Reflections from Ancient and Modern Perspectives: What Is the Theoretical Basis for Astrology Influencing Human Fate, and Is It Really Usable?

There are usually several kinds of claims:

1. The Cosmic Irradiation Theory — holds that the stars are like the eyes of the human body, able to emit light and heat, directly exerting a physical influence on the Earth and humanity.
2. The Natural Resonance Theory — holds that some hidden resonance or connection exists among all things in the universe, and that the movements of celestial bodies can influence earthly events.
3. The Determinism Theory — holds that the stars represent higher forces and laws that govern the operation of all things in the human world, and that human fate is constrained by these forces and laws.
4. The Symbolism Theory — holds that the movements of the stars reflect the Mandate of Heaven or the will of the heavens, containing symbolic meaning that hints at the direction of human destiny.
5. The Rulership Theory — holds that different stars govern different aspects of life, and that their positional relationships can determine a person's traits and destiny.
6. Astrology and the Soul — holds that the human soul comes from the stars, inheriting their qualities, and that an essential connection exists between the soul and its corresponding star.

Clearly, from a modern standpoint these claims lack persuasiveness. From the perspective of modern theory, these views of ancient astrology carry certain problems, which can generally be refuted in the following ways:

1. Scientific discoveries have already shown that the physical influence of celestial bodies on the Earth is minute, and insufficient to directly affect individual fate.
2. Modern astronomical research has found that celestial motions follow predictable physical laws and contain no symbolic or prophetic meaning.
3. Statistical studies show that no systematic correspondence exists between constellations, and that a person's character and destiny have no clear association with the astrological configuration at birth.
4. Biology and genetics demonstrate that human traits are mainly the joint product of hereditary genes and the acquired environment, and have nothing to do with the time of birth.
5. Psychological research shows that through the Pavlovian effect people unconsciously seek evidence that conforms to predictions, making astrological prophecies easy vehicles of self-fulfillment.
6. Most astrological predictions are vague and broad in their range of interpretation, failing to meet science's requirement of falsifiability.
7. Most empirical rules in astrology are not reproducible; predictions obtained by different astrologers frequently conflict with one another.
8. Comparative studies have found that the accuracy of astrological predictions is only slightly better than random guessing, indicating that their prophetic ability is highly limited.

However, although this modern explanation seems more reasonable, it does not mean these views are simply wrong, because:

1. Science itself has limits — existing science cannot explain every mystery in the world, and scientific paradigms undergo revolutionary change from time to time. Applying science too mechanically can itself become a kind of arrogance.
2. Neglecting subjective experience — many of astrology's effects rest on personal subjective emotion and meaning-seeking, which is difficult to objectify and measure with scientific tools.
3. Oversimplifying the ancient perspective — treating ancient astrology merely as primitive science ignores its distinctive cultural context and worldview.
4. Verification bias — many studies that refute astrology suffer from empirical bias, and it is hard to achieve truly double-blind conditions.
5. Statistical averaging — astrology concerns individual destinies, and group statistics alone are difficult grounds for negating particular cases.
6. Practical value does not equal truth — the practical utility of astrology does not necessarily verify the truth of its theories.
7. Ignoring historical accumulation — casting astrology away entirely would forfeit its unique insights and the wisdom accumulated within it.
8. Multiple understandings exist — there are many ways of understanding astrology, and criticizing it purely from a scientific angle carries a certain bias.