With astrology being a common topic of popular culture, many people wonder about its accuracy and what it can really tell us about our future. Astrology is utilized by those who believe the positioning in the sky of celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and planets, create or signal changes and events in people’s lives.
Scientists generally agree that the placement of the moon, sun, and planets at the time of someone’s birth does not accurately predict that person’s personality or future. Astrology has similar foundations and historical beginnings as modern sciences like astronomy, but the conclusions that astrology purports about people’s future is not based on scientific experiments or evidence.
Astrology has an interesting history going back to Mesopotamian times, and its relevance in popular culture makes it a fascinating topic for anyone who’s interested in the ways we attempt to find out more about our destiny.
Many of us believe that Astrology has nothing to do with our fates and cannot predict our future. Others rely on astrological predictions even when going to a business meeting or when choosing a life partner.
No matter what your relation to astrology is, it has proved to be something logical during these times. As a consequence, there are many ways to get a lot of information about your star sign, such as in daily newspapers and magazines, websites, and online readings.
If you are a Libra, for instance, you can have a look at the Libra zodiac sign and see what your main characteristics are according to your sign, you can also consider checking your daily horoscope for up-to-date predictions.
Keep reading for a deeper look into the history and major questions surrounding astrology and whether we should believe in it.
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Is There Any Science Behind Astrology?
While astrology has not been scientifically proven to accurately predict people’s personalities or futures beyond a measurement of chance, it does follow a logic with similar foundations of astronomy.
Astrology and astronomy were both born out of the observation and interpretation of the positions of celestial bodies such as the moon and planets.
The similarities in what is being observed or used to come to conclusions (celestial body placements) between astrology and astronomy often causes confusion between these two topics, causing many people to question if astrology, with similar foundations and history as astronomy, is based on science as well.
However, astronomy and astrology diverged, and astronomy formed into the scientific study of celestial bodies and the physics that govern their movements.
Becoming distinct from astronomy, astrology became the foundation for creating horoscopes that would be used to predict people’s personalities and predict the major events and seasons of their lives.
Scientific studies require a set of principles and steps that guide researchers through the agreed-upon protocol for experiments. Although some people use astrology to understand and guide their actions, similar to science, it doesn’t follow or function in the same manner that modern science does today.
Astrology uses the placement of the sun, moon, and planets at the time of someone’s birth to explain someone’s personality. This is where zodiac signs come from. While the zodiac signs do correlate to real placements of the sun, moon, and planets at certain times throughout the year, the connections to people’s behavior, desires, and personality have no scientific validity.
While the placement and movement of celestial bodies are used in scientific fields like cosmology and astronomy, the conclusions and information that astrology perpetuates based on these celestial placements are not founded in science.
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Can Astrology Predict Health Problems?
Historically, astrology was used to predict the major events of an individual’s life, and that included illnesses. Astrological medicine does use people’s date and time of birth to predict future illnesses as well as what health issues they might be at a greater risk for in the future.
Although similar to horoscopes and personality predictions, the accuracy of these forecasts has not been scientifically verified.
Astrologers claim that they can predict when someone will fall ill or can explain their illness using astrological birth charts or horoscopes.
Closer to astrology’s beginnings, such as during the Medieval period, astrology, religion, and medicine were intimately intertwined. Modern medicine had not brought information about germs and bacteria to popular consciousness.
Therefore, people often looked to religious information or understandings of the gods they worshipped for information about and hopes of healing from major sickness.
Today, astrological medicine warns certain zodiac signs of what illnesses they might be susceptible to. Although many people turn to their horoscope for guidance about their lives, and while it’s a good idea to keep in mind what health issues to look out for, it’s best to consult your doctor before making any decisions or actions about your health.
The accuracy or validity of these astrological health predictions is not verified by trusted sources like the American Medical Association as a solid means of predicting future health issues.
How is Astrology So Accurate?
Many people do identify with the personality traits ascribed to them by their zodiac sign. A large number of particularly young individuals today regularly read their horoscopes and compare their sign to others that they’re in relationships within the hopes of predicting their compatibility.
However, astrology is often purported as accurate or true often because the predictions are general enough to most likely apply correctly to most people.
Zodiac signs and the personality traits they prescribe or usually vague enough where at least some of the information is likely to apply to an individual.
Many people examine their astrology birth chart and learn more about what their sign is known for and often question some of the information but, often because of psychological biases and factors, they’re likely to understand some of their zodiac descriptions to be accurate.
There are a few different psychological effects or biases that cause people to be inclined towards believing that information specific to them is true or applicable.
