Here are three brief quotes which I feel compelled to reprint, from Steven Weinberg’s “Dreams of a Final Theory”, Pantheon, New York, 1992. [pages 48 — 50] since they touch upon how scientific skepticism is often based not on facts, but on suppositions and errors.
Alongside the mainstream of scientific knowledge are isolated little pools of what (to choose a neutral term) I might call would-be science: astrology, precognition, “channeling”, clairvoyance, telekinesis, creationism, and their kin. If it could be shown that there is any truth to any of these notions it would be the discovery of the century, much more exciting and important than anything going on today in the normal work of physics.
We do not understand everything, but we understand enough to know that there is no room in our world for telekinesis or astrology.
…there is no room in nature for astrology or telekinesis or creationism or other superstitions.
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The above confident statements are by Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg… They do seem just a bit dismissive and also a bit pompous and narrow-minded and presumes much too much without the backing of any actual knowledge. I did a Solar Chart via Astro.com. since I don’t see that his TIME of birth is recorded in any public article(s) about him just the day itself: May 3, 1933. His birthday is just coming up — he will be 78 or so! Good for him! Not so good that Physics has lots of idiots who have never looked at their own birth-charts and thus are inclined to rattle-off a bunch of skeptical, dismissive nonsense about Astrology.
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He was born with Mercury conjunction Uranus in Aries, so he can think around corners and do new research, (Aries) as opposed to going over worn and tired data. His quick-thinking and strong Saturn led to profound insights. His flashy intuitive speculations may have bothered a few who were not so dazzling. His Moon and Mercury trine, so except for subjects that he knows nothing about, he enjoys clear thinking. His Mercury bestows favorable ‘vibes’ to a Moon and Saturn which are in opposition to each other. So he was able to flee or form useful compromises to escape severe emotional distress in his early childhood, and either the loss of contact with, or the loss of attention from, his mother or possibly both parents, since Sun (father) is also involved. He was able to overcome emotional harshness of youth through reading, writing and study. Were these Talmudic studies, as might befit a Jewish lad? No, his Mercury in conjunction with escapist and anarchistic Uranus shows he read everything BUT traditional religious tracts.
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This is an extremely LUCKY man, as well! Yes, yes… people make their own luck with hard work… and I know Dr. Weinberg read a LOT of books, and studied hard! But this goes beyond that… In some real way, he had some help on his way through school, and in his first few jobs. Both his SUN and Venus in Taurus are in a helpful 120 degree “trine” aspect to Jupiter in Virgo. His teachers helped him along, helped dig him out of any pessimistic hole his emotional life had dug for himself, and he did get appointments and grants and gosh-knows-that (Aha! eventually the Nobel prize!), with that very helpful Jupiter. With Jupiter in Virgo, well-aspected, he had abundant energies to read, write, and teach. Publishers were of a mind to accept, rather than reject, his manuscripts, especially as he was obviously backed by influential university administrator as well as, most likely, other scientists. Even though he emotionally sometimes felt like at the bottom of a barrel, and as lonely as a scientist on a small planet in the Lesser Magellanic Cloud, doomed to view worlds of pleasure from afar, fortune smiled on him and selected him to rise, like cream, to the top layer in the world of physics.
The good doctor has Mercury square Pluto, and for sheer speed, have a look at the CafeAstrology interpretation — of that aspect:
http://www.cafeastrology.com/natal/mercuryplutoaspects.html Go down just a little to the sub-heading “Mercury square or opposition Pluto“. Hah! Sounds like it was written just for him — except it wasn’t. It was written for that small sub-set of people who have Mercury more or less ninety degrees from Pluto in their birth charts! But why should that amaze you, if you understand the least little bit about how effective Astrology is in showing the true nature of any human being! Which Steven Weinberg was never taught anything about, or he wouldn’t look down on “science’s rivals” with such a foolish and haughty air!
Weinberg’s Moon is opposite Saturn, which shows he has a very difficult time with close relationship, getting close, allowing intimacy, being personal! He puts up walls of resistance, possibly to spare himself what he feels is the coldness, the lack of affection which is in the world… possibly his own family life as a child was difficult vis-a-vis his mother or his family in general . He turned away from their beliefs; they were Jewish, he is an avowed atheist. For another good description of a natal aspect, here’s another Cafe Astrology link. Just look for the “Moon square or opposition Saturn” heading on this page: http://www.cafeastrology.com/natal/moonsaturnaspects.htm
His Venus also squares Saturn, so his chances of a really good love life were defeated by lack of opportunity, dismissive girlfriends, a lack of being able to reach out to possible friends and lovers. His Saturn is in a kingpin situation at the very top of this solar chart, showing that he is all business, a very serious man! His devotion to science is profound, and with Mars, the energy and work planet when well-aspected in perfectionistic Virgo, he was likely to study his way to the top of the class, and then to the top of his field —– ah! But at what loss to a personal life! He was not likely to raise a big family with his Saturn aspecting both Sun and Moon, so it surprises me a little that I read that he does have one child — a daughter. His Sun (self) conjunction Venus (female child, child of beauty), shows a daughter was indicated and that he feels very close to her. But a son was denied him because of several factors, including Mars (the planet indicating male children) was in conjunction with Neptune, showing loss and confusion. He may have had a son or a son on-the-way, who was lost at some point.
He likes to travel, his Jupiter is well-aspected, and aspects other planets well. Jupiter is in conjunction with Neptune, so there is color and romance in his travels; he has lived from New York City to Berkeley, and now lives in Austin, Texas. Taurus and Virgo being earth signs, with Jupiter in Virgo he is happier in an inland location — Austin, Texas! In a standard reference on geographical astrology, Austin is shown to be a double Capricorn city, with both Sun and Moon closely conjunct in Capricorn. This fact ties-in nicely with Dr. Weinberg’s Taurus and Virgo planets, giving him a kind of “Grand Trine” effect, which smooths out his path in life. His life just “rolls along” in Austin! I knew there must be SOME attraction for Austin rather than choosing to live on the West Coast or the Eastern Seaboard, places where he DID live, but moved away from — and for good reason!
Weinberg has one horrible factor in his chart: Both his Sun AND his Moon (symbolic of his mother and father), are squared by Saturn. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, his Moon and Sun square each other. I am surprised his mother and father didn’t split up shortly after Steven was born. This surging, undeniable, Saturnian emphasis at birth shows me that neither his own personal mother or his father were (literally) “there for him” when he needed their attention and affection. Did his parents even raise him, or was it someone else in the family? Discipline was definitely present, and he grew up to resent, but also fear, authority. This may be the influence that REALLY took him from Judaism into Atheism… why much of this book is spent denigrating religions belief. His hatred of “creationism”, which obviously extends to Judaism, wasn’t based on scientifism so much as it was BOTH his parents rejection of him at an early age, leading to his rejection of them.
Please don’t miss my recent additions to my “Cosmic Church of Christ” page on this same site.. Now! For those of you who would like to see the Solar chart used above, here is the massive link (I hope its a good one), that will recreate the one I’ve been looking at on astro.com:
http://www.astro.com/cgi/chart.cgi?cid=bplfilevn9p7C-u1204396517;lang=e;gm=a1;btyp=24;mth=gw;sday=20;smon=4;syr=2011;hsy=-1;zod=;orbp=;rs=1;add=18;add=19;add=20;add=22;add=12;add=13;add=14;add=15;add=136199;node=-Yn;aspc=1;fix=1;ast=&nhor=236&nho2=40
Thanks for looking in! ———-Ed
