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"science and superstition"

 

            
             "Although we live in the scientific age, most people are still somewhat superstitious. Otherwise, there would not be such an interest in daily horoscopes and psychic readings.".
             When we distinguish between science and superstition, we muxt be careful because the science of era may be the superstition of another. For example, alchemy was once regarded as a science but is today seen by chemistry as superstition, and astrology was once viewed as means of obtaining knowledge but is now regarded by astronomy as superstition. The change, however, is gradual. As a result, one would expect elements of the earlier science, now condemned by today's science as mere superstition, to strive and even thrive right along side more modern conceptions. Certainly this is true of the two examples given by the speaker.
             First, almost every newspaper carries a daily horoscopes in which advice is dispense to people based upon their astrological signs. It's difficult to believe that the daily horoscopes would be such popular feature unless may if not most poeple were interested in their horoscopes. Or it is not unusual for people to make generalizations such as "He's a Virgo and so meticulous,"or"She's a Leo an not very systematic.".
             Second, advertisings for psychic readings frequently appear in newspapers and upon television. These ads are almost always acconpanied by a disclaimer that the service is "for amusement purposes only," but it is hard to believe that so many people could be so easily amused. There must be quite a few who truely accept the psychic's ability to see things. .
             Does this mean that most people are superstitious in a very crude sense. Not at all, for at a certain level, these are harmless diversions. To really label someone as superstitious, we'd want to see some evidence of an elaborate ritual such as dancing under the full moon prior to animal sacrifice. Reading a daily horoscope or dialing the psychic hotline doesn't seem to compare with that.


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