Guest guest Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 The follwing article appeared in Nature. Perhaps astrologers would like to comment on it. Radha S. Nature 447, 528 (31 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447528a; Published online 30 May 2007 Treating astrology's claims with all due gravity Steven K. Lower1 1. The Ohio State University, 275 Mendenhall Laboratory, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Sir Isaac Newton postulated that there is a force of attraction between any two bodies in the Universe. Your News story 'Gravity passes a little test' (Nature 446, 31†" 32; 2007) points out that " Isaac Newton's inverse-square law of gravity has given faultless service ever since " . I have found a curious way to use Newton's law to draw attention to the difference between science and anti-science for a general audience. I teach an introductory science class at my university, which typically enrols many non-science majors. During a lecture on the gravitational force, I imply that if planets such as Mars exert a force on any object, including humans, then perhaps there is something to astrology's idea that celestial bodies exert a force of influence on our lives. I encourage my students to undertake a test I have designed for this notion. I present the students with 12 randomly numbered horoscopes from the previous day, with the corresponding signs of the zodiac removed. I ask each student to record the horoscope that best describes the day she or he had, and the astrological sign (for example, Aries) corresponding to her/his birthday. My scientific hypothesis is that planets may exert a force on our bodies, but it is purely random †" 1 out of 12 (8.3%) †" whether a horoscope foretells the events of one's life. I am pleased to report that, as Shawn Carlson has noted, " astrology failed to perform at a level better than chance " (Nature 318, 419†" 425; 1985). The results from my classes are: 8.0% (n = 163 students), 8.4% (n = 155), 7.0% (n = 143), 8.0% (n = 138) and 8.0% (n = 100). In other words, as John Maddox has commented " astrology is a pack of lies ... There is no evidence that the positions of the planets can affect human behaviour " (Nature 368, 185; 1994). I encourage science teachers to try this approach when they are presented with an opportunity, as this exercise inspires genuine scientific inquiry. For example, students have countered that a certain astrologer may not be qualified to read the stars. I have addressed this question by using horoscopes from different newspapers (Chicago Tribune, Columbus Dispatch, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post) and online sources (Astrology.com, DailyHoroscopes.com). Other students have noted that small groups, with only two students of a particular sign, may obtain a result that is significantly greater than 8.3%. This presents an opportunity to discuss the value of an adequate sample size. Finally, it is worth reporting that my students are so engaged by this exercise that they actually want to use Newton's law of universal gravitation to calculate force values. In case you are curious, Mars, at its present distance of 264 million kilometres from Earth, is exerting a force of approximately 50 nanonewtons on your being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Oh Dear Another scared, irrational and intellectually flawed man trying to preserve his highly paid position whilst abusing Isaac's law of gravity! Unscientific Approach 1. Irrational premise: I am a scientist because I understand Newton's laws of gravity therefore I am an expert and you should believe everything I say.Because I think I understand Newton's law of gravity, and I am an expert, and I know everything, and I am in charge, and I want to impress my peer group and students, I am going to show them I am also anti astrology and then they will know I am the best scientist. 2. Erroneous assumption: the daily horoscope is a good example of astrology Illogical reasoning: because I know that the daily horoscope is a good example of astrology, I can use it in a pseudo scientific experiment to prove astrology doesn't work....................................................... 3. Invalid conclusion: astrology doesn't work Correct inference: this person knows nothing of astrology, very little about Isaac Newton who was interested in astrology, and sets up ridiculous non scientific experiments................................. Scientific Approach: 1. Systematically examine all the available evidence in favour of astrology: I could provide him with some if he likes and can even show him the reproducibility of the fields of analysis .... perhaps he doesn't know what 'evidence' is? 2. Show how and why it is invalid. Facts about science: Many elements of discovery were rejected by scientists in their early days, for example many thought electricity was the work of the devil, and Wegener proposed theories of the continental drift for which no known mechanism was available to test his correct observations, so he was ridiculed. Rather than asserting only his authority this man should have