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From: throopw@dg_rtp.UUCP (Wayne Throop)
Newsgroups: net.sci
Subject: Re: Biorhythms
Message-ID: <319@dg_rtp.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 25-Apr-86 16:16:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: dg_rtp.319
Posted: Fri Apr 25 16:16:42 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Apr-86 04:45:27 EDT
References: <935@cylixd.UUCP> <719@bentley.UUCP>
Lines: 23

>>[cylixd!dave (Dave Kirby) writes:]
>>Is there anything to Biorhythms, or is it just neo-astrology?

> [ihnp4!bentley!kwh (Karl W. Z. Heuer) writes:]
> I reject it for the same reason that I reject astrology: it's based
> on such an absurd premise.  There might be some such cycles in people,
> but I doubt that (a) they would all start nicely at age 0, (b) the
> periods would be an exact integer number of days, (c) the periods
> would be so consistent that one can extrapolate from age 0 to present,
> (d) that everyone would have the same parameters.
>
> Btw, assuming "astrology" means "using the positions of the heavenly
> bodies to determine events on earth", there is at least one non-trivial
> instance that works: tides.  (And perhaps weather, to some degree.)

It is interesting that the parallel between biorhythms and astrology is
very strong indeed.  They both have a "real" base, they both use vastly
oversimplified mathematical assumptions that swamp the real effects the
system is supposedly based on, and both fill very much the same
sociological niche, that is, causing money to flow from believer to
practitioner.
-- 
Wayne Throop      <the-known-world>!mcnc!rti-sel!dg_rtp!throopw