Astrology is Diametrically Opposed to Modern Science.
Between 1610 and the 1980s fifty-seven satellites, were discovered; exempli gratia Jupiter’s Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, and Neptune’s Triton, Nereid and 1989 N1. Why haven’t these been included into astrological theory? And why hasn’t astrology provided evidence to support the imaginary arcs, of the zodiac or 12 houses?
Astrologers must be prepared to have their theories tested according to principles, exempli gratia by statistical analysis, as set down by the scientific community. Astrology will continue being, marginalized from academic recognition, and regarded as a pseudoscience whilst it remains diametrically opposed to modern science.
~ Astrology as Pseudo-Psychology ~
Astrologers masquerade their irrational assumptions under the guise of psychology. They have encroached upon the field of psychology, hijacking psychological theories, and terminology, for interpolation into astrological lore. They borrow Jung’s theory of ‘synchronicity’ in an attempt to provide a rationale for their theories. Jung’s prime aim was to empirically test his hypothesis of ‘synchronicity’, in a research programme he conducted involving the clinical analysis of 483 married couples. He was, quite clearly, not exploring astrological theory nor practice.
Hone, in a psychological vein, suggested that:
‘Astrology was the first expression of psychology as we know it now, and by the study of human nature with its aid and the addition of commonsense, anyone with some experience of life and help and advise others, but the student proposing to do this would be better equiped to do so and would have a more up-to-date vocabulary if he made a study of modern analytical psychology also’. 11.
Hone’s assertion that ‘Astrology was the first expression of psychology…’ was not only naïve, but also absent of even the most fundamental knowledge of the historic development of psychology. Psychology as we know it now was drawn from the 17th century writings of: René Descartes (1596-1650), Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), and John Locke (1632-1704). Psychology did not have its origins in astrology, as Hone suggested, but out of the philosophical discourses between the ancient Greek philosophers; Plato, Aristotle et al.
Hone made an astounding assertion: ‘psychology has in modern times undergone special development in line with astrological work…(and) given the world a new vocabulary which is most helpful to the astrologer’ 12. Furthermore, she suggests that: ” …astrology should be given the more modern name of ‘The Cosmic Correlation Theory’ 13. , and the “map” (horoscope) should equal the “unconscious” 14. , the term ” astrological ” substituted for ” medical ” 15. ; “good and bad ” be now ” called the ‘pleasure-pain’ principle’ “; and ‘ influence ‘ (of planets) now replaced by ‘correlation’ 16.. Hone’s terminology is broad based, atheoretical and has no relationship with psychology.
Astrology, in all probability, will continue to have popular appeal to the mobile competitive urban West, and will remain a pseudoscience; regardless of how much scientific clothing is put on it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Hone, M . The Modern Text-Book of Astrology , 4th Ed, 1968. p. 285 : 17.
- George, L. A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator, 29th ed. 1972. p. 9,15.
- Nicolaides, J (trans). Pedalion. John Nicolaides, Athens, Greece. 1908.
- Hone, M. op. cit. p.16.
- George, L. op. cit. p.9.
- Rudhyar, D. The Astrological Houses The Spectrum of Individual Experience. 1972, p.4.
- Hone, M. op. cit. p.14.
- George, L. op. cit. p.18.
- George, L. ibid. p.11.
- George, L. ibid. p.11.
- Hone, M. op. cit. p. 222.
- Hone, M. ibid. p.298.
- Hone, M. ibid. p.xii.
- Hone, M. ibid. p. 299.
- Hone, M. ibid. P. 300.
- Hone, M. ibid. p. 16.