Prof. Lisa Feldman Barrett of Cornell University makes clear in her book "Seven and a Half Lessons About Your Brain" that my brain has lots to do besides allow me to think. David Eagleman makes the point even more emphatically in his "Incognito". Here is a link to a web page that lists other books about human bodies and impulses that guide us and influence us without our conscious awareness.
https://sites.google.com/view/kirbyvariety1/books-about-the-unconscious
Yesterday, I tried to list some of the factors that influence us aside of our conscious thinking.
https://fearfunandfiloz.blogspot.com/2022/02/what-forces-tend-to-affect-us.html
My friend Adams commented that I had omitted the arrangement of the stars and planets. He wrote that such an omission would be typical of a person born to my astrological sign. His comment got me thinking.
I have read that India includes many people with a strong interest in astrology:
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=What+country%27s+people+have+the+most+interest+in+astrology
In searching "what country's people have a strong interest in astrology," I read that India is indeed such a country, but that 30% of Americans also have such an interest.
Light pollution or not, a clear night sky sure shows many heavenly bodies. If learned or respected people tell me they read the configurations of such bodies and get important ideas from them, I might believe them. Some Indian friends told me they wisely consulted an astrologer to learn the optimal day and time for their marriage. But I think they discarded the advice that 2 AM on a certain day would be best.
My current beliefs try to downplay predictions since I want to concentrate on perceiving and enjoying my present. I might ask an astrologer to help me gain insight into a person or phenomenon but I go by the idea that the heavenly bodies have little or no influence so the idea of "randomness" comes to mind. I have taught many statistics lessons so the concept of randomness is familiar, but I admit that getting deep into thinking about what is random is as murky as my uses of my sign.
