Astronomy vs Astrology
Thursday July 31, 2003
Are you trying to find out more about the difference between astronomy and astrology? Astrology and astronomy grew up together throughout a large portion of human history. The two cannot in fact be distinguished until only the past few hundred years, and because so many people mistakenly think that astrology is some kind of science, it often happens that the two are even today still confused with one another.
Astrology is not a science. Astrology is not based upon collected data and carefully controlled, objective observations. Astrology is not based up falsifiable predictions which are tested and re-tested by independent observers and researchers. Astrology has not discovered any celestial objects - indeed, it is not clear that astrology has discovered or revealed anything at all about our universe.
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Comments
if it’s not real then y do they say it?
To comment #1, probably due to the sake of curiousity. Astrology is a system of beliefs just like a religion is, so to say “if it’s not real then y do they say it?” or study it for that matter would be the same reason why to question religion. And that is a no win situation because as soon as the word faith is mentioned all hope for the use of our brain and even applying logic is thrown out the window.
“Astrology is not based upon collected data and carefully controlled, objective observations”
To say it is not based off of collected data is really arrogant. The first systematic documentation of the stars, our planetary system and their movement were from early astrologers. By observation for hundreds years civilizations such as the Mayans were able to predict eclipses that enabled them to to successfully practice their rituals very accurately according to their calendar that they had built around their study of the stars and it’s relation to their heritage and way of life.
It’s true, though, because the basic principle of astrology is that planets and stars influence our lives, but no data has been collected to demonstrate that belief.
From personal experience alone I KNOW that there is truth in astrology.
This may sound far-fetched, but I swear it’s true. Over the past 5 years, every single girl (5 total) I’ve dated in college has been born within a week of each other. All early October birthdays from 1985. And some of these have been very significant relationships in my life, yet I have never sought to date anyone born in early October and before I started to put the pieces together I never thought twice about astrology.
However, by the last couple girls it was obvious to me and I’d ask them, “Let me guess, you were born in early October?” and I was right on. They all acted similarly, looked similar, and had been through similar trials and hardships in life.
Oh, and my best guy friend over the last 10 years of my life was born Oct 11, not quite early Oct but still 1985. Obviously something about people born around that time meshes well with me and we are sort of drawn toward each other.
Maybe there’s no ‘collected data’ here, but you could never convince me now that there’s no truth in astrology. That doesn’t mean I live my life according to my daily horoscope or something stupid like that, but I am absolutely positive that there is a correlation between who a person is and when they were born.
The plural of anecdote is anecdotes, not data.
Have you considered the possibility that was because because you meet people who are mostly the same age? When you get out of school you will prolly meet girls born in different months.
Also, correlation != causation.
If these girls are all your ex girlfriends maybe you should look into dating someone born in a different month.
Luke, that’s just the problem. “From personal experience alone.” That’s all you have. No objective research or double-blind experiments or peer-reviewed published research. Just a set of events that you’ve hand-picked from thousands or millions and declared “significant” based on arbitrary criteria. The only thing your arument proves is that you have a poor filter for selection bias.
Well Luke, if you asked 1000 other people if they experienced the same birth dates on 5 girl friends, they would have different experiences. This is called statistical probability. There is nothing magical about it. If astrology were real, then everyone else would have the same sort of thing happen in their girl friends.
Oh, and let me guess. You’re religious?
Astronomy has showed us a lot of things. Astronomers look beyond earth to search for scientific discoveries. Astrologers really don’t look past the stars. They tell you about what would happen and what to be careful of things, the alinement’s of the planets depend on that. Thanks for your view points though!!