Tuesday 20 August 2013

Astrology


(Please also see the addendum to this post.)

This post has some relevance to the blog although I am not sure exactly how much. I thought that I had read a disparaging reference to astrology in one of Poul Anderson's works but now cannot find it. But I think it is a safe bet that Anderson would have doubted the efficacy of astrology? Astrology works in Poul and Karen Anderson's King of Ys Tetralogy because that is a historical fantasy.

But in the universe described by science, how can stars that happen to form an accidental pattern as seen from Earth have any significant connection either with each other or with people and events on Earth? Everything is connected, of course, but how can these things have this connection? I do not see how they can but suppose we find that they do?

I know some astrologers. One in particular has told me things that were true and predicted a personal crisis that happened on schedule. She was able to describe the general nature of the crisis but not the details, like predicting that someone will read a romantic novel without being able to specify either title or author. All that I can say here is that I think that astrology, like spiritualism, warrants further research.

Addendum: Writing in haste before, I forgot to add that a tarot card reader produces similar results. I shuffle and pick the cards. I think, but do not utter, a question. Every time, his interpretation of the cards is directly relevant to the question and he has helped me to cope with events as they unfolded. He claims a high degree of accuracy.

8 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

I don't recall astrology "working" in THE KING OF YS. In fact, the Ysan astrologer we see one or two times in that tetralogy expresses skepticism of its efficacy. For many centuries astrology was also mixed up with astronomy because for a long time it was difficult to separate the two.

And, besides reason, my beliefs as a Catholic also gives me reasons and grounds for disbelieving in astrology. St. Augustine, in his CONFESSIONS, gives both an interesting explanation why he did not believe in astrology and examples from personal experience of its lack efficacy.

Tarot, being a form of divination, is absolutely forbidden to believing Catholics. The reasons for this being found in paragraph 2116 of the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
I thought that astrology worked just to the extent that Ysans could see changes in the heavens: the beginning of the Age of Pisces and the fading of the old gods.
Astrologers seem to be able to say things that are true about people and events by consulting horoscopes.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

Of course the Ysans could observe the motions of stars, moon, and planets like Mars and Jupiter. Precisely the same way other astrologers/astronomers did. But stuff like the "Ages" of Pisces, Aquarius, etc., was merely reading into the stars things that are not there.

For a Catholic discussion of why we cannot believe in things like astrology I recommend Fr. Mitch Pacwa's book CATHOLICS AND THE NEW AGE.

Sean

Ankita Malhotra said...

Astrologers accept that Moon impacts the body vibrations similarly as it influences the sea waves during the tides. Indeed, even logical examinations have demonstrated that individuals carry on oddly during the full moon evenings since this is one planetary body that is profoundly associated with the human brain.

Best Astrologer in Delhi


Sean M. Brooks said...

Sir or Ma'am,

But I deny that such slight "influences," even if real, determines or shapes our fates.

Sincerely, Sean M. Brooks

Jim Baerg said...

For any alleged method of prediction, I would want a record of *all* the predictions so we don't run into the 'counting the hits & forgetting the misses' problem.

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Confirmation bias.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Jim and Paul!

I agree!

Ad astra! Sean