> PROBLEM (for Tim to explain): Astrology isn't only predicting an /annual/
> cycle of personality changes; due to its reliance on orbital positions of
> planets, it's predicting personality effects from planetary influences that
> wax and wane on a multi-annual timescale. Comments, prof?
Geocentrists came up with impressive models to explain why the planets
went into retrograde. They were all wrong. The earth goes around the
sun, that's why planets /appear/ to go into retrograde. Nevertheless, the
planets /do/ go into retrograde from an earth based vantage. Give
astrology 4000 years to work out their theories and you bet they'll come
up with some wacky explanations. Just look at the ones science has come
up with (and were wrong about) in the last 500 years. But that doesn't
mean they don't work from our limited vantage.
Your protocols for experiments are great. We should whip up a questionaire
and put it out there. I'm not sure my first assumption (that people
born at the same time of year have similar traits) will hold up under the
weight of data, but there's no other way to find out is there? Anyone
good at writing grants?
- Prof. Tim