From: kappa@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au (Glenn Capuano)
Subject: Re: Zodiac Constellations
Organization: Monash University General Access Unix
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 00:35:23 GMT

CASPER,DAVI./PPE (casper@vxcrna.cern.ch) wrote:
: Hope your asbestos clothes aren't out at the cleaners...I have a feeling
: you'll be needing them soon.

	Damn! Just dropped them off this morning :-)

: >1) How do you claim to account for the fact that the sun spends 3 weeks in
: >the constellation of Ophiuchus each year, which is not considered by
: >astrologers, compared to just 8 days in Scorpius, which is? Does a person
: >born in the first 3 weeks of december not have a personality?
: 
: Same as for the fact that Scorpio is actually in Libra ... according to the
: "tropical" zodiac, what is significant is not the actually stars themselves
: (i.e. the constellations), but some particular angle on the sky with respect
: to the equinoxes.  Hence to the astrologer it matters not whether the ecliptic
: passes through the *constellation* Ophiuchus, no more than it matters that the
: *sign* Scorpio is actually now in the *constellation* Libra.  What are you,
: stupid or something?  It's obvious, isn't it? 

	Sorry, of course I should have realised that when they say the sun
is in scorpio, it doesn't actually mean it's IN scorpio ;-)
: 
: Of course, why it is that the mythological meanings of the constellations
: seem to have been mysteriously projected on the signs' positions a few
: thousand years ago is still not clear...

	Ah I guess it was just the energy of the cosmic powers that willed
it so...Of course it wouldn't do to update the zodiac to keep pace with
precession, that would mean something would have to (shock, horror) be
changed!

: Well, I suppose I'm not the one to answer this since I don't buy the bill of
: goods being peddled in the FAQ, but you will likely get an answer like:
: 
: "The true height of arrogance is to assume that science is the only way of
: finding knowledge".

	Hehe...are you sure you didn't consult my horoscope to make that
prediction? :-)...it was remarkably accurate...

:  After all, don't you know that people were a lot smarter
: back in those days when astrology was invented, you know, back when they thought
: the planets were Gods, that the four humours governed temperament, that
: the universe could be reduced to the 5 platonic solids, etc., etc.
	
	What, you mean they arent, they don't and it isn't? I'm shocked at
your level of disbelief! 

: 
: >	As I'm sure you know, many skeptics groups have rewards offered
: >for correct predictions by astrologers. In particular, Australian Skeptics
: >offers $10,000 to any astrologer who can, given someone's date and time of
: >birth, and the dates and times of ten events in their life, state what
: >those events were. Until such time as this challenge is taken up, I remain
: >unconvinced.
: 
: You and me both.  Here you are likely to see several different answers.
: 
: 2) Astrology does not work in a repeatable way, so there is no way to predict
: events with this kind of precision before the fact.  When we examine the chart
: after the events, with full knowledge, of course everything makes perfect
: sense.

	Ah well that should be easy, the events to be predicted happened
20 years ago or more!

	Good to know I'm not a lone voice in the wilderness..

Regards,
	Glenn

Newsgroups: alt.astrology