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There is an issur to ask astrologers (Pess. 113; Shul.Ar. YD 179,1). And Rashi says (Dev. 13, 18) התהלך עמו בתמימות ותצפה לו ולא תחקור אחר העתידות So, is then a problem to

  1. ...compute probabilities?
  2. Learn their mathematical theory? (without the goal of using them... for example, among other units to pass a degree)
  3. And even, to check the weather predictions?...

A few thoughts:

  • Maybe there is a difference with astrology, because probabilites do not "predict" the future, but just give the "weight" of an event. Even a "zero" probability can happen (for example, taking a random point of the real line, every single point has a zero probability but at end there is a result).

  • Maybe probability is more like a סימן , like בית תינוק ואשה , that is permitted (Chulin 95b)?

  • Do we use רוב (Chulin 11a) to "predict" that a child "will be" fertile in the future, or do we say that "now" he is not a סריס ?

  • The Targum on Kohelet 11, 4

שומר רוח לא יזרע ורועה בעבים לא יקצור

indeed seems to compare meteorology and asrology?...

yO_
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    This seems a little too broad. Consider breaking it up into multiple smaller questions. – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 15:24
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    Much of human behaviour is predicated on educated predictions of future events. Obviously this is not forbidden. | Are you assuming that astrology is an effective tool of prediction? According to Rambam it is nonsense, and the Torah is commanding us not to be superstitious fools. | If you think weather predictions are forbidden, how about looking outside to check if it looks like it will rain? – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 15:28
  • לחקור אחר העתידות is not not included in stats. Statistics is a rational way of thinking. To look for meteorological issues by satellite is not חוקר עתידות – kouty Jan 01 '17 at 15:54
  • What sort of evidence are you looking for in an answer? I am pretty sure that the possibility that learning statistics is forbidden, is so outlandish that you will not find the classical literature addressing it. – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 16:40
  • @mevaqesh I tried avoid duplicates... – yO_ Jan 01 '17 at 16:41
  • @yO_ I don't know how that relates to my question. – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 16:41
  • @mevaqesh Yes, now, astrologers are totally void; but at Talmud time, it was a part of true. See Shabbos 156b and in the Tosfot, that even if it is forbidden to ask the astrologers, it is permitted (and sometimes recommended) to be careful if they said something. – yO_ Jan 01 '17 at 19:16
  • I don't know why you say 'yes'. Rambam is of the opinion that astrology never existed. (That is to say that it was always ineffective). – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 19:19
  • @mevaqesh Sorry... I first replied to your first comment, and after to your second :-) – yO_ Jan 01 '17 at 20:50
  • The ultra-"rational" thesis of Rambam is very controversed (see for example the RambaN on power of curses and several others). – yO_ Jan 01 '17 at 20:51
  • I am not here to rehash old machloket, (FWIW I think Rambam was quite prophetic in his skepticism, and that if such a debate would be repeated today, many if not all of his main disputants would embrace his view). (Also FWIW, his ultra-rationalism was for the most part totally consistent with the massoreth of the Geonim and of Sephard). I just wanted to note that the assumption that you seemed to be making in the question, was an assumption, rather than a fact. | According to Rambam, there is obviously no prohibition with anything in your question. – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 20:54
  • @mevaqesh Maybe it is an assumption. So the question is, "assuming the issur is not about making something unuseful..." – yO_ Jan 01 '17 at 23:24
  • @yO_ Consider editing that into the question. As of now, I see nothing precluding someone answering the question based on Rambam, which you apparently don't want. – mevaqesh Jan 01 '17 at 23:27
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    From what I understand about meteorology, I would not consider them "predictions" in any sense similar to how witches or psychics predict the future. The better term is "forecast". Meteorologists use actual current tools based on events that occur now in some part of the country. E.g. a radar shows precip. somewhere and they constantly watch the movement of that radar. Based on that and mathematical models combined with cloud observance, and other measuring tools, they tell you what the weather should be in your area during the next few days. – DanF Jan 03 '17 at 17:21
  • @DanF Thanks! Fine, indeed, weather forecast is based on measures introduced into a mathematical model thus we extrapolate by computed simulations. But astrologers too, they see what was the sky configuration at some instant (a man's birth) and based on some rules, they extrapolate what should be his future. No? – yO_ Jan 04 '17 at 07:45

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