Astrology Examined

PhACT Council member Eric Krieg presented "Does Astrology Work?" to 27 PhACT members and guests on Saturday, February 24. Rather than give a standard skeptical lecture about astrology, he challenged the audience with a balanced approach.

Eric first discussed the things that people do not know about astrology. He pointed out that many astrologers do not consider it "psychic" and that many do not believe in fate. He then raised many eyebrows by listing eight invalid claims made by skeptics. The invalid claim that garnered the most attention was that few accurate predictions are made by astrology. This claim was the center of much discussion after the talk.

Next, he proceeded to give some defenses of astrology such as the lunar effects on oysters and tides, and Gauquelin's correlation between the position of Mars and the fame of an athlete. Eric then wrapped up the pro-astrology side with some current explanations of how it works, including quantum physics allowing for miracles, self delusion, or a yet to be discovered energy.

The second half of the lecture gave skeptics their due. Eric pointed out a number of invalid attacks which astrologers commonly made on science such as personal attacks on individuals, and claims that scientists are always defending the status quo, or that science is "dehumanizing." The views of skeptics were then listed, many being familiar to the audience such as the lack of universal views of astrology, and how the precession of the Earth through the ages make it unlikely.

Eric followed these views with some examples of how to make an accurate test of astrology. The program closed with some reasons why people believe in astrology and some guidelines for skeptics when encountering this subject. The question and answer session that followed was lively and thought provoking, making it a fitting ending for a great program.