Can astrology have a scientific basis?

[Buffy]

Everything in your last post though is arguably *Astronomy*. Saying "Astronomy has a scientific basis" is kind of a non-sequiter. To that extent people say (and I don't get the sense that you are) "Astrology is valid because it describes the movement of the stars in the sky" is getting a bit disingenuous though.

 

This all points to the fact mentioned earlier that a lot of early work in Astrology provided data for Astronomy, and while one might argue that Astronomy "stole" it from "Astrology" we in general don't call that "stolen part" that is accepted Astronomy, "Astrology." So in the interests of not getting into logical loops (unless you want to argue with this point specifically), I'd say it is best to try to answer the question of the thread by refering to elements of Astrology only where they have not been so subsumed.

 

Galactically rotating,

Buffy

[Bec]

Astrology is based on the assumption that the position of stars and planets (and their relative position to various arbitrary objects such as star signs) has an impact on people's life.

 

Astrology has yet to show *how* this effect can be shown to exist, and how we can measure it.

 

It cannot be gravity, since we are outside of the gravity field of other stars than our own, and the planets in our solar system have virtually no effect on the Earth.

 

Astrology is not even pseudoscience. It is superstition.

I agree.

 

I don't believe there's any proof of it working, and I don't believe there ever will be. Positions of planets can't determine the life of millions of people born at the same time; it's scam to take money from the naive.

[Michaelangelica]

I agree.

 

I don't believe there's any proof of it working, and I don't believe there ever will be. Positions of planets can't determine the life of millions of people born at the same time; it's scam to take money from the naive.

When I ran a nursery we used to sell astrogical signs-plaques for the garden

The only one we could never sell was Taurus (practical , no-nonsense etc).

 

Some psychologist claimed a correlation with personality types but even if proved this could be a result of up-bringing "O he's a typical liittle Virgo. . .

 

I have seen personality birth charts from professional, very serious astrologers that are uncannily, scarily accurate.

 

Flacco is a weird, off beat, strange Australian Comic

You might enjoy his take on Astrology

Science Show - 5 May 2007  - Flacco - Astrology

[Tormod]

O he's a typical liittle Virgo. . .

 

If a shrink said that about my daughters I'd give him some hard scientific attention right on his nose. :hihi:

[Michaelangelica]

If a shrink said that about my daughters I'd give him some hard scientific attention right on his nose. :hihi:

No, sorry, not a shrink; just amateur astrologists and maiden aunts. "He is a typical little virgo because he is so. . eg neat and punctilious " (No one ever guesses, the chaotic, untidy me, as a Virgo)

 

As for psychologists I would never let my kids be IQ tested at school. Firstly because pen and paper tests are so unreliable. Secondly teachers are not trained in interpreting the results. So you often get kids labeled as "dumb" or "smart" which can become a self-fulfilling prophesy (as too with star signs)

 

The only valid use of IQ testing in my view is to look for potential areas of the brain that may not be working as well as they should. Then you need a full scale one-on-one "Wechsler style" test.

A brain scan may give you quicker results.

 

Did you read or listen to Flacco? I am wondering if his humor translates into other cultures.

[tanahoy]

Astrology has not demonstrated its effectiveness in controlled studies and has no scientific validity, and is thus regarded as pseudoscience. 

Edited March 4, 2020 by OceanBreeze
removed spam link

[dandyswep]

Astrology has not demonstrated its effectiveness in controlled studies and has no scientific validity, and is thus regarded as pseudoscience. 

I'm sorry, but I won't agree with you on this point. The science of astrology is an absolutely accurate science. When I had a chickenpox back in a day, about 15 years ago, I decide to know more about it so till now I am living by Chinese horoscope. It helped to deconstruct my relationship with my girlfriend ( we are taurus and scorpio ). So, If i were you, I'd try to get familiarize with it one more time 

[jack99]

I'm sorry, but I won't agree with you on this point. The science of astrology is an absolutely accurate science. When I had a chickenpox back in a day, about 15 years ago, I decide to know more about it so till now I am living by Chinese horoscope. It helped to deconstruct my relationship with my girlfriend ( we are taurus and scorpio ). So, If i were you, I'd try to get familiarize with it one more time

 

Sorry, but that's not an example of accurate science. That's an example of why the 'science' of astrology isn't taken seriously.

[Josmellon]