astrology - how much is it a matter of reason? nothing really. i mean how can a set of planets sitting up there can do anything to influence your life. and all those fancy gadgets the so-called pandits make us wear, nothing but accessories right. its all a matter of faith, i say. the more exposure your skin has to the particular stone, the more effect it can have on the planet far above. the more you chant, the more rituals you perform, the more you can influence your future.
i don't agree. while nothing works without faith, reason is present everywhere too. its the positions of these planets which determines the influence they have on an individual's life. and the set of influences makes it unique, so even if two people share the same sun-signs, they can have absolutely different lives. further, there are hardcore calculations to determine the future positions of these planets and using that the influence can also be estimated. and if you explore with an open mind, you will find how close to accuracy these estimates can be. predictions makes it sound a bit fuzzy, so i use the word estimate.
now the other example:
financial valuations - there are very scientific methods of valuing companies. future cashflows discounted to today and based on a realistic growth expectation. the risk of course is again calculated with great precision, depending on the investor's profile, the geography, the industry, the product itself and the competition. there is the market risk, the beta and the company's risk itself. one can also do valuations by using various comparables (P/E, ROI, etc) from existing companies based on actual historical performances. not only can the financial aspects be valued with great degree of detail, but also, the strategic value can be measured so as to ascertain future performance.
i don't completely agree. risk can never be quantified completely. there will always be an element of unexpected occurrence, otherwise it wouldn't be called risk isn't it? growth can be aimed for, the achieved growth cannot always meet expectations. that's why they are expectations and not definite news. estimating the future based on historical performance is never going to be perfect either - trends repeat themselves, but events don't. you perceive a product, you expect a growth level, you hedge against a idea of risk without actually knowing it - its all a matter of what you believe is going to happen and how much you believe you can protect yourself from what you think will be bad for you.
it just struck me one day, that astrology is laughed upon by the majority while financial valuation is sought after by the majority. why is that? because of where it is being taught, and how much the job pays you? or is it because the people in the respective fields have created a certain aura about themselves, and the majority gets repelled by one, whereas it gets attracted to the other. but in the end, i think, they are both as much a function of reason, as much they are of faith.
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