I guess this is one of the most interesting topics people pick for gossips and discussions. We all do, right? Whether or not we believe in astrology, for fun we talk about it. We ask each other our rashi (Zodiac signs) and try to guess what characteristics of ours matches with each other. “Ohh! You are a Capri. I am a Virgo. Now I know how we could gel so easily with each other” - is a type of very frequently used statements when we compare the zodiacs.
I love to read my forecast daily in newspaper and love to laugh on those statements. Specially, the rhetoric and jargons used in Hindi newspaper forecasts seem really funny to me and I usually read it loud and make fun in front of friends and family. But all those forecasts apply generically to all people with that zodiac. What should people do to know something particular about themselves? They should go to an astrologer. Astrologer? Should we rely on his predictions? Ohh! The first question is should we believe in Astrology?
I have a very bad habit of asking questions before I digest anything. And I can only digest anything if I find some logical answers to some relevant questions, which can be explained scientifically. Let me try to collate some of the logics from different branches of sciences and see if we can find any reasons to believe in astrology. I will mention below few of the scientific facts and then will collate them to answer the question whether or not should we believe in astrology.
Fact 1:
In school, I studied in physics that every object is made of energy and matter, and each object in this universe has got a magnetic field of its own, which attracts other objects. If that is true, all the planets and other astronomical objects must have their magnetic field. In fact they all have, we all know. Because of the astronomical set-up of all these objects they make a balance and then maintain their position/path movement etc. This astronomical set-up with interference between all the magnetic forces should also make some impact on each of the other objects in the universe including living beings.
Fact 2:
Our body is composed of several chemicals (in liquid, gas or solid form) with different composition, quantity and ability to react with each other. These chemicals sometimes need a catalyst for reaction to take place. I read in a newspaper article, few years back that all our emotions are controlled by several types of chemicals which flow in our body at different times, for example people have feelings of love, hatred etc because of flow of a particular type of fluid. The environment and other external factors affect the amount, flow and intensity of these fluids as well. It was also mentioned that a group of scientists is performing experiments on some criminals, if they can inject fluid of love and change the behavior of such cruel killers.
Collated argument:
Because of astronomical set-up at a particular moment of time, the chemicals (composition, quantity, ability to react) which gets developed in the body of a newly born baby at the time of birth (or may be from the time of conception till the time of birth) gets affected. This phenomenon can define the whole behavior, nature and destiny of that person based on how its magnetic field will interfere with other objects’ magnetic fields and chemicals will react with chemicals of other objects in any form. With passing time the planets change their position, they make an impact on each of the object (and thus on these chemicals and our body as well) in the universe because of interference between their relative magnetic forces. Also, participates the magnetic field of the object itself in this interference (or can I call it star wars). The type and level of impact depends on the characteristics of the chemicals and fluids flowing in a person’s body. Thus the impact of any astronomical event will be different on different persons. This decides what will happen to a person in a particular situation under a particular astronomical configuration during that period of time. And this is what we call the Destiny.
Does it make sense? I don’t know. It’s just a hypothesis.
Anyway. let’s get back to our topic. It doesn’t matter if astrology is a science or a myth. There is no harm talking about it for some entertainment. Well. Did you hear about a yet to release movie “What’s your Rashi?” where a guy meets 12 girls with different zodiacs to find out which girl will make the perfect match for him. Sounds interesting! In
If you look deeply into those criteria, actually each of them relate to some part of your body and some planet in the solar system. It might be true or it might not be. I am not sure. But we have some basis for argument. Ok. Tell me- did you ever say to anybody “humare beech mai bahut achchi chemistry hai”? What do you mean when you say this? Does this statement have any relevance with our argument?
My theories till now have tried to push the argument that there is some truth in astrology. Let me try to think otherwise now. Let us imagine that astrology is a science and the hypothesis we made above is correct. In that case, the destiny of two children taking birth in the same city, in the same hospital at nearby beds, on the same day, at the same time should be exactly same. Does it happen? Forget the case of two children from different parents; it does not apply even for the twins.
Another argument is even if astrology is a science and it makes sense to match kundalis before marriage or make predictions based on the kundali of a person, then whats the guarantee that the kundali was prepared using the right information? As in, there is high probability that the details will not be accurate. Now a days we have advance instruments like digital clocks, which can tell us exact, birth time. In older days, the birth time was hardly recorded with high level of precision.
My last argument is even if we have the right information and thus the kundali is cent percent accurate and astrology is a well-defined science, how much should we rely on the, authenticity, knowledge and accuracy level of an astrologer? After all he is also human and to err is very much human.
