How Is Astrology Psychology So Precise?

Astrology, a popular belief among Americans, is often viewed as scientific due to its psychological underpinnings and universal human themes. The Barnum-Forer Effect, a phenomenon where people tend to accept vague and general personality descriptions as highly accurate, is a key factor in the widespread belief in astrology. Astrology has not been proven by the scientific method, making it a pseudoscience.

Psychological studies have not found a robust relationship between astrological signs and life outcomes. For example, a study showed that zodiac signs can be manipulated to predict life outcomes. This phenomenon explains why people believe in horoscopes, fortune-tellers, Tarot card readers, and bogus personality tests.

An ancient astrology theory, rooted in the Hellenistic era, suggests that the alignment of stars and planets affects an individual’s mood, personality, and environment based on their birth date. Astrology is often seen as a coping mechanism, helping people make sense of life during complex times. However, a large-scale study found that people’s birth signs have no bearing on their personality, even if they believe in astrology.

In conclusion, astrology is a pseudoscience that does not use the scientific method and does not work “scientifically speaking”. Understanding the psychological foundations of astrology can help individuals avoid falling into the trap of believing in horoscopes, fortune-tellers, Tarot card readers, and bogus personality tests.

What did Muhammad say about astrology?

The Hadith, a collection of Islamic religious teachings, is a significant part of the Islamic faith. It outlines the instructions and practices of Muhammad, who criticized the legality and illegality of astrology. According to Abu Dawud, seeking knowledge from the stars is considered witchcraft, which is inherently forbidden in Islam. The Hadith also emphasizes that rain is a blessing bestowed only by Allah, and any belief that rain is a result of other beings is considered disbelief.

The Hadith also mentions the stars, stating that those who suggest rain originates from a star are considered disbelievers in Allah. This concept of astrology and the belief in celestial beings’ influence on anything other than what is enshrined in the Quran and Hadith constitutes shirk (blasphemy) and leads one to leave the fold of the religion.

Second-century Islamic scholar Imam Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam and cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, views astrology as fundamentally forbidden in the Islamic religion. He warns followers not to learn the science of stars except for guidance on land or sea, as it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner. This aligns with the Quran, which points to stars and astrology as only a means of navigation.

However, prominent scholars like Ibn Arabi and Ikhwan argue that planets are not considered God but do suggest each prophet with a specific planet/celestial being. Prophet Idris, also known as Enoch, was gifted with great knowledge of the stars and used his gift to meditate upon God’s grandeur and teach others. He believed that the stars and moon contributed to mankind and founded the study of the stars.

Different sects of Islam offer varying perspectives on the concept of astrology.

Is astrology a science or philosophy?

Astrology is a divinatory pseudoscience, recognized since the 18th century, that proposes that information about human affairs and terrestrial events can be discerned by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Different cultures have employed forms of astrology since at least the 2nd millennium BCE, with most attaching importance to what they observed in the sky. Some cultures, such as the Hindus, Chinese, and Maya, developed elaborate systems for predicting terrestrial events from celestial observations.

Western astrology, one of the oldest astrological systems still in use, can trace its roots to 19th–17th century BCE Mesopotamia, spreading to Ancient Greece, Rome, the Islamic world, and eventually Central and Western Europe. Contemporary Western astrology is often associated with systems of horoscopes that purport to explain aspects of a person’s personality and predict significant events in their lives based on the positions of celestial objects.

Throughout its history, astrology has had its detractors, competitors, and skeptics who opposed it for moral, religious, political, and empirical reasons. Prior to the Enlightenment, astrology was generally considered a scholarly tradition and common in learned circles, often in close relation with astronomy, meteorology, medicine, and alchemy. However, during the Enlightenment, astrology lost its status as an area of legitimate scholarly pursuit.

Following the end of the 19th century and the wide-scale adoption of the scientific method, researchers have successfully challenged astrology on both theoretical and experimental grounds, showing it to have no scientific validity or explanatory power. Astrology lost its academic and theoretical standing in the western world, and common belief in it largely declined until a continuing resurgence starting in the 1960s.

What did Aristotle say about astrology?

Aristotle’s beliefs indicate that celestial phenomena not only regulate seasonal cycles but also influence animal behavior and lifespan. Additionally, he postulated that the position of the sun may exert a profound impact on the processes of generation and destruction.

Is astrology good for Mental Health?

Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as “confirmation bias”, where people focus on sections of a horoscope that support their beliefs, ignoring the rest. While reading a horoscope can provide a sense of order or meaning to life, it lacks scientific basis, making it unsuitable for acting on. Sandbek, a psychic, believes that people who regularly consult horoscopes seek guidance rather than comfort.

He believes most people seek information about themselves or what to do. Holmes, for example, pays special attention to her horoscope when curious or experiencing changes, as it helps explain what’s happening.

Does the Bible recognize other planets?

Saturn is represented by the star Kaiwan, worshipped by the Israelites in the desert. The word Kaiwan, interpreted to mean “steadfast”, often designates the slowest-moving planet in Babylonian inscriptions. The Babylonian god Ninurta was merged with Saturn, and the ancient Syrians and Arabs also called Saturn Kaiwan. The Zoroastrian Bundahish equates Saturn to Kevan, while in Mandaeism, it is referred to as Kiwan. The other planets are individualized in the Bible by implication, and the worship of gods connected to them is denounced without any explicit intention to refer to heavenly bodies.

The best-warranted interpretations of biblical star names include Kimah, the Pleiades, Kesil, Ash, Mezarim, Mazzaroth, Hadretheman, Canopus, and Nachash. These star names are based on Schiaparelli’s authority and provide a comprehensive understanding of the celestial bodies in the Bible.

Is astrology the science of studying the stars True or false?

Astronomy is a branch of science that studies everything outside Earth’s atmosphere, including celestial objects like the sun, moon, and other planets, as well as distant galaxies, distant stars, and black holes. Astronomers may also research subatomic particles and theoretical things in space, such as dark matter. Astronomy often involves the use of scientific equipment like telescopes and satellites.

Astrology, on the other hand, is a nonscientific practice that uses celestial objects’ positions to make conclusions about people or future events. Astrologers believe that celestial objects are linked to human behavior, such as a person’s personality traits aligning with the zodiacal constellation at birth. Astrology also uses a horoscope to predict a person’s future.

In general, astronomy is accepted as a science, relying on the scientific method and scientific research to make verifiable conclusions. Astrology, on the other hand, makes predictions or conclusions that cannot be proven or disproved and uses logic based on cultural traditions rather than scientific research or understanding of the universe.

What does the Bible say about astrology?

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus asserts that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. This contradicts biblical wisdom, as chasing after false gods is a sin. There is no biblical evidence that God has given authority to stars or astrologists. Pursuing predictions about our destiny or personality is biblically sinful, as it takes power from God and gives it to something other than God. A horoscope cannot change what God has already ordained before we were even created.

How scientifically accurate is astrology?

Astrology is a belief system that suggests a connection between astronomical phenomena and human events or personality descriptions. However, it has been criticized by the scientific community for lacking explanatory power and lack of scientific validity. Scientific testing has found no evidence to support the premises or effects outlined in astrological traditions. The most famous test, led by Shawn Carlson, concluded that natal astrology performed no better than chance.

Astrology has not demonstrated its effectiveness in controlled studies and has no scientific validity, making it regarded as pseudoscience. There is no proposed mechanism by which stars and planets affect people and events on Earth in the way astrologers claim, which contradicts well-understood aspects of biology and physics.

What did Carl Jung say about astrology?

Astrology, according to Jung, is a psychological description of character, with planets representing individual character components. The horoscope is considered the chronometric equivalent of individual character, and a person’s natal chart can provide insights into their soul’s plan for their incarnation. By comparing the movement of planets through the year to one’s natal chart, he found that transits provide a meaningful coincidence of planetary aspects and positions with the character or existing psychic state of the questioner.

These insights can be for short temporal frames (months or years) or for longer millennial time frames (eons). Jung was dubbed the “father of the New Age” for his idea of how the collective psyche of the human race changes with the end of one Platonic month and the beginning of another. As a medical doctor, Jung felt obligated to alert people to the nature of our time and the major cosmic transformation as the age of Pisces transitions to the age of Aquarius.

Why do people believe in astrology?

Astrology is a tool for understanding one’s self-identity and self-conception. According to Jennifer Freed, PhD, it serves as a validation for one’s unique gifts and provides confirmation and encouragement. Astrology is likened to a beautiful staircase, where one must walk mindfully and hold onto a solid foundation. Humans tend to remember positive feedback that validates their self-conception over negative feedback, making it easy to accept the ambiguous and positive aspects of astrology. This approach helps individuals develop their unique gifts and take mindful steps towards self-discovery.

What does the Quran say about astrology?

The Quran, the primary Islamic text, has been interpreted to disprove the idea that astrology goes against the fundamental principles of the Islamic religious tradition. Astrology is believed to be a means of providing physical guidance and navigation for individuals, with the primary purpose being to determine the time of the year and compass bearings. However, Islam gives rise to the use of astronomy, as distinct from astrology, in determining the Lunar and Solar Calendars and compass bearings.

The Hadith, a reference to the instructions and practices of Muhammad, also makes various claims regarding the legality or illegality of astrology within the Islamic religious tradition. According to Abu Dawud, seeking knowledge from the stars is considered one of the branches of witchcraft, which is inherently forbidden in Islam. The Hadith also points to the concept of rain as a bounty bestowed only by Allah (God) and suggests that any adherent who believes that rain is a result of the doings of any other being falls into disbelief.

Various scholars have differing opinions on astrology and its permissibility in Islam. Imam Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam and the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, saw astrology as fundamentally forbidden in the Islamic religion. He warned his followers not to learn the science of stars except for guidance sought on land or sea, as it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner. This belief in celestial beings having a greater influence than God constitutes disbelief in Islam.

On the other hand, prominent individuals like Ibn Arabi provide a limited scope of agreement with the principles of astrology. They emphasize that the planets are not considered God but do suggest that each prophet is intrinsically influenced by celestial beings. Prophet Idris, also known as Enoch, was gifted with great knowledge of the stars and used his gift to meditate upon God’s grandeur and teach others. With his complex understanding of astrology, Idris taught people how the universe impacted their lives and founded the study of the stars.

In conclusion, the Quran and Hadith offer different interpretations of astrology and its permissibility in Islam. While some scholars argue that astrology is fundamentally forbidden, others believe that it is a means of providing guidance and navigation for Muslims. The Quran and Hadith serve as a guideline for those seeking to understand and appreciate the role of celestial beings in the Islamic faith.