should astrology be considered a science?

Answer 1

Okay, I've written my exam well. It's now "results" time. Though my effort was well, by my standards, things tend to go horribly wrong when you're not looking at them. So, a day before the "d-day'' of the results, I visit the temple, break coconuts, come home visit the astrology pages on the internet. Let's do the post-mortem of that tiny ''act'' of mine (results come later):

Though, I wrote my paper in a way not much different from what I always do, I pre-judged that I wrote well (mistake#1). Don't presume things when you're not 100% sure.

Then the anxiety of the outcome of my ''act'' couples with insecurity, I run to the temple and visit astrology pages (mistake#2) Never display anxiety for something you're expecting a ''whatever'' result.

There are some people who suffer this insecurity to levels that are deteriorating: I see this Marwadi neighbour having this ''astrologer'' visiting his place personally to tell him how his week would be, and how he should cruise ahead (when he's dump-scared to even crawl ahead). We don't quite believe in astrology still we are what we are. We are growing faster than that neighbour, financially and otherwise.

This ''flaw'' in some people is dutifully exploited by astrologers in their commercial interests. Some aspects of astrology do fascinate me but I choose its penetration into my life. It's okay with the tiny five-line thingy in the newspaper. But paying thousands of rupees for ''knowing'' one's future beats logic. A parrot picking a card to tell my future? Yeah right! And my dad's left doing the inferior job of fixing people's brains.

Once you develop a dependency to the ways and means of astrology, it would then begin to dictate the way you live. I mean would you want someone/something to nag you, commanding you to wear a green dress today against your will, just because your "xyz" planet moved into a "abc" position? You'll end up in an internal conflict and that eats into your original thinking. I've never been dependent on this ham and egger thing but I've been pretty okay with whatever life's given me so far. I've seen my parents grow from a rented two-bedroom apartment to a grand home in the scenic city suburbs, it took them 12 odd years sans any future-reading.
Astrology is that "super-mario shortcut" for people to "blame it on Rio" when things aren't going their way. The course of life cannot be dictated by some "pseudo-science" that runs on birds picking cards or a laughing Buddha placed somewhere in the house bringing luck. I have my cat crossing my way every day, I sometimes share my bed with my cat. That really doesn't "alter" my "luck". "Winners don't wait for someone to determine their luck, they script and craft their own luck." says George Bernard Shaw.

So finally, deeming astrology as 'science' would be as logical as treating black-magic, the voodoo, the acult as 'science'. Science seeks truth through experiment, observation and inference. Astrology contradicts this very basic way science works.

A parrot telling my future? Just wait till I get voilent with a guy caging a bird. I'll bloody break that ''cage'' (both the bird's cage, set it free and the guy's rib-cage comes next.).
Ah. I scored 140/200, and that's top-four in my batch, top-one being poised at 143, top-two and three gifted to ''reserved'' candidates who scored below me. "Mere naseeb mein woh hai ke nahin...." Hee Hee.

Answer 2

Astrology was the science from the bronze age to the enlightenment.

However, you first have to define science. If you define science as observable facts that can be copied by another party. In other words you can carry out an experiment.and someone else can do the same experiment and get the same results. The experiments can also be varied such as introducing controls.

Would that apply to astrology? As far as I'm aware it is a set rote. There is no movement beyond received interpretation. I have my doubts

Presumably you are talking about Babylonian derived astrology, but that is not the only system. Other ancient peoples looked up into the skies and made different pictures from the same stars and presumably therefore have different interpretations.

Astrology is probably more of a philosophy, a way of looking at life, of interpreting events. Probably the only way to experiment would be by computer modeling, but then the results would likely to be preconceived - so what's the point?

That was the long answer. The short answer is, no.

Answer 3

Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge of the relative positions of celestial bodies and related details is held to be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. A practitioner of astrology is called an astrologer, or, less often, an astrologist. Historically, the term mathematicus was used to denote a person proficient in astrology, astronomy, and mathematics.[1]

Although the two fields share a common origin, modern astronomy is entirely distinct from astrology. Astronomy is the scientific study of astronomical objects and phenomena, whereas astrology is concerned with the attempt to correlate these phenomena with earthly affairs.[2][3] Astrology is variously considered by its proponents to be a symbolic language,[4][5] a form of art,[6] science,[6] or divination.[2][7] The scientific community generally considers astrology to be a pseudoscience[8] or superstition[9] as astrologers have failed empirical tests in controlled studies. [10] Despite the lack of scientific evidence, belief in astrology is widespread. [11][12]

The word astrology is derived from the Greek αστρολογία, from άστηρ (aster, "star") and λόγος (logos, "speech, statement, reason"). The -λογία suffix is written in English as -logy, "study" or "discipline".

Answer 4

Maybe a scientific study. I do astrological charts and birth circles, and I have found that the people I do them for more or less fall into the category they should, based on the conditions of their birth. It is a very complicated and in-depth process. Horoscopes, on the other hand are just plain generalizations based on the most superficial level of the zodiac, sometimes not even.

Answer 5

take a stick keep it vertically on the ground and ask the astrologist that whether u are going to throw the stick to the right or left. he cannot answer it . through this experiment u can note that astrology is not science but a fiction and a lie that does not hold any good with life.

Answer 6

It's fanciful drivel. The relative positions of the astronomical constructs, patterns and phenomena are very different from when astrology was first ideated. They do not support this pseudo-science.

Answer 7

Horoscopes and astrology are simply attempts to impose "easy answers" on the complex realities of life.
Compatibility and personality are based on numerous factors such as disposition, values, humor, etc. People who believe in "astrological signs" are attempting to find shortcut answers to the difficult questions of life, and trying to avoid the hard work and difficult decisions that are required to find a "good match."
Instead of contemplating people's "signs," instead judge them individually on their personality and their values. It's not as fun and it's hard work, but it's a more reliable path to the truth.

The true magic of life lies in disciplined empirical observations and knowledge that require hard work to attain.

Astrology is for people who don't want to work hard, and want to acquire "wisdom" without paying a price. It is worthless.

Answer 8

Depends. It's not an exact science, no matter what.

Western astrology is ****ed up so much I can hardly get into it.(mail if interested) Chinese astrology has potential, however.

Answer 9

I think it should or at least be considered as a scientific form of study.