Belief in the validity and relevance of astrology appears to be rising, especially among younger people. This book (reviewed in 2018) presents an approach to this branch of pseudoscience that not only helps to uncover the problems with astrology but also improve critical thinking skills in general.
by Seanna Watson
Horoscopes: Reality or Trickery
What’s your astrological sign? Most people, even skeptics, will immediately be able to answer this question. Though results tend to vary widely depending on just how the question is asked, research has shown that between 25% and 50% of people surveyed in the U.S., Canada, and the UK believe that horoscopes have at least some scientific validity. Granted, on the one hand, astrology is not as dangerous as many other pseudosciences. But on the other hand, it can be a gateway to more “woo” (or more hopefully, perhaps, with the help of this book, a gateway to better critical thinking).
Like most pseudoscientific beliefs, astrology seems plausible on the face of it. The study of physics tells us that everything has a gravitational field. We learn that the change in the pull of gravity of the sun and moon can even make the oceans rise higher, so wouldn’t it make sense that there might be a similar effect on our own bodies, which after all are mostly water? And of course the belief in astrology is ancient and venerable. So many people have believed it for so many years — they can’t all be wrong, can they?*
Written for a younger audience (preteens/young teens), this book provides a wealth of scientific information in a way that is accessible without being condescending. There are clear explanations providing alternate explanations for “evidence” cited by astrologers and their disciples, including hands-on experiments for readers to do individually or with others. Along the way, there are lessons in analysis and critical thinking, as well as numerous interesting facts and anecdotes about astronomy, the history of science, and the scientific method.
The late Carl Sagan said, “If science were explained to the average person in a way that is accessible and exciting, there would be no room for pseudoscience. But…in popular culture the bad science drives out the good.” The accessible and exciting Horoscopes: Reality or Trickery is the first of a series of books in which the author (Kimberly Blaker) explains science to young readers, equipping the next generation with the tools they need to crowd out pseudoscience.
* Actually, they can. This is an example of two informal logical fallacies: “Argument from Antiquity” and “Argument by Popularity”.