Recently on Instagram, I asked followers to take part in a small survey and promised to share the results. This is in no way proper statistical research (there are always people who need this kind of disclaimer), it is merely an illustration of a small astrologically charged crowd’s view on a subject.
It was offered to choose a statement from below:
I believe:
A Planets movement influences life on Earth
B Planets movement correlates with life on Earth
C Planets movement has no connection to life on Earth
Statement A gained 50%, B – 44% and C – 6% of responses.
Distancing from personal beliefs, and looking at this from a solely astrological perspective the results are not great. Less than half of astrology-interested people know the correct answer.
However, it is understandable, because a misconception that ‘astrology claims planets influence people and life on Earth’ is very common. I don’t know the original author of this claim. I can only guess that this fallacy might have happened naturally when the traditional professional vocabulary of astrologers was taken out of context. When an astrologer refers to a planet as a promittor of certain events or characteristics it is easy to get confused. Same as when the Sun, Moon and Pluto are being named planets, or when a geocentric system is being used. All this provides novices with confusion and scientists with a broad spectrum of opportunities to berate astrology, unassuming that a lot of professional astrological features are not to be taken literally.
Astrology studies the correlation between celestial events and cycles and life on Earth, it does not proclaim the influence of planets or other celestial bodies on life. Correlation does not mean causation.
Do planets influence life on Earth? Scientifically, at this instant – no. Apart from solar flares, lunar tides, meteorites, minuscule gravity effects and such, but it is not the influence in question.
Astrologically, there is no answer because that is not a subject of astrological studies.
Speculatively, anything is possible. Various theories exist in this area, from nearly scientific to spiritual, but none has been shown valid yet.