A question for the astrologers and skeptics alike?

I suspect I'm in the Astrology camp here :p

What caused me to become an Astrologer? I'd have to say a combination of something a teacher told me when I was 13, reading a booklet that concluded with the fact that astrology is more than just your sun sign, and my own curiousity to find out exactly what made up Astrology.

In all fairness, I started out a skeptic because I was nothing like Scorpio and felt I was more like the next sign in line. It was when I found out that half my chart was in that sign, that Astrology started to make sense to me.

It's always the ones that don't want to look further that are skeptical. I feel sorry for them. After all, it's the eccentric geniuses who achieved things, not the people who follow the common ideas.

*edit*

Fair enough if you retain a skeptical position on a certain topic; but you would like to know that even noted scientists with a truely skeptic point of view on the matters they examine, recognise a difference between actual skepticism and pathological skepticism. Pathological skepticism includes making a statement on a certain subject without having the necessary proof (and once you make such a statement, the burden of proof is on you, not on the object/subject you make the statement about), forming this opinion/statement based on an isolated experiment, having a one-sided view over the subject (i.e. not knowledgeable on the subject you form a statement about, and refusing to learn about it completely), and there are a few more typical characteristics. An integer skeptic questions everything, even that which suits his set of beliefs.

... Merely informative piece of text. Will add URL's too, if you like.

First I want to point out that I do not call myself a "skeptic" but I use skepticism for what is not proved. Everyone uses skepticism some time. It is a METHOD not a position. Believers here for example, are skeptical of the "skeptics" motives for why they are here. As I notice from the answers already, they come up with all sorts of reasons but all from their point of view. We all must have some "evil" plan or to use the insult that we are ignorant. No, we seek convincing evidence. Then we MAY believe. But we need a lot of evidence, and other than the anecdotal, there is none.

The way I was educated has a lot to do with it. Taught to question things that I do not understand even the things that I do. I am a big fan of science though I am certainly not one. One person, Carl Sagan, made a big effort to try improve on America's science illiteracy. His "Demon Haunted World" in my opinion is one of the best books written on the subject of critical thinking. The ability to think and reason, is what humans are uniquely able to do. His "baloney detection kit" works well, even with non-parnormal concepts. See link. Apply this to astrology and see how far it goes.

Some of what you do say is true. Most do "believe", that is the key word. But based on what? Personal wants and needs? The bias not that it works but it MUST work? Because if it does not, huge amounts of time have been wasted. A hard thing to admit to.

Professional and amateurs astrologers have done lots research. Terrific! I'm sure that they have spent great amounts time. So where are the results of all the research? How about tests? What has been published for review? Do they admit to any fail testing that they have done? Have any successful tests been repeated by others? Secret stuff happening? Can the belief factor be thrown out yet?

If I did personally study astrology, I'll have to abandon my critical thinking and trust in blind belief. I'll have to assume that all the planets do have influence, independent of distance. Though this can't be detected or measured, assume "it is there". Assume that the planets have gender and were named properly. Imaginary nodes and the man-made time zones are real and correct. Assume time will program personality no matter where on earth. Travel around the world to varify times of birth that are so important. A lot of time and money based on assumptions.

Assuming is not good science.

To insist that those that are skeptical to do the research, is an attempt to put the burden of proof away from those that make the claims. This can only weaken your position by requesting others to prove what you can not. Astrologers and believers that make such extraordinary claims are the ones that must the extraordinary proof. If it does happen, good evidence will eliminate the skepticism.

Edit: S.G. you just have shown skepticism with your question about the phobias site. It is good not to blindly accept but to question.

Edit: Being a Cubs fan, who would not be naturally skeptical?

I withdrew my other edits. I'm answering this question only. To be drawn in a back and forth bickering is not answering this question.

I started out skeptical - which didn't mean I didn't believe in astrology, just that I didn't know enough to make a judgment. The little I knew (newspaper horoscopes etc) led me to believe it didn't sound credible.

I began studying it because I wanted to prove it wrong. However, to do that, I had to gain a lot of knowledge. The more knowledge I gained, the better understanding I gained, and the better astrology seemed to work.