Then, should I believe in astrology? I don’t know. Well. I have been always confused whether to believe or not in Astrology. And this confusion still persists. But I am pretty sure about one thing. I never believe in astrologers. The only thing I can believe in is that destiny changes because of the decisions you make and the deeds you perform.
4 comments:
This is not exactly a comment I am writing but some observations coupled with reflections.
1- Apart from the "gelling" aspect of astrology that most of us use in building up a bonhomie between us, it is also used to demarcate individuals into various groups. However can astrology be used to improve upon group dynamics? Like if I put all Leos into one group will I get an ideal and functional group? If it is so, then scientific or not, astrology is beneficial. And hiring and promotional policies in an organization shall have to be rewritten since effective performance is directly proportional to group dynamics. Yet before I am questioned on this thought, I state that "Dude it is a research question, so do not counter question!"
2- What is the level of "generalization" that astrology employs? What are the assumption behind these generalizations? For e.g. the newspaper says that a Leo shall get employment today. A Leo in village will obviously have a different idea of employment than a Leo in a city. And a school going Leo shall view the class montiorship of the day as employment. So various dimensions like age, maturity, economic conditions crop up in this small example. So it shall be interesting if we can deduce the basic parameters over which predictions are generalized and then take each of these to boil down to particular predictions. It shall again be a good research contribution.
3- The logic of planets' position affecting the chemical flow which in turn affects attitude sounds pretty far fetched. Firstly assuming the logic holds ground, then we shall have "replicates" or "photocopy persons". I shall explain. See there are 4.17 persons (scope limited to human beings only!) taking birth per second on our planet. Assuming all of them are born at a single place can we vouch for the fact that all of these shall have same attitudinal dispositions? Now extending the argument further I take a more realistic view that all the above 4 persons (leave the .17 part) are born in different areas like India, UK, USA, Artic. So there will a difference in angle (even a few millidegrees). So will that not bring out more of a certain chemical in some baby and less in some? So going by the mentioned "chemical" argument there it is proved that astrology cannot group people and predict outcomes of their lives. So either astrology is wrong or this argument or both!
Continuing.....
4- The "chemical" view of destiny is another interesting way to look at it. I am happy someone is thinking so differently and I am happy I know the person so well. However I do not agree to this. Chemicals, environment and behavior are in a vicious cycle. Environment stimulates some chemical reaction in the body which initiates a behavior and then this behavior reinforces the secretion of the chemical or changes the environment to secret some other chemical. But we are not "chemical beings"! Are we? We are human beings and we differ for we have a mind which can think and take decisions. So we do not succumb to every temptation we encounter with. A chemically controlled society shall have only one end - disaster! So in my view Destiny is a summation of cause effect relationship of a human being till his death. It is usually said from a third person point of view and my definition takes into account human decision making. Now destiny can be changed by prayer to a higher power which shall propel you to take right decisions. I do not want to enumerate further on this lest it sounds like a religious discourse.
5- Coming to marriage, I believe it to be more a saga of sacrifices and compromises than a function of compatibility. And the level of sacrifice a partner is willing to do depends no doubt on love but also the economical condition of parental home, the family status and many other variables. You cannot expect a city bred girl to adjust pretty comfortably in a hut of a village. For that matter the choice of partner (in arranged marriages) is again influenced by human beings. Its not a free choice or else a village boy should have a fair chance in winning a city girl's hand just like a city boy of same zodiac. So compatibility is function of compromise which incidentally is decreasing in today's world thanks to women liberalization and male supremacy. It is a plain clash of egos which can ramshackle any relationship, leave alone marriage.
6-In the end I would like to say that astrology cannot be rubbished as such. It may be wrong (or right) but at least a morning newspaper cautions you to be careful in so and so places and to do so and so things. Hence it influences you to take right decisions or to make careful choices so that you do not repent having made some decisions. As said rightly, we are human beings and the best of us see the darkest nights due to a minor fallacy in decision making. And good things from whichever source (authentic/non authentic) are welcome. So cheers to astrology!
Nice article. This sounds like whether leaders are born or leaders are made? I guess its both. A rashi can make two people take birth at the same time, and geographically similar places - yet in drastically different environment. I believe a person is product of its profile and its circumstances.
PS: Jiten, have mercy on your readers ...can you write shorter articles :)
@ Ritu...
haha thanks for the comments...
arey.. u know me its difficult for me to stop when I start speaking or writing on any topic... anyway... rather u shud also ask Surya to have mercy on me... yaar he has given a comment longer than the article...
anyways.... thanks to both of you for taking time and providing your inputs... :-)
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