The other day, while I was surfing the net, I came to a discussion on "Is Astrology a Science?". In this article were comments by philosophers, cosmologists, psychologists and many other men of science. And most of them if not all of them took the position that there was nothing of interest or validity in Astrology as a science. But is that true?
Science depends on observation and correlation. And then the mind takes over and organizes these facts into a pattern which can be measured and repeated from anywhere on this earth. The repeated observation, correlation and conclusion is what makes the 'experiment' a scientific law. We are, to this day, trying to prove Einstein wrong. But Relativity still rules.
Now let us look at the case for Astrology as a science. From a time of long ago, the shepards tending their flocks were probably the first observers of the stars in the night sky. And they noticed the fact that some stars always appeared at the same place night after night. Others of the 'stars' seemed to move from night to night and they were called 'wanderers' or later on planets. But the movement of these wanderers was a regularly observable phenomenon and later on their path could be predicted with great accuracy. This was easy in the case of the Sun and the Moon but the other planets were much more difficult. The original others were of course Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The advent of the telescope added Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. So we have observation of a consistent pattern of things. Now we need correlation of these observable facts. This we do by first assigning names to the planets as gods in most cases, i.e Jupiter, Saturn and the like. To the fixed stars which represent the signs of the Zodiac we assign the names of animals or perhaps even human functions like Virgo, Gemini etc.. And to the Houses of the Horoscope we just assign numbers. I did not intend to make this a class in Astrology but merely to show how these parameters are reproducible, measurable and knowable in a language that could be a useful tool for us to understand complex things such as human character and behavior.
So far I have shown that the Scientist and the Astrologer approach things in virtually the same way when dealing with complexity. And perhaps next time we can look at some other comparisons that might allow us to say something about the applicability of these two tools of the mind.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Odds 'n Ends ... or are they?
As I wandered through the minefield of my brain, careful not to set anything off that might blow it, I touched some subjects that might be of interest. I thought of the females of the world and the pain and fear that challenged them at least at three points in their life. I thought of Hermeneutics which is a technique for understanding complex things through, let us say, geometry. And I thought of sharing with you the pleasures of knowing that ones offspring have grown to the point where they too are creators of their own destiny.
So the first topic on my list won my attention and I focused on the three key points in the life of a female.
The first time reveals the role that women are to play in the life of the race. And that is the onset of the first ovulation. The pain, perhaps, the emotions evoked at the sight of ones own blood and all the other physical, mental and spiritual changes that mark this event require the comfort and support of those around. Younger girls can only look on in awe, older woman can empathize because they too have come down that path. Men can only sympathize because there is no way to share those feelings other than vicariously. So at this point, the female, the woman, becomes the protector of the future of the race. The male, the man, becomes the protector of the woman as his part in this drama.
When the female ovum is joined by the male sperm, the process leads to the next key point in a woman's journey. And that is the birth of the offspring. There is no question of the fear and concern about the outcome. Hormones are changing to accomodate the process. Since this is the first, the fear of the unknown hovers over like a shroud. And finally the birthing itself is accompanied by considerable effort and perhaps even physical pain to make it happen. At this time the female, the woman, needs to be sourrounded with support and protection especially that of the male who shared in this from the beginning. She has been the major contributor in a living breathing example of a contribution to the race and a perpetuation of the gene pool.
The final node in the journey occurs when the female recognizes the end of her role in this pageant of life. This occurs when the ovulation stops and the dread process of menopause sets in. To some this may be a relief from the responsibilities of bearing and rearing children. To others this may be a melancholy time because it symbolizes the end of the vital role that the female, the woman had to play in this drama we call life. Either way, the hormones again change with the resulting upheaval in physical, mental and spiritual responses. And it becomes another time when a female needs support and sympathy and special comfort. Again the male cannot but sympathize with this by comort and protection and understanding of those changes.. the hot flashes, the realization that the once strong and attractive body which was the temple and the home of the race has now softened as time has taken its toll.
I realize that not all females choose, or for some physical reason perhaps, to have children. But the nature of femaleness brings them all together in a universal sisterhood. And I include them in my salute to the female, the Mother, the real protector of the race. So it is the egg which did come first after all.
I have written this as I reflect on the up-coming Mother's Day... on May 8... that would have been my mother's ninety sixth birthday had she chosen to stay in this incarnation.
So the first topic on my list won my attention and I focused on the three key points in the life of a female.
The first time reveals the role that women are to play in the life of the race. And that is the onset of the first ovulation. The pain, perhaps, the emotions evoked at the sight of ones own blood and all the other physical, mental and spiritual changes that mark this event require the comfort and support of those around. Younger girls can only look on in awe, older woman can empathize because they too have come down that path. Men can only sympathize because there is no way to share those feelings other than vicariously. So at this point, the female, the woman, becomes the protector of the future of the race. The male, the man, becomes the protector of the woman as his part in this drama.
When the female ovum is joined by the male sperm, the process leads to the next key point in a woman's journey. And that is the birth of the offspring. There is no question of the fear and concern about the outcome. Hormones are changing to accomodate the process. Since this is the first, the fear of the unknown hovers over like a shroud. And finally the birthing itself is accompanied by considerable effort and perhaps even physical pain to make it happen. At this time the female, the woman, needs to be sourrounded with support and protection especially that of the male who shared in this from the beginning. She has been the major contributor in a living breathing example of a contribution to the race and a perpetuation of the gene pool.
