Message #24743

[ding dong]

Okay, well since according to you "science does change" should we expect astrology to change also, if it's a science? But wasn't your original assertion that "science changes and evolves over the years much more then astrology does." You seem to compare astrology to science in one sentence and then claim that it is itself a science in another. I am just trying to make sense of what you are saying.

Another thing to point out is that science doesn't claim to be able to give capital T Truth. It may not even be possible for humans to know the truth about the universe in any ultimate metaphysical sense. Rather it is just a simple pragmatic approach to confirming theoretical models and making predictions based on those models which...I've said that already.

Finally, you should notice that I haven't said astrology isn't true or doesn't work. I have said that it is not considered to be a science by professional scientists in general. It is a fact that there is no astrology department at your local college or highschool. You can't dismiss that observation by saying that I haven't looked into it enough for myself. There are any number of things that I haven't bothered to "look into the truth of" because they simply aren't compelling enough for me to devote the time to it. For example, I have no interest desire to "look into the truth of" remote viewing. It sounds like psuedo-science but it's not impossible to conceive that it's real. So just try to understand that I'm not saying I know for a fact astrology isn't real or doesn't work I am only saying it is not considered a respectable science at the present time.

And frankly, if it is ever going to be considered one, it's going to need a lot better support than the arguments you have so far provided. Because you really haven't provided much of anything at all. I feel more doubtful about it being a science after reading your comments than I was before we even started.

Now let me just answer your question, "Do you always trust your senses?" I can't for the life of me figure out what this has to do with the conversation about astrology. This kind of doubt, sometimes called Cartesian doubt in philosophical discussion, is not new or something only people who believe in astrology think about. In philosophical discussion it also takes the form of "brain in a vat" thought experiments, and so forth.

I am just trying to show you that this is off-topic right now. For one thing, astrology itself relies on the senses. You have to observe the stars, do the calculations, and so on. Do you do this with no senses? You are using your senses every step of the way. Distinctions between inner and outer themselves rely on a spatial sense which would be impossible without the proper brain function.

You seem to be implying that astrology is a senseless activity. Anyway, let's leave the Cartesian doubt for another thread if you don't mind.

* Your post was updated while I was writing this.