Prof Brian Cox on BBC Radio 5 Live…

Professor Brian Cox has been on the Richard Bacon show on BBC 5 Live. All was going well until he made the statement, children don’t realise that they could earn more as scientists and engineers than other careers. Seems a bit of an unscientific remark to me, for whilst I agree we need to make other possibilities more exciting, bit of a blanket statement…

Ghosts

He then on to say Ghosts were rubbish, because to speak we need to eat. This may be indisputable from a scientific view point, but anyone who feels any energy, or effect can only be influenced by cause and effect alone, is inhabiting only a practical dimension.

Astrology and Brian Cox

Richard Bacon teased all this out very skilfully, and then of course, led us to astrology. First Cox denied that he had uttered the words that astrology is rubbish, then said, basically get over it, if you disagree. And I think this very arrogance is what I object to.

Personally, even though I have done this for a living for 16 years, I don’t have any problem in people not believing in astrology, indeed this can be said of almost all my friends. But he is using a Public Broadcast portal, to slag off astrology, without even understanding what it is, and that I don’t like.

Astrologers are not fakes

For example, he professed amazement that anyone practised astrology as a sincere living. Well if he had been better briefed, he would know this was so, and know that most astrologers are not fakes, prying on people’s insecurities but very intelligent and genuine people.

Chinese Monkey

He then went on to say he didn’t know what his zodiac sign was, a statement which lacks complete credibility when he said he knew he was a Chinese Monkey. Anyone with any passing knowledge of Chinese astrology, would know their own Western zodiac sign. He just couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge this, which was pretty obvious to all.

Astrophysicist Dr Percy Seymour

He also went to say that there was no scientific evidence to support astrology, but Astrophysicist Dr Percy Seymour has published two books finding that there was, so again, his research into this subject is scant to say the least, because he doesn’t even acknowledge that other scientists believe that there is a link between the gravitational forces of the solar system – that was, despite saying that weather on earth WAS affected by solar activity. Hold on, we are part of this planet, we don’t own it, we are product of it!!!

Metaphysical views

So, what we have here, is someone with sincerely held scientific views, who trashes anyone with sincerely held metaphysical views, and that I find entirely objectionable.

What would be much more appropriate is for him to say, “personally I don’t believe in astrology and don’t know enough about it to take a view”.

If you’d like to read about how my interest in astrology evolved…

Liked it? Take a second to support Patrick Arundell on Patreon!