The final node in the journey occurs when the female recognizes the end of her role in this pageant of life. This occurs when the ovulation stops and the dread process of menopause sets in. To some this may be a relief from the responsibilities of bearing and rearing children. To others this may be a melancholy time because it symbolizes the end of the vital role that the female, the woman had to play in this drama we call life. Either way, the hormones again change with the resulting upheaval in physical, mental and spiritual responses. And it becomes another time when a female needs support and sympathy and special comfort. Again the male cannot but sympathize with this by comort and protection and understanding of those changes.. the hot flashes, the realization that the once strong and attractive body which was the temple and the home of the race has now softened as time has taken its toll.
I realize that not all females choose, or for some physical reason perhaps, to have children. But the nature of femaleness brings them all together in a universal sisterhood. And I include them in my salute to the female, the Mother, the real protector of the race. So it is the egg which did come first after all.
I have written this as I reflect on the up-coming Mother's Day... on May 8... that would have been my mother's ninety sixth birthday had she chosen to stay in this incarnation.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A Book Review
Hello again folks... this time it is Sunday morning. Perhaps it is a more convenient time for me to write since Barbara and I have returned from our ritual breakfast at Panera Bread. And we have had opportunity to get into some stimulating discussion. So in the glow of that mood, let me tell you of a fascinating book that I read just recently.
The book is entitled "Down the Rabbit Hole" by Peter Abrahams. This is a modernized version of the original Lewis Caroll story of a young girl who falls down a hole chasing a rabbit. Alice, in this case, is a just-turned thirteen year old who rises to the challenges of everything from teeth braces to the complications of her first romance and the more complicated drives and perhaps evil passions of the adults around her.
The setting is the small New England town of Echo Falls. This appealed to Barbara since she grew up in Hubbertston, which was just down the road a piece from the thriving metropolis of Gardner, Massachusetts. A town where one could walk from one end to the other in an hour or perhaps jog through in a half hour. A town where everybody knew everybody and better than that they knew what everyody was up to. Or did they?
Ingrid is our protagonist in this story and she shows all the characteristics of a teener as she interacts with her friends at school. But at the same time shows some very mature responses as the story enfolds. Ingrid has read everything that Conan-Doyle has written about Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Doctor Watson. And this stands her in good stead when she tries to understand the whacky world that she has been thrust into as a freshly-minted teeny bopper.
Ingrid/Alice shows that she is also well-read since one of the clues toward the end is based on a portion of the poem "Xanadu" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This helps her reveal the true identity of the antagonist who tries to kill her in the end. But to tell you any more would spoil the story for those of you whose interest has been kindled at this point.
The book is entitled "Down the Rabbit Hole" by Peter Abrahams. This is a modernized version of the original Lewis Caroll story of a young girl who falls down a hole chasing a rabbit. Alice, in this case, is a just-turned thirteen year old who rises to the challenges of everything from teeth braces to the complications of her first romance and the more complicated drives and perhaps evil passions of the adults around her.
The setting is the small New England town of Echo Falls. This appealed to Barbara since she grew up in Hubbertston, which was just down the road a piece from the thriving metropolis of Gardner, Massachusetts. A town where one could walk from one end to the other in an hour or perhaps jog through in a half hour. A town where everybody knew everybody and better than that they knew what everyody was up to. Or did they?
Ingrid is our protagonist in this story and she shows all the characteristics of a teener as she interacts with her friends at school. But at the same time shows some very mature responses as the story enfolds. Ingrid has read everything that Conan-Doyle has written about Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Doctor Watson. And this stands her in good stead when she tries to understand the whacky world that she has been thrust into as a freshly-minted teeny bopper.
Ingrid/Alice shows that she is also well-read since one of the clues toward the end is based on a portion of the poem "Xanadu" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This helps her reveal the true identity of the antagonist who tries to kill her in the end. But to tell you any more would spoil the story for those of you whose interest has been kindled at this point.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Side tracked by Opening Day
I got sidetracked this week... was going to write on some profound scientific topic but it was opening day of Baseball. And the Phillies came up with 6 hits and 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth to win their first game this year. soooo
I got this comment from Peg so let me give a brief update on our latest journey into the weight-loss world.
Good for you! Barb too! I haven't seen much mention of the exercise program in the past couple of posts. Do you want to say anything about that? Anyhow, I'm proud of you two for sticking with it. Peg
As you will remember we started this 17-day diet the Wednesday after fat Tuesday. It is now the 13th day of the second cycle so we have been asea for almost a month now. In the beginning we lost about a half pound a day but that tapered off as time went on. By actual talley when I strained the scale this morning I was 255 for a net loss of 12 pounds and I circumnavigated my circumference at 53 inches for a net loss of a modest two inches.
As for the exercise program... that has been a casualty of war. I mean... it is really an imposition to ask a man of 79 winters to diet and exercise at the same time. I swing the dumb bells sporadically and I seem to have difficulty in putting the treadmill into operation. Must be an electrical problem somewhere. But anyway we are almost finished with phase II and eager to see what phase III brings for us.
I got this comment from Peg so let me give a brief update on our latest journey into the weight-loss world.
Good for you! Barb too! I haven't seen much mention of the exercise program in the past couple of posts. Do you want to say anything about that? Anyhow, I'm proud of you two for sticking with it. Peg
As you will remember we started this 17-day diet the Wednesday after fat Tuesday. It is now the 13th day of the second cycle so we have been asea for almost a month now. In the beginning we lost about a half pound a day but that tapered off as time went on. By actual talley when I strained the scale this morning I was 255 for a net loss of 12 pounds and I circumnavigated my circumference at 53 inches for a net loss of a modest two inches.
As for the exercise program... that has been a casualty of war. I mean... it is really an imposition to ask a man of 79 winters to diet and exercise at the same time. I swing the dumb bells sporadically and I seem to have difficulty in putting the treadmill into operation. Must be an electrical problem somewhere. But anyway we are almost finished with phase II and eager to see what phase III brings for us.
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