We are also dynamic and changeable human beings, which makes predictions or assumptions about our personalities or behaviors to be somewhat true at any given time throughout our lives.
We all go through life changes or growth as people, and we display a wide range of characteristics in the large and small parts of our everyday lives.
Traits like stubbornness, passion, intelligence, affection that zodiac charts often use to describe people are quite often traits that we display at different points throughout our lives.
Therefore, astrology generally ascribes traits or characteristics to people that can often be applied to many events or behaviors they exhibit.
This can similarly be said for astrological predictions of the future.
There are also psychological studies that show we are likely to see out information that is already applicable to us.
Meaning that if someone feels like they are an honest person, they are likely to pay more attention to astrological information that supports their pre-formed idea of themselves and ignore or push aside information that contradicts it.
The psychological biases we have as people and the usual generalness of astrological horoscopes and personality predictions converge and cause many of us to believe that astrology is true and accurate.
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Who Created Astrology?
Astrology can be traced back to the Babylonians in Mesopotamia in antiquity times. They would observe the placement of the sun, moon, and planets compared to major events of their lives so that they’d be able to predict future events.
They also used these celestial positions to develop the zodiac. The Babylonians used the seasonal positions of celestial bodies in the sky to keep track of the seasons and the passage of time.
The Babylonians also interpreted the zodiac to be connected with the divinities that they worshiped. They would interpret their different observations of the sky with acts or messages from their gods.
Therefore, the Babylonians would live their lives in accordance with the zodiac. It governed almost all aspects of their lives, and those who were seen as knowledgeable in interpreting the zodiac to predict the desires of the gods were revered and respected.
Astrology later spread throughout other areas of the world like Greece and India. It eventually spread throughout other parts of the world and in the 20th century became a popular aspect of American culture, with zodiac charts and predictions being a regular section in daily newspapers.
Astrology has been practiced for more years than is humanly imaginable. From its utility as a source of divine communication to today as a source of comfort and fun in popular culture, astrology’s appeal to people has remained.
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Should We Believe in Astrology or Not?
Whether we should believe in astrology depends on our goals and expectations for the benefits it will bring our lives. We should not believe in astrology as an accurate and precise measurement or method of predicting our futures.
Generally, horoscopes are broad enough where some aspects of them will likely apply while others will not.
However, many people choose to engage with astrology and learn more about their horoscope and zodiac signs because they believe it will be fun. It’s also a useful starting point for thinking about your future in general.
Should we believe and rely on astrology to explain our lives and specifically guide us through our future because it’s based on scientific truth? Probably not.
But is it pleasant to read your horoscope or discuss your personality type based on your zodiac sign with your friends? For many people, especially millennials and Gen Z today, the answer to that question is yes.
Astrology can be a way of finding comfort in the unknown and of navigating our futures. While the scientific community doesn’t accept astrology as a hard science or proven method of predicting the future, many people turn to astrology in times of confusion or change.
Many of us want to believe at some point that we can see what our future holds and be prepared for it. There’s also an entertainment factor for participating in astrology.
It can be extremely fun and exciting to predict people’s personalities based on their zodiac chart and feel a sense of pride at guessing correctly.
Ultimately, we each choose our own ways of making sense of the world and looking into the future in hopes of lessening the unknown and finding confidence in our destiny.
Astrology is a popular method of characterizing people’s personalities, and it’s also a method that is accessible to almost anyone. Believing in astrology as a means of entertainment and fun is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
It’s really a question of whether you want to participate and open yourself up to learning about the different zodiac signs and seeing for yourself whether you find it fun or comforting.
If you are interested in zodiac signs, you will definitely want to check out astrology houses and their meanings!
Final Thoughts
Astrology has a long history, spanning before most major religions. It’s connection to astronomy and cosmology in its foundations of celestial bodies and their movements in the sky makes it a fascinating topic that causes it to often exist in modern consciousness alongside, but separate from, other hard sciences.
Astrology’s purpose in society has transformed in many ways too. Once serving as a connection to religion and the gods of early civilizations, today it serves often as a means of entertainment.
It’s complex history, and often confusing reputation makes it a topic with many questions surrounding it.
Whether you’re a believer or a hard skeptic of astrology, few can deny that its presence in societies around the world has sustained.
Before denouncing astrology completely, it’s probably a fun idea to at least check out your own zodiac sign or birth chart and see if anything rings true. You never know what parts of it may surprise you or what aspects of your future or personality you hadn’t really thought about.
If you have enjoyed this article and want to dive more into astrology, you might want to check out this article on astrology and numerology!
