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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 5 to 29 of 81. Go back in thread:
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 1:30:43
In reply to Re: For example » LegWarmers, posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 0:46:51
> > I wonder if I should base my future on it?
>
> i think astrology is even less reliable than psychiatry and i think you know what i think of their predictions...
>
>: )
It would be so comforting to think that there was something to astrology
and my horoscope was wrong
Posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 3:06:47
In reply to Re: For example » alexandra_k, posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 1:30:43
> It would be so comforting to think that there was something to astrology
why?
did you get a good one?
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 16:49:06
In reply to Re: For example » LegWarmers, posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 3:06:47
> > It would be so comforting to think that there was something to astrology
>
> why?
>
> did you get a good one?
I was hoping that maybe it explained some things, and it was a good one! But it won't come true
: (
Posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 17:15:34
In reply to Re: For example » alexandra_k, posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 16:49:06
> But it won't come true
it might.
and if you believe in it...
even more chance
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 18:11:40
In reply to Re: For example » LegWarmers, posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 17:15:34
> > But it won't come true
>
> it might.
> and if you believe in it...
> even more chance
>
>yeah maybe : ), that reminds me of a kid believing in santa claus lol
Posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 18:50:32
In reply to Astrology, posted by LegWarmers on December 28, 2005, at 23:29:10
I don't think I believe in astrology. But I haven't studied it and I don't know a whole lot about it. But the idea of reading your horoscope to me is like reading a fortune cookie. It's bs.
Posted by crazy teresa on December 29, 2005, at 19:45:41
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 18:50:32
I'm thinking it's like phone sex: There's somebody fat and cheesy at the other end of the line.
Posted by Damos on December 29, 2005, at 19:51:25
In reply to Astrology, posted by LegWarmers on December 28, 2005, at 23:29:10
Hey :-)
One of my friends was really into it and from what I've seen a full chart done with all the correct information can actually be pretty accurate when done by someone who knows what they're doing. Their opinion of the stuff in the papers was "PFFT!"
One of the more interesting ones is:
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 20:40:19
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 18:50:32
I have never ever believed in astrology, but then my horoscope fit a situation and I got hopeful ; )
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 20:41:55
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by crazy teresa on December 29, 2005, at 19:45:41
LOL yeah I would never call but I meant the cheesy cosmo and book astrology, life suddenly felt really light and fluffy after I read mine
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 20:44:48
In reply to Re: Astrology » LegWarmers, posted by Damos on December 29, 2005, at 19:51:25
Thanks for the site it looks cool. I may do a complete profile, Im not sure if I believe in this but they can be so on target its insane!
Posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 20:45:23
In reply to Re: Astrology » LegWarmers, posted by Damos on December 29, 2005, at 19:51:25
Yeah that guy looks like he knows what he's talking about. lol.
Posted by Phillipa on December 29, 2005, at 20:54:57
In reply to Re: Astrology » Damos, posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 20:45:23
It's how you read your horoscope that gives it any meaning if you believe in it. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 21:12:08
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by Phillipa on December 29, 2005, at 20:54:57
the position of the planets and stars at your time of birth is supposed to determine future events and things about your nature / personality.
so librans are this kind of person:
and the next one is this...but of course if it doesn't sound right then there are a variety of other influences and it all gets very complicated.
my question for astrology is:
how are the positions of the sun and moon and planets and stars relevant?
to either your nature
or events in your life
?
as a predictive tool it sucks...
and hence as an explanatory tool it doesn't fare any better.there are a variety of different 'stances' one can take.
Daniel Dennett "The Intentional Stance" talks about
the astrological stance
the intentional (folk-psychological stance)
the cognitive (design stance)
the physical (physiological stance)predictive (hence explanatory) leverage gets better the lower level the stance you adopt.
on the astrological stance...
it is thought that either the predictions are too general (hence too likely to be true beforehand) or are as likely to be true as false. and anomalies... are explained by the charts not having been done properly...
Posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 21:34:10
In reply to Re: Astrology » Angela2, posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 20:40:19
I used to want to belileve in it but nothing has ever really happened where a horoscope would rpedict my future. ? There's probably some truth to it. But I don't think much.
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 22:02:46
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 21:34:10
I really really really want to believe that its true. I like reading my horoscope, and I was hoping that there was some scientific support lol it could still be true ;)
Posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 22:07:39
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by alexandra_k on December 29, 2005, at 21:12:08
> the position of the planets and stars at your time of birth is supposed to determine future events and things about your nature / personality.
>That must have something to do with the fact that when there is a full moon weird things happpen to people :)
> so librans are this kind of person:
> and the next one is this...
>It reminds me of those personality tests
Posted by spriggy on December 29, 2005, at 22:53:40
In reply to Re: Astrology » alexandra_k, posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 22:07:39
Posted by Deneb on December 30, 2005, at 0:44:57
In reply to Re: Astrology » alexandra_k, posted by LegWarmers on December 29, 2005, at 22:07:39
> That must have something to do with the fact that when there is a full moon weird things happpen to people :)
I think it's more like some people act weird when they see a full moon. :-)
Deneb
Posted by LegWarmers on December 30, 2005, at 15:23:28
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by Deneb on December 30, 2005, at 0:44:57
> > That must have something to do with the fact that when there is a full moon weird things happpen to people :)
>
> I think it's more like some people act weird when they see a full moon. :-)
>But this is true. I know that for a fact people become strange when there is a full moon, we find out after that it is a full moon and say "ahh, It was all because it was a full moon!" ;)
me, gullible? nah
Posted by crazy teresa on December 30, 2005, at 19:02:02
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by LegWarmers on December 30, 2005, at 15:23:28
I can tell when there's a full moon without looking outside or at a calendar. My kids don't sleep well, niether do I. I get extremely agitated.
