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Articles: Science | Astrology has a scientific basis
- Prof. Narasimham Brahmandam
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Does the Big bang support Astrology?
In recent times, the scientific community has dismissed all claims of astrology to a scientific basis. In this context, the following view seems to deserve a look. The most common argument put forth by astrologers in support of astrology is that the planets exert gravity which influences the mind in a subtle manner and actions and events follow.
Some ornithologists came up recently with an explanation for the precise homing of migratory birds that their eyes have sites sensitive to small geographical variations in the magnetic field of the earth, which help them to come back home. The variations in the magnetic field of the earth are so small that sophisticated instruments are needed to detect them. The eyes of the bird are so small and so far above the earth that we cannot believe the hypothesis. But since scientists have presented it, astrologers may catch this straw to support their gravitational theory. But, until such sensitive sites are detected in the human system, scientists cannot go with it.
All along, astrologers have been proceeding on the basis that planets influence our lives. But I propose that they do not influence, but indicate the events. I derive my hypothesis from the evolution of the universe from the ‘big bang’, which was the first cause from which events occurred and in turn formed the causes for subsequent events. Events in the entire Universe including the advent of life and biological evolution are the result of continuous unbroken cause-event chains in the space-time. Therefore, events in different parts of the universe are inter-related. It should be theoretically possible to infer happenings in any part of the universe by observing the synchronous events elsewhere in the universe. This is what astrology is attempting and basically there is nothing unscientific in the premise.
Here are two models.
Take a balloon and mark two dots on one side, say, one inch apart, and two dots on the other side, two inches apart. As the balloon expands by bowing, the distance between the dots on both sides increases proportionately. At a given stage of expansion, if the distance between the first pair of dots is 2 inches, it is easy to infer that the dots on the other side are 4 inches apart.. The relationship between the apparently unconnected dots is that they are on the same balloon expanding at the same rate on all sides. This is only a two dimensional model. The universe is expanding in a four dimensional space-time and inference is more difficult. It seems that it is the methodology of inference that we may assail, not the very scientific premise and concept of astrology.
The second model:
Let us, for a moment, consider the 12 figures on the dial of a clock as the twelve signs of the zodiac. Let the short and long hands be called planet A and planet B. Our friend in America. usually has his dinner at 8 p.m. 8 p.m. in America is 10 a.m. in our place in India. Now one may predict thus: “When planet A reaches sign 10 and planet B reaches the sign 12, our friend in America will rise for his dinner”. The prediction will be right 80 percent of time. The hands of the clock do not drag him to the dining table. They only indicate that he is likely to rise for dinner. That is because, the biological clock in the friend’s body and the hands of the clock are working in the same time matrix of the universe.
The acceptance of this concept of indication rather than influence will also help resolve the conflicts between the several schools of astrology.
Now, the method of relating the planetary movements to events appears to the scientists to be arbitrary. The only way to validate them is to test them by statistical techniques. A few Universities, which have introduced the faculty, have to initiate research to establish the validity of the methods to the satisfaction of the scientists or, once for all, reject them after investigation and initiate, for the benefit of humanity, scientifically acceptable techniques of correlating events to planets.
Prediction is eagerly sought by a large percentage of humanity. Scientists should develop a method of inference of human affairs from calculable events in the universe instead of being content with dismissing astrology as a fraud.
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