contradiction between learning astrology and using it to bond and communicate with friends about social situations, and going off to work in the morning as a particle physicist or something. As far as I’m concerned, the /real/ problem is this creeping “scientism” which asserts that the only acceptable knowledge is that which comes dressed in the robes and language of Science. Scientism is corrosive to the pursuit of actual science, and to society’s relationship with science. I am therefore much more concerned with someone saying “Scienty science words and therefore politics” or even ”scienty science words and therefore Everything You Know About Relationships Is Wrong“ — than I am about people practicing traditional astrology. ^1 “Wrong” being a loosely defined word for a slippery concept here. Perhaps replace with “not big-T True”
TSiege 3y ago
meant to say "I'm not much of an astronomer*." (too late to edit)

by TSiege 3y ago

heisenzombie 3y ago

I agree. As a physicist, I am very comfortable with the idea that all models of reality are wrong^1, but some models are useful for some things. For example: If you want to get a rocket into space, Newton’s laws are useful (despite being “wrong” in a very real way). But Newton’s laws are not useful if you’re designing GPS (you need relativity for that) and likewise they’re not useful if you are deciding whether to ask Susie on a date. My observation is that many traditional belief systems do encode useful beliefs and behaviours. Practicing yoga is healthful, despite Qi being “wrong”. I do hope your surgeon isn’t using the Qi model to do open heart surgery of course — though many of the surgeon’s beliefs about the human body are “wrong”, he’ll get better outcomes with them than with Qi. I therefore, like you, see no contradiction between learning astrology and using it to bond and communicate with friends about social situations, and going off to work in the morning as a particle physicist or something. As far as I’m concerned, the /real/ problem is this creeping “scientism” which asserts that the only acceptable knowledge is that which comes dressed in the robes and language of Science. Scientism is corrosive to the pursuit of actual science, and to society’s relationship with science. I am therefore much more concerned with someone saying “Scienty science words and therefore politics” or even ”scienty science words and therefore Everything You Know About Relationships Is Wrong“ — than I am about people practicing traditional astrology. ^1 “Wrong” being a loosely defined word for a slippery concept here. Perhaps replace with “not big-T True”

TSiege 3y ago

meant to say "I'm not much of an astronomer*." (too late to edit)