Astrology
Ok, finally, I have it, the official statement of the scientific community and the United States government with regard to astrology. This is from the National Science Foundation which is an official US government agency and specifically from the National Science Board's Science and Engineering Indicators 2006, chapter 7 Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding, Belief in Pseudoscience
"A recent study of 20 years of survey data collected by NSF concluded that "many Americans accept pseudoscientific beliefs," such as astrology, lucky numbers, the existence of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), extrasensory perception (ESP), and magnetic therapy (Losh et al. 2003). Such beliefs indicate a lack of understanding of how science works and how evidence is investigated and subsequently determined to be either valid or not. Scientists, educators, and others are concerned that people have not acquired the critical thinking skills they need to distinguish fact from fiction. The science community and those whose job it is to communicate information about science to the public have been particularly concerned about the public's susceptibility to unproven claims that could adversely affect their health, safety, and pocketbooks."
Note that this report does not limit itself to stating that astrology is outside the purview of science, but denigrates it as a "pseudoscience" and that belief in astrology indicates that one has "not acquired the critical thinking skills they need to distinguish fact from fiction."
What is also telling about the report is that it repeatedly equates the term "scientific" with being valid and unscientific with being false. Interesting that it stops with astrology, ESP and UFOs and isn't honest enough to label transubstantiation, angels and God as unscientific also. Well, that would violate the science/religion truce in which science gets to define reality, using atheistic/materialist philosophy, but the religious get to keep on believing irrationally in that which clearly does not exist as matter or energy.
- History Of Astrology
History of Astrology Astronomy and Astrology through the ages. This Science is the oldest science known to mankind, and still the most mysterious science to us! Scholars have different opinions on 'When' Astrology...
- Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno is a key figure in Renaissance philosophy and magic. A good start is my Bruno page. Bruno is a tragic figure really, Bruno was even more contentious than me and managed to get himself in arguments and difficulties wherever he went. He...
- Wrong Zodiac Meme
It's a tribute to the amplifying power of the Internet that the "Wrong Zodiac Meme" ie, constellations have moved, there are 13 signs, etc., has now gone viral. I've had multiple posters try to put up links on it, I even got called by a TV reporter...
- A Modern False Dilemma
I had someone ask me about the "best" sigils to use for astrological talismans recently. This gives me another chance to riff on one of my themes which is the false opposition between "there's only ONE right answer!" and "every answer is right if...
- Astrology
Astrology is a science, which guides us about future, and we can change several things with help of astrology. It is a science of stars and it the old mythology of Hinduism culture. The nine stars and their placements indicate the events in our life....
Astrology
Official Governmental and Scientific Attitude to Astrology
Ok, finally, I have it, the official statement of the scientific community and the United States government with regard to astrology. This is from the National Science Foundation which is an official US government agency and specifically from the National Science Board's Science and Engineering Indicators 2006, chapter 7 Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding, Belief in Pseudoscience
"A recent study of 20 years of survey data collected by NSF concluded that "many Americans accept pseudoscientific beliefs," such as astrology, lucky numbers, the existence of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), extrasensory perception (ESP), and magnetic therapy (Losh et al. 2003). Such beliefs indicate a lack of understanding of how science works and how evidence is investigated and subsequently determined to be either valid or not. Scientists, educators, and others are concerned that people have not acquired the critical thinking skills they need to distinguish fact from fiction. The science community and those whose job it is to communicate information about science to the public have been particularly concerned about the public's susceptibility to unproven claims that could adversely affect their health, safety, and pocketbooks."
Note that this report does not limit itself to stating that astrology is outside the purview of science, but denigrates it as a "pseudoscience" and that belief in astrology indicates that one has "not acquired the critical thinking skills they need to distinguish fact from fiction."
What is also telling about the report is that it repeatedly equates the term "scientific" with being valid and unscientific with being false. Interesting that it stops with astrology, ESP and UFOs and isn't honest enough to label transubstantiation, angels and God as unscientific also. Well, that would violate the science/religion truce in which science gets to define reality, using atheistic/materialist philosophy, but the religious get to keep on believing irrationally in that which clearly does not exist as matter or energy.
- History Of Astrology
History of Astrology Astronomy and Astrology through the ages. This Science is the oldest science known to mankind, and still the most mysterious science to us! Scholars have different opinions on 'When' Astrology...
- Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno is a key figure in Renaissance philosophy and magic. A good start is my Bruno page. Bruno is a tragic figure really, Bruno was even more contentious than me and managed to get himself in arguments and difficulties wherever he went. He...
- Wrong Zodiac Meme
It's a tribute to the amplifying power of the Internet that the "Wrong Zodiac Meme" ie, constellations have moved, there are 13 signs, etc., has now gone viral. I've had multiple posters try to put up links on it, I even got called by a TV reporter...
- A Modern False Dilemma
I had someone ask me about the "best" sigils to use for astrological talismans recently. This gives me another chance to riff on one of my themes which is the false opposition between "there's only ONE right answer!" and "every answer is right if...
- Astrology
Astrology is a science, which guides us about future, and we can change several things with help of astrology. It is a science of stars and it the old mythology of Hinduism culture. The nine stars and their placements indicate the events in our life....