James Randi and Star-Sign Compatibility
Posted by admin on Oct 5, 2008
An astrologer gives a demonstration of the supposed compatibility between different astrological signs and (unsurprisingly) fails completely.
From episode 2 of ‘James Randi – Psychic Investigator’ (1991)
Duration : 0:3:8
who believe in this …
who believe in this things??
Lmao. This lady …
Lmao. This lady obviously failed in front of national television yet still she maintains she has “special powers” when those “powers” failed to manifest in front of a skeptical and/or open-minded audience. When confronted with reality, these sharlatans always resort to very weak explanations of why they failed to prove their claims. How funny
Yes!
10 wives!
Yes!
10 wives!
Regarding your ‘ …
Regarding your ‘pregnant women’ test – if astrology could be shown to provide positive results, then it would merit scientific study – to determine whether it works due to gravity fields, electromagnetism, solar radiation or any one of a thousand other explanations, any of which could be studied. But since there isn’t any evidence in favour of it, speculating on how it supposedly works is pointless and redundant. With no evidence to build on, there is nothing to warrant such research.
The best example I …
The best example I know of astrology failing under controlled conditions is ‘A Double-blind Test of Astrology’, Shawn Carlson, University of Calif., Nature #318, Dec. 1985 (a copy of this paper is easily found online). The JREF has also conducted tests of astrological claims for the $1 million prize with negative results each time. Also, I and some other skeptics are currently trying to test astrology at the moment (see my ‘Challenge to Astrologers’ video).
By fully controlled …
By fully controlled environment I mean where pregnant women can be exposed to constant specific magnetic fields and gravity until the children are born; then when they are older we can see if there is some common behavioral link between them. And the children would belong to different families and such.
Also, we would have to evaluate the possibility that constant exposure until a later age can also perhaps have an affect, possibly a different affect.
The problem is that …
The problem is that not one study has been done in a ‘fully controlled environment’, thus there are no valid results to begin with and the idea of gravity and magnetic fields affecting brain structure of a developing fetus is completely up in the air for research.
If you have a specific reference from which such a controlled environment was used and the results returned were negative I would love to have it. Then I can know for sure.
I don’t see how …
I don’t see how astrology can be defined as a theory since there is no verifiable evidence in support of it. I have asked astrologers repeatedly for evidence and none can provide or point to any. Instead, they expect skeptics to disprove it. Without hard evidence, astrology is little more than speculation. The idea that gravitational and magnetic fields affect personality could be determined scientifically, but since there are no positive results to begin with, there is nothing to investigate.
that needs to …
that needs to improved and changed upon. Right now it appeals too much to people to people’s imaginations and not enough with science, which it should be.
And this is the last comment I’m going to make unless you choose to make this a friendly intelligent and productive discussion, UncleFeedle, without just automatically bashing just because you may think it is the easy thing to do.
Your insight way too narrow-minded biased, even if you can’t realize it.
Look, I’m not here …
Look, I’m not here to argue. I’ve made my point and you can intelligently read my point for what it is or turn it into something its not and ignore anything that you might get out of what I said.
But I’ll reiterate my point. Anyone who umes that magnetism and gravity have no effect on a developing mind and thinks we shouldn’t evaluate such a possibility scientifically is being foolish.
I define astrology as a play (or theory) on psychology with backings in science of magnetism and gravity
The music really …
The music really suited each event! LOL!
You say you believe …
You say you believe the definitions that are claimed are wrong. If this is so, how would YOU define astrology? Definitions given by astrologers include: an art, a science, a ’structured philosophy’, a technique, a religion, a principle, a way of thinking, a ‘creative use of the imagination’, all of the above, some of the above and none of the above. Astrologers contradict each other and even themselves. They also disagree as to which is ‘real’ astrology. Who and what is correct?
But you know what? …
But you know what? Physics is a theory to. You can’t prove anything in physics, yet we call it a science.
Anyway, my point UncleFeedle I’m trying to make is that you shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
I think what would be rather lame to miss something so interesting just because everyone is so quick to bash something as not scientific because it may be wrong on the surface, but correct in the science (as you might say).
“astrology is not a …
“astrology is not a science and nothing to do with science”.
Astrology is a theory that has not been correctly analyzed to determine what is to be false or true about its claims. And there is no black and white with it. It may not be true in terms of the sign descriptions, but effects of magnetic fields on a developing fetus may very well have a profound developmental effect.
Now that doesn’t …
Now that doesn’t mean that one can’t become any sign essentially, but still I believe that certain brain structured traits from the effects of magnetism and maybe even varied gravity would due in fact cause certain attributes about a person that they will not be able to change.
I’m not claiming …
I’m not claiming anything. I’m telling you the claims that astrology makes. Whether there is truth in it is truly undetermined. Most people and tests use the wrong zodiac to begin with. The Sidereal has 13 signs and follows the positions of the sun accurately, whereas most people use the incorrect tropical zodiac (12 signs).
I think the definitions that are claimed are wrong, but that the sun and moon positions magnetic fields do effect the structure of parts of our brains.
You are claiming …
You are claiming astrology is a science, which other supposed professional astrologers’ have strongly refuted eg. “astrology is not a science and nothing to do with science”. Some have also stated that astrology has nothing to do with planets. Your claim that exposure to ‘magnetic fields or forces’ affects human behaviour is something that could possibly be scientifically tested, yet so far all scientific tests of astrological claims end in failure.
Lol at the old guy …
Lol at the old guy who was left alone!
I think you are …
I think you are missing the point. The whole science behind astrology is supposed to be due to magnetic fields or forces that are imposed on our bodies and minds at various stages and times before and slightly after our births. So through this study of observing people who are born during periods of similar magnetic field exposure, one can determine generally how that person will behave.
Now, there is more than your sun sign magnetic field; the other planets effect your personality as well.
Sidereal, Vedic, …
Sidereal, Vedic, and Jyotish astrology point out the fact that popular astrology doesn’t take into account the fact that the constellations in the sky aren’t in the same places they were in ancient Greece. The best astrologers meet people, and draw up charts for them after an interview, using their own intuition in the process, so, I think like Tarot reading, it’s largely an intuitive field.
I agree this test …
I agree this test can’t realy prove anything either way probibly shouldn’t be on randi’s show.
Although, its amazing to me that people out there still think that the stars have some effect on there love life. And like randi said tons of books about this are soled to those people a year.
Hrm… well, …
Hrm… well, astrology doesn’t really claim to predict who people might be with, just who they might be most happy with.
Not to say I’m an astrology believer, just that this isn’t really what it’s about.
Statistically one …
Statistically one should guess someone’s sign 1/12 times, right?
NOBODY, has EVER guessed mine at the first attempt. And more than 50 people have tried. How can that be? I gave them all the personal info they wanted. Still nothing.
Actually quite a few of them got my sign wrong even when i gave them my birthday.
True, they were not professionals. But all of them sure talked like they know something about the subject.
So you visit a …
So you visit a medical professional to diagnose your problems. Why not just rely on your astrological skills which you claim can diagnose health issues?
also studies show …
also studies show that ethnic minorities are at high risk for psychiatric misdiagnoses too…especially blacks. Many blacks don’t trust psychiatrists. I am part black myself. I am mixed Black,White,Hispanic,Native American. I remember a navy doctor who actually believed that mixed people are biologically susceptible to having psychiatric disorders because of all the mixtures in them. I know that many people see us as mixed people as confused but man….he’s talking about mental illness.