presented evidence. Einstein was ridiculed by a fanatical group of racists who tried to persuade 100 professors to condemn his theories to which Einstein commented: ''Were I wrong, one professor would have been quite enough.'' As Feyerabend points out when 186 scientists ridiculed the Gaucalin study:' it is easy to see how closely both parties approach each other in ignorance, conceit and the wish for easy power over minds......' - aphoton47 Tuesday, June 05, 2007 1:07 AM An article about astrology The follwing article appeared in Nature. Perhaps astrologers would like to comment on it. Radha S. Nature 447, 528 (31 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447528a; Published online 30 May 2007 Treating astrology's claims with all due gravity Steven K. Lower1 1. The Ohio State University, 275 Mendenhall Laboratory, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Sir Isaac Newton postulated that there is a force of attraction between any two bodies in the Universe. Your News story 'Gravity passes a little test' (Nature 446, 31†" 32; 2007) points out that " Isaac Newton's inverse-square law of gravity has given faultless service ever since " . I have found a curious way to use Newton's law to draw attention to the difference between science and anti-science for a general audience. I teach an introductory science class at my university, which typically enrols many non-science majors. During a lecture on the gravitational force, I imply that if planets such as Mars exert a force on any object, including humans, then perhaps there is something to astrology's idea that celestial bodies exert a force of influence on our lives. I encourage my students to undertake a test I have designed for this notion. I present the students with 12 randomly numbered horoscopes from the previous day, with the corresponding signs of the zodiac removed. I ask each student to record the horoscope that best describes the day she or he had, and the astrological sign (for example, Aries) corresponding to her/his birthday. My scientific hypothesis is that planets may exert a force on our bodies, but it is purely random †" 1 out of 12 (8.3%) †" whether a horoscope foretells the events of one's life. I am pleased to report that, as Shawn Carlson has noted, " astrology failed to perform at a level better than chance " (Nature 318, 419†" 425; 1985). The results from my classes are: 8.0% (n = 163 students), 8.4% (n = 155), 7.0% (n = 143), 8.0% (n = 138) and 8.0% (n = 100). In other words, as John Maddox has commented " astrology is a pack of lies ... There is no evidence that the positions of the planets can affect human behaviour " (Nature 368, 185; 1994). I encourage science teachers to try this approach when they are presented with an opportunity, as this exercise inspires genuine scientific inquiry. For example, students have countered that a certain astrologer may not be qualified to read the stars. I have addressed this question by using horoscopes from different newspapers (Chicago Tribune, Columbus Dispatch, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post) and online sources (Astrology.com, DailyHoroscopes.com). Other students have noted that small groups, with only two students of a particular sign, may obtain a result that is significantly greater than 8.3%. This presents an opportunity to discuss the value of an adequate sample size. Finally, it is worth reporting that my students are so engaged by this exercise that they actually want to use Newton's law of universal gravitation to calculate force values. In case you are curious, Mars, at its present distance of 264 million kilometres from Earth, is exerting a force of approximately 50 nanonewtons on your being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 dear marg, your writing so truthful it compelled me to reply back to your message. I mean for god sakes this guy is using the same ploy other professors have tried. first of all you are right about everything. this guy knows nothing about astrology and is using one factor of the giant library of astrology to deduce that horoscopes and what not are bogus. furthermore, Newton was highly interested in astrology. he often quoted " I have studied astrology, you have not! " So if a man that was one of the most influential men in the realm of physics was studying astrology you better believe that it has some importance. __________ Raja Gursahani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Hi Raja Glad to know that you agree and thanks for your kind comments. I noticed another erroneous statement about astrology not being a science on Wikipaedia recently and another one also came through Google today, but if we spent our days responding to such un scientific statements we would have not time to study and apply the art and science of astrology would we:-) I find these people very lazy actually, they can't be bothered to even study the subject they pretend to prove isn't a science! best wishes M - Raja Gursahani Tuesday, June 05, 2007 3:51 PM Re: An article about astrology dear marg, your writing so truthful it compelled me to reply back to your