Europe: Astrology as scientific as Economics [and more so than histroy!]

Cpt_pineapple
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Europe: Astrology as scientific as Economics [and more so than histroy!]

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_224_report_en.pdf

 

 

41% rated astrology either as 4-5 on a 1-5 scale with 4-5 representing "scientific" Economics, was barely behind with 40% and psychology beat out astrology with 53% [page 36 BTW] Oh and don't forget Homeopathy with a healthy 33% [To be fair, only 13% think horoscopes are scientific]

 

 

I found stats on American belief for comparision

 

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c7/c7s2.htm#c7s2l3

 

nsf wrote:

 

Belief in pseudoscience is widespread. For example, at least a quarter of the U.S. population believes in astrology, i.e., that the position of the stars and planets can affect people's lives. Although two-thirds (66%) of those queried in 2004 said that astrology is "not at all scientific," about one-third considered it at least "sort of scientific" (appendix table 7-14 Excel table.).[30]

 

So about ~33% of Americans would have said the same thing.

 

 

Also, 32% of Europeans don't understand science and 31% don't care enough to be interested in it [page 33].

 

 

 

 


BobSpence
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I have no problem putting

I have no problem putting most economic theory in the same category as Astrology, ie pseudo-scientific bullshit.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


Cpt_pineapple
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BobSpence1 wrote:I have no

BobSpence1 wrote:

I have no problem putting most economic theory in the same category as Astrology, ie pseudo-scientific bullshit.

 

I don't think it was specific economic theories, but economics in of it self.

 

 

For example, perpetual motion is a pseudo-scientific theory regarding physics, but that doesn't make physics in of itself a pseudo-science.

 

 

 


BobSpence
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Cpt_pineapple

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

BobSpence1 wrote:

I have no problem putting most economic theory in the same category as Astrology, ie pseudo-scientific bullshit.

 

I don't think it was specific economic theories, but economics in of it self.

For example, perpetual motion is a pseudo-scientific theory regarding physics, but that doesn't make physics in of itself a pseudo-science.

Actually economics is almost entirely unscientific nonsense. It has a dismal record of failure of its predictions that would shame any scientist.

I remember a chart printed in New Scientist quite a while ago that superimposed the economic predictions for the UK economy at various points over recent decades on a graph of what actually happened...

I also remember hearing two economic commentators, on morning television in the US, in two separate segments within one hour, provide apparently logical analysis of the economy coming to almost diametrically opposite conclusions.

 

Based on its record, Economics has less claim to legitimacy than Astrology...

 

Economists make totally fanciful assumptions about the way people will react and make economic decisions.

They explicitly avoided using the latest computer modeling techniques to analyse and predict the course of the economy, because they didn't like the assumptions or something, perhaps because they didn't understand them. Thus making recent events almost inevitable, since the new models are far more accurate in modelling extreme and unusual events.

There are no doubt some serious analysts, but the general run of economists are too much into supporting the current system, which most of the time rewards them insanely. They don't want to know anything which might rock their boat.

One might have hoped that recent shocks might have shaken them out of this outlook, but they are already settling back into the old groove.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


v4ultingbassist
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I'm curious if there was

I'm curious if there was potential for people to not understand the difference between astrology and astronomy, seems a plausible source for some of the votes.  Unless, of course, both options were available.


BobSpence
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v4ultingbassist wrote:I'm

v4ultingbassist wrote:

I'm curious if there was potential for people to not understand the difference between astrology and astronomy, seems a plausible source for some of the votes.  Unless, of course, both options were available.

That's a good point - that is a common confusion.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


Cpt_pineapple
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v4ultingbassist wrote:I'm

v4ultingbassist wrote:

I'm curious if there was potential for people to not understand the difference between astrology and astronomy, seems a plausible source for some of the votes.  Unless, of course, both options were available.

 

Both were available [Astronomy scored 70%]

 

 


v4ultingbassist
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Cpt_pineapple

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

v4ultingbassist wrote:

I'm curious if there was potential for people to not understand the difference between astrology and astronomy, seems a plausible source for some of the votes.  Unless, of course, both options were available.

 

Both were available [Astronomy scored 70%]

 

 

 

OK.  At least astronomy did better...


Cpt_pineapple
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None the less it is rather

None the less it is rather depression that almost half of Europeans consider Astrology science.

 

 

 

 


MichaelMcF
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Cpt_pineapple wrote:None the

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

None the less it is rather depression that almost half of Europeans consider Astrology science.

 

But this is where all the vampires, witches and spooky creatures live.  You can't really expect us to get by without consulting a wise gypsy woman about the stars now can you? Sticking out tongue

Forget Jesus, the stars died so that you could be here
- Lawrence Krauss


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I blame the wiccans

I blame the wiccans


Atheistextremist
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These statistics are

 

exactly as they should be. In Indonesia many people are instinctively happier believing that rather than a seismic event, the recent tsunamis were caused by their own sin. Humans are odd creatures and their ability to create parallel realities in their heads to imagine what enemies are doing; how loved ones are feeling, or picture which waterhole the gazelle might be drinking at on Saturday at 4pm; comes replete with the capacity for grand delusion. 

The capacity for cranial astral/dimensional travel is probably our greatest strength and our greatest weakness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck