Chess and Astrology

We can banter back and forth forever about this but why do that when we can end this debate right now? Handwriting analysts are willing to put their claims to the test so why not astrologists? Come forward and let us test your findings.

I didn't say I believe any of it, I said I would treat the person with respect, not the religion. I'm tired of militant atheists attacking the religious with fevour that is, ironically, approaching religious zeal. Atheism is not a religion. Dawkins is not the Messiah. 

I don't believe in the zodiac, but my partner reads mine out aloud most weeks despite my rolling eyes and good humoured ribbing. I feel that some people in this thread might rip up the magazine and throw it her face whilst laughing at her for being so stupid. (Then give her a Dawkins book to read!  )

Tolerance and respect, that's it really. What's the issue with that? Why attack someone because they believe in something you don't? Isn't that something we abhor about some religions? 

Trant - because I go by rational, reasoned, tested knowledge. Those who choose not to live by this basis in my eyes don't deserve as much respect as those that do.

Not that I'm necessarily going to go around telling them so, but inherently I will trust someone's judgement etc. more if they don't randomly believe in a Flying Spaghetti Monster.

What's wrong with the Flying Spaghetti monster? Surely it's his noodley appendages that have shown us the truth about the correlation about the declining number of pirates and global warming? 

True story : I have some new-age friends who believe in crystal healing. When they're ill, they go to the doctor as well as using various crystals to help them. My scientist side tells me that they're using a powerful placebo and most scientists would have to admit that the placebo effect is both real and powerful. As a non-believer I am actually less capable of getting better than the new-agers when I fall ill.

So in a way they're correct, the crystal probably does help them. How mental is that?!? I'd love to see a study on that basis, but mostly it's about placebo pills or reducing pharmaceuticals without the patients knowledge.

Well yes, it's a two way street I would hope. A bit of understanding all round. You're talking about fundamentalist loons really, most religious people I know are quite moderate and private about their religion.

I think what I heard earlier in the bone-structure part of the discussion was that phrenology may simply be a physical manifestation of astrology.

Most are, certainly. And I do respect those, mainly for keeping it to themselves.

But, If I should come on here and create a topic titled ATHEISM AND CHESS, and post it in a public forum. I would be putting my beliefs out there, and I would be naive not to expect criticism and even ridicule.

I would have to be prepared to defend my stance, anything else would be just arrogance, assuming everybody must believe what I do without question.

 I talked about it earlier, and my idea about it -which can be right or wrong ofcourse, and not like what some people here trying to make it look like i am arrogant- (i am kinda arrogant but not concerning knowledge)..my idea is that God CAN create everything just like that, but why he would do that if he just can do it based on scientific bases..like DNA, and Astrology..and even the Evolution Theory is not contraducted with existence of God as it's a way that God might have used in creating us.

Maybe, but it wouldn't be right either. If you posted a thread entitled "Atheism and Chess" with, say a list of GMs who were atheists, and the replies you received were "OMG, have you not read the bible? How do you think the universe was created? etc." then you'd think that person was a bit of an arse. You don't need to be an atheist to talk about which GMs are atheists anymore than you need to believe in astrology to raise a smile at Tal being a Scorpio.

So sorry, yes, I get upset when fellow atheists act like arses.

Doomed to be able to live with each other?

So, I can fervently propose anything I like, and nobody has the right to fervently oppose me?

Not at all, but have a look at this thread, tell me which of these is a valid argument and which show no respect at all?

IMO astrology is ridiculous. I wouldn't mind it if a lot a people wouldn't use it to pass judgments on others because of their "bad signs". The OP with its "dark aura" stuff is quite typical...

Astrology is nonsense... you'll better compare GMs to their favourite food.

astrology is only for the very gullible............

While we're recommending reading material on this topic, I highly recommend this book as well: (Science as a candle in the dark)

Compared to some great posts such as 

Kinan, If there is a correlation, you should then be able to look at chess games without knowing who the players are and predict with some degree of accuracy their astrological signs. Are you up to the challenge?

Actually I think that even the very sparse facts provided in the original post go against the hypothesis: Tal and Capablanca are supposed to have the same chess playing style? Morphy and Karpov??

See a difference?

LOOLZ  100%

So I'm Lasker then, what should I do to play like him? Should I play all my games in december? Is it really safe for me to play in the summer, how much money should I transfer to your account?

All the first posts seem true enough. Granted, the last pair actually went a way to disproving the astrology 'hypothesis'. But some things are evidently stupid, and I'm not sure what the problem with calling something evidently stupid evidently stupid is.

Call a spade a spade, after all...

Human beings are creatures of faith.

The religious have faith in their Gods.

The atheists have faith in the idea that there are no Gods.

The agnostics have faith in the idea that faith itself is worthless.

Er, no. All very tidy, but incorrect. I don't have 'faith' in my atheism. I accept something is as it is when I am, or it can be, shown that it is so. This doesn't require faith in the idea that there are no gods. Just hard logic.

 Are you sure?

 There is no such hard logic. You can't disprove God.

 You can't disprove Sxhsjhdssd'cthm either (a god I made up for this post).