Now, in a way I am STILL skeptical l about astrology. I strongly suspect it doesn't "work" for the reasons we think it does, and that many of our beliefs and ideas about it are fundamentally flawed. I don't "believe" in it the same way I believe in gravity or electricity.

However, all I can say is ... it works. It helps. It makes things clearer and the world easier to understand.

I am not a skeptic of astrology; however I do not believe everything every supposedly "knowledgeable" astrologer spouts, either.

I became interested in astrology when two odd, totally unrelated things happened. First, a friend asked me to review tarot cards for her website, and that led into reviewing local occult stores, crystal shops, etc. for her site. Second, I met someone who I had a strange, strong attraction to, and I couldn't explain it any other way. I started studying our charts to learn about what made him so interesting to me, and I got mentorship from the friends I met while doing my reviews...

I studied astrology with them, through books, through learning my own charts, and through observation of other people, and I studied for many years before I could really perceive the truths in such things.

I believe that those who consider themselves "skeptics" are truly just afraid that there may be some merit in something that hasn't been sufficiently explained by the scientific method. I also believe that there is some innate arrogance associated in being "above all that majikal thinking" and that creating slanted testing procedures, improperly developed and researched "experiments", and rehashing out-dated, manipulated and biased statistics are all symptoms of the same disease those skeptics accuse astrologers of practicing--bigotry.

I am Capricorn...hear me roar.

**I could answer faster if I cut and paste my arguments from websites, but I value authenticity over regurgitation....**

**Mr. C..it is not good to blindly deny everything either. You say you "seek convincing evidence." Based on your answer, it appears that you don't "seek" anything...you expect it to be laid at your feet as some offering.

Perhaps if you actually researched for yourself as opposed to believing what the skeptic site spoon-feeds, you would not be so jaundiced toward new concepts outside the realm of the beaker and Bunsen burner.

Are you incapable of individual research and drawing your own conclusions? Or is it professional laziness? Or fear that, oh my goodness, the scientific/skeptical method is fallible, having been created by we fallible human creatures. **

**The term "extraordinary claim" is subjective, even by common scientific standards. I contest that, in my subjective opinion, your claim that astrology DOESN'T work is extraordinary, considering that a recent Harris poll states that over 30% of people believe in astrology.. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index...

With those numbers, one can no longer logically consider these claims to be "extraordinary".

Your stuff is old. Get new stuff.

**Again, quotes are not stats. Got some stats that disprove specific astrological statements?

Something with numerical value that ISN'T sun sign specific?

Got anything other than an old You Tube video showing a carefully worded sun-signed based, biased, one-time sampling "experiment" to support your claim that the understanding of 30% of the population is NOT correct? Any "claim" that falls within the bounds of the "reasonable person" rule (which definitely includes the 30% listed on the Harris poll) requires support.

You're methodology is basically invalid, then.**

great question.

I am a fact's and figures type of person, and I need a concrete reason for everything. I once looked up the characteristics of people of certain signs, and it would fit them perfectly.

I also find that certain astrologers WILL give accurate horoscopes, and very specific ones if there is obviously a specific planetary movement in that particular sign.

I was a sceptic, too but I've been watching and observing for about 10 years now.

Some signs do deviate from the typical, but that just shows thier uniqueness as an individual.

I don't know if that really answers your question ( I'm not an astrolger, I just follow it), but that's my 2 cents.

I'm a cap

The skeptics do not want to look into it and admit the truth. My boyfriend thought it was all bull until we sat down together and looked in to it. He now has an interest like me and tends to refer to it and use it to understand himself and me more. I think people are afraid of the fact that something beyond their control can go towards some kind of control of themselves.

In my opinion astrology is a general look at the perceived outcome of any one day which has a better than 50% chance of a postive result. Assuming that you are not getting into any details of that day

I think skeptics may be scared to be proven wrong. They may have to agree there is truth in astrology. Now that would scare the pants off them, they may need a witness for that as well.lol

The alignment of stars has no effect on our lives unless one of them is heading in our direction, now put the bong away.