Posted by caraher on December 30, 2005, at 21:24:10
In reply to Re: Astrology » LegWarmers, posted by crazy teresa on December 30, 2005, at 19:02:02
Just because somebody goes through a lot of calculations doesn't mean what they're doing is remotely scientific. I'd wager that there is zero difference in the validity of astrology performed by an "expert" and an amateur. The only talent the former may have that the latter lacks is a silver tongue...
So you find it uncanny how well an astrologer seems to describe you? This is not so surprising at all; see, for instance,
http://skepdic.com/coldread.html
Try this challenge: ask an astrologer to *tell you* your sign based on your answers to whatever set of questions about your personality they consider relevant. It's easy to make up something to which people respond, "Hey, that's me!" but there's only a 1 in 12 chance of going from a personality description to a particular "sign."
My position on astrology is pretty well summarized here: http://skepdic.com/astrolgy.html
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 30, 2005, at 23:53:16
In reply to Re: Astrology, posted by Angela2 on December 29, 2005, at 18:50:32
> I don't think I believe in astrology. But I haven't studied it and I don't know a whole lot about it. But the idea of reading your horoscope to me is like reading a fortune cookie. It's bs.
I'm gonna tell you a little story. I was a scientist geek, going through a rough time. Depression, pain, money problems. Housing insecurity. A friend of mine who I trusted in matters spiritual recommended that I see a woman, named Margaret, who did Reiki (a non-touch energy balancing therapy). Offered to pay for my visit, so I said, all righty then.
Margaret was a learned woman. Clearly done some university. Confident, but shy. Said the first thing she always did was to run a quick horoscope. Asked me details about my birth, and a couple more questions which I forget now. In a few minutes, her demeanour was one of "oh dear". She mentioned some key transitions I'd been through (remember, she's just looking at stars and planets and stuff), and quite accurately described stuff over the last few years. Stuff like major financial drubbing eighteen months back. Surgery eight months back. Current state. Accurate in every element she touched on. She could have been tipped off, but that's a lot of effort to make for this, I thought. And some of what she said, not anyone else knew. Hmmmm.
We went to the table, and she perfermed Reiki on me. She correctly described certain physical disorders, their severities, and offered up ways to be more comfortable, all just simple statements accompanying her treatment. The treatment was surprising, in that I could feel her touch, though she wasn't touching me. She found my weak spots and made them less weak. It was the most relaxing thing I'd ever had, in my entire life. I left there feeling drugged, almost, and went home, and slept for three hours, mid-day. An occurrence that never happened. I don't nap, but I slept like a rock. And I woke up with my bum knee pain free.
That night, my phone rang. Margaret had done a full chart (usually costing something about $100) using all those arcane tables of conjuctions and disjunctions and all that. She'd called because she wanted to warn me. My earlier simpler chart had made her worry about me, and she did the larger work gratis, out of her spirit of helpfulness. She predicted that I might think I was presently at a bad point, but that things were going to get worse. Much worse. And she proceeded to lay out the next eighteen months or so, in terms of financial, health, home, love, relationships. I do forget just all that she said, the details. But I won't ever forget that she was right. All day, everything she said, was specific, detailed, and right. And all her predictions, too. She wrote them out. Mailed them to me. All correct.
I'm a scientist geek. I don't pretend that astrology or Reiki are strictly-speaking, scientific endeavours. However, there are some experiences, some data sets, some observations, that are not amenable to scientific explanation. I am attuned to semantic issues, and I'm conscious of ambiguity of speech, and simple statements masquerading as the profound. I did not find these problems in Margareit's presentations to me. She just did the unexplainable. Knew the unknowable. And shyly smiled about it.
I wish I knew where to find her. I would seek further Reiki for my pain. How could it hurt? But, how might it help, instead?
Lar
P.S. Ghosts exist, too. Data points not in accord with accepted knowledge.
Posted by Deneb on December 31, 2005, at 1:05:16
In reply to Re: Astrology » Angela2, posted by Larry Hoover on December 30, 2005, at 23:53:16
> We went to the table, and she perfermed Reiki on me... The treatment was surprising, in that I could feel her touch, though she wasn't touching me... It was the most relaxing thing I'd ever had, in my entire life.
I've heard that there is no direct touch but that the movement of their hands over your body moves the hairs on your body very slightly and that is what people feel.
Don't mind me, I'm a real skeptic. Maybe if I believed, stuff like that would work for me too.
Deneb
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 31, 2005, at 9:05:50
In reply to Re: Astrology » Larry Hoover, posted by Deneb on December 31, 2005, at 1:05:16
> > We went to the table, and she perfermed Reiki on me... The treatment was surprising, in that I could feel her touch, though she wasn't touching me... It was the most relaxing thing I'd ever had, in my entire life.
>
> I've heard that there is no direct touch but that the movement of their hands over your body moves the hairs on your body very slightly and that is what people feel.
>
> Don't mind me, I'm a real skeptic. Maybe if I believed, stuff like that would work for me too.
>
> DenebIt's not a "hair" feeling. Not even close. And I was clothed. And her hands were sometimes stationary, but the feeling wasn't. And the overpowering need for sleep? How did she impart that?
What I brought in there wasn't belief. I had no data to believe or disbelieve. I suspended disbelief.
Lar
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