message. I mean for god sakes this guy is using the same ploy other professors have tried. first of all you are right about everything. this guy knows nothing about astrology and is using one factor of the giant library of astrology to deduce that horoscopes and what not are bogus. furthermore, Newton was highly interested in astrology. he often quoted " I have studied astrology, you have not! " So if a man that was one of the most influential men in the realm of physics was studying astrology you better believe that it has some importance. ________ Raja Gursahani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2007 Report Share Posted June 5, 2007 Dear Radha, It is an interesting post. I think it goes on to show how so called experiments based on flimsy logic are used by the so called scientific community to deride the science of Astrology. The assumption in the said experiment is that mars ought to exercise same influence on all the students, forgetting that astrology is based on planets at the time of birth influencing the behaviour of a person, based on their time of birth. Since all the students could not be born on the same date and time at the same place, it would be obvious to even the most casual analyst that the so called experiment does not hold any water. Another assumption in the experiment is that all the students are expert astrologers who really know how a day corresponds to a horoscope. There are many such lapses which only go to show that the experiment is designed around the presumption that astrology has no scientific basis. Chandrashekhar. aphoton47 wrote: > > The follwing article appeared in Nature. Perhaps astrologers would > like to comment on it. > Radha S. > > Nature 447, 528 (31 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447528a; Published online > 30 May 2007 > > Treating astrology's claims with all due gravity > > Steven K. Lower1 > > 1. The Ohio State University, 275 Mendenhall Laboratory, Columbus, > Ohio 43210, USA > > Sir > > Isaac Newton postulated that there is a force of attraction between > any two bodies in the Universe. Your News story 'Gravity passes a > little test' (Nature 446, 31âEUR " 32; 2007) points out that " Isaac Newton's > inverse-square law of gravity has given faultless service ever since " . > I have found a curious way to use Newton's law to draw attention to > the difference between science and anti-science for a general > audience. > > I teach an introductory science class at my university, which > typically enrols many non-science majors. During a lecture on the > gravitational force, I imply that if planets such as Mars exert a > force on any object, including humans, then perhaps there is something > to astrology's idea that celestial bodies exert a force of influence > on our lives. I encourage my students to undertake a test I have > designed for this notion. > > I present the students with 12 randomly numbered horoscopes from the > previous day, with the corresponding signs of the zodiac removed. I > ask each student to record the horoscope that best describes the day > she or he had, and the astrological sign (for example, Aries) > corresponding to her/his birthday. My scientific hypothesis is that > planets may exert a force on our bodies, but it is purely random âEUR " 1 > out of 12 (8.3%) âEUR " whether a horoscope foretells the events of one's > life. > > I am pleased to report that, as Shawn Carlson has noted, " astrology > failed to perform at a level better than chance " (Nature 318, 419âEUR " 425; > 1985). The results from my classes are: 8.0% (n = 163 students), 8.4% > (n = 155), 7.0% (n = 143), 8.0% (n = 138) and 8.0% (n = 100). In other > words, as John Maddox has commented " astrology is a pack of lies ... > There is no evidence that the positions of the planets can affect > human behaviour " (Nature 368, 185; 1994). > > I encourage science teachers to try this approach when they are > presented with an opportunity, as this exercise inspires genuine > scientific inquiry. For example, students have countered that a > certain astrologer may not be qualified to read the stars. I have > addressed this question by using horoscopes from different newspapers > (Chicago Tribune, Columbus Dispatch, Los Angeles Times and Washington > Post) and online sources (Astrology.com, DailyHoroscopes.com). Other > students have noted that small groups, with only two students of a > particular sign, may obtain a result that is significantly greater > than 8.3%. This presents an opportunity to discuss the value of an > adequate sample size. > > Finally, it is worth reporting that my students are so engaged by this > exercise that they actually want to use Newton's law of universal > gravitation to calculate force values. In case you are curious, Mars, > at its present distance of 264 million kilometres from Earth, is > exerting a force of approximately 50 nanonewtons on your being. > > > ------ > > > > Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.8.9/832 - Release 6/4/2007 6:43 PM > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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