Astrology Deserving of an Open Mind

As a scientist, lifelong skeptic and professional astrologer, I am writing to object strongly to the wrongheaded and erroneous ideas conveyed to your readers by T.C. Hall’s letter, “Museum Astrology Project a Bad Sign” (Aug. 18).

First, any knowledgeable astrologer will tell you that the astrology columns in our daily newspapers are garbage.

Second, Webster’s New World Dictionary (Collegiate Edition) defines science as: “systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation carried on in order to determine the nature or principles of what is being studied.”

While not supporting astrology’s validity, scientist Carl Sagan nevertheless would not sign the infamous “Objections to Astrology” petition because of its authoritarian tone. Sagan stated: “The fundamental point is not that the origins of astrology are shrouded in superstition. This is true as well for chemistry, medicine and astronomy . . . . That we can think of no mechanism for astrology is relevant but unconvincing. No mechanism was known, for example, for continental drift when it was proposed by Wegener. Nevertheless, we see that Wegener was right. . . .”

Third, “clear thinking and valid scientific education” of our children requires teaching them to reason and be open-minded enough to question, not respond emotionally on the basis of politically motivated dogma of prevailing opinion, whatever the subject matter. History abounds with examples of such ignorant arrogance.

JIM SILVER

Santa Ana