Astrology

Nature, History, Methodology, Theories, and Debunking

http://www.valdosta.edu/~esfreelo/psy/pop

Nature

By Ezra

Nature of Astrology

Types• Eastern• Hindu• Western

– Sidereal

– Placidius

Linked to:• Tarot• Palmistry• Numerology• Calendar

Nature of Astrology

Uses• personality

• horoscopes

• synastry / compatibility

• bio / body / health

• career

History

By Heather and Robin

History of Astrology

• Astrology dates back as far as 20,000 years– Carvings on bones that are indicative of an

interest in the motion of the moon

• Today's Astrology– Esoteric– Dates back 4,000 years to around 1792 bc. in

Mesopotamia—modern day Iraq

History of Astrology

• Big Step for Astrology– Alexander the Great conquers Mesopotamia

(331 bc.) and takes Astrology back to Greeks & Babylonians

• Astrology spreads through Europe when the Romans march through Europe– Society, from peasants to emperors, easily

accepted Astrology

History of Astrology

• The Mayans were practicing their own form of astrology– Developed a 260 day calendar– Day you are born influences your whole life– They predicted the Conquistadors in 1519– Said the world is predicted to end 21 December

2012, because of a 5,000 year rotation of destruction and new build

History of Astrology

• Johannes Kepler the “Father of Modern Astrology” (17th century)– devised a theory to answer the riddle of the star

of Bethlehem. – Early in the century he had observed a rare

conjunction of planets Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces.

History of Astrology

• Johannes Kepler – They appeared to be a single star to the naked

eye—he calculated the last date this occurred to be 7 bc.—could this be when the wise men saw the star and baby Jesus was born?

History of Astrology

• Evangeline Adams– made Astrology popular early this century with

the launching of radio– She had her own show, where she gave people

horoscopes and predicted their future. – Ms. Adams was arrested for fraud by fortune-

telling in NY, she could have paid a fine, instead she forced it to court.

History of Astrology

• Evangeline Adams– This put astrology on trial, for the first time

Astrology was proven in a court of law.• Ms Adams was presented with an anonymous birth

chart, she gave a detailed personality profile and predicted an early death by water, the birth chart was that of the judge’s son, who had just drown.

• Even Hitler had to do with Astrology

Methodology

By Ezra

Methodology of Astrology

Terms• Chart• Signs (12)• Planets (10+)• Houses (12)• Ascendent /

Descendent

• Midheaven / Lower Heaven

• Aspects• Transits• Progressions

Methodology of Astrology

Signs• By Element

• Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

• Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

• Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

• Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Methodology of Astrology

Planets• Sun (Wisdom)• Moon (Emotion)• Mercury (Intelligence)• Venus (Love)• Mars (Aggression)• Jupiter (Luck / Phi)

• Saturn (Discipline)• Uranus (Change)• Neptune (Idealism)• Pluto (Regeneration)• various asteroids

Methodology of Astrology

Houses• 1st (Self)• 2nd (Possessions)• 3rd (Knowledge)• 4th (Home)• 5th (Creativity)• 6th (Personal Resp.)

• 7th (Primary Rel)• 8th (Joint Resources)• 9th (Social)• 10th (Reputation)• 11th (Goals / Groups)• 12th (Subconscious)

Methodology of Astrology

Natal (Birth) Chart• First step

– Essential to everything

– Map

• Reading– Signs to house

– Native sign to house

– Ascendent / Descendent

• Reading (cont.)– Midheaven / Lower

Heaven

– Aspects

– Transits

– Progressions

Theories

By Ray

Studies and Debunking

By Robin and Beth

Studies In Astrology

• Bastedo of Berkley conducted a study of 1,000 adults (1971) .– Tested personality

traits of Leos and found no correlation for leadership etc.

– The tendencies did not differ between signs.

• Gauquelin (1979) gave free horoscopes. – Recipients responded

to the accuracy.

– 94% said was accurate and so did 90% of friends and family.

– All of them had the same horoscope--of a mass murderer.

Studies In Astrology

• Australian Skeptics collected horoscope columns for the week and rated on good, bad, and vague (1982). – Found little consistency between horoscopes. – For instance, one said it would be a good week,

one said it would be a bad week.

Studies In Astrology

• 1985 Harry Edwards checked Old Moore’s Almanack for 1984 predictions. – Less than 5% were

correct and most could have been based on probability.

• Famous scientists in Astrology (Gauquelin -- who had people rate the same horoscope --Newton).

• Only 10% of Americans believe there can’t be anything to it.

Debunking Astrology

• Self-fulfilling prophecy

• Remember coincidences not misses

• power of suggestion• scientists who do

believe in astrology doesn’t prove it.

• because users believe it works doesn’t mean it does.

• Electromagnetic effect of a clock would be greater than the nearest planet at birth.

• Correlation does not imply causality.

Debunking Astrology

• How can we be sure that planets were given the correct attributes?

• Why were there not inaccuracies noted from not using yet undiscovered planets such as Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto?

• Most full moon studies causing strange behavior have been attributed to suggestion not causality. Therefore, the moon does not effect behavior.

Astrology Video

• Alexander the great introduced Babylonian astrology to Greeks

• Roman empire spread astrology during the spread of Christianity

• Caesar hired astrologists and killed them if they did not pass the test. Tiberius said he saw his life in danger from unknown source and Caesar hired him.

Astrology Video

• Chinese scholars associated year with animal

• Mayans developed calendar and day born associated with your fate. – Part of their names were taken from the day they

were born.– Prophesy in 16th century that light skinned

bearded men from east would come years before happened

Astrology Video

• Mayans– Calculated date for the end of world and

establishment of a new order (December 2012)– believed that the world destroys itself every

5,000 years in order to establish the new order

Astrology Video

• 1932--archeologists uncovered a 4th century synagogue. • Center of temple was mosaic. • One theory was astrology was not forbidden,

you just should not worship stars as gods.

• 3 wise men were probably astrologers. – Time of Jesus’ birth was conjunction of Jupiter

and Saturn and looked like bright star.

Astrology Video

• 3 wise men– Jupiter means kingship, Saturn associated with

Jews and Pisces symbolized Judea. The three wise men may have deduced that the king of the Jews was in Judea.

– Keppler (father of modern astrology) calculated the last occurrence of Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction being 7 bc.

John “D” in Astrology

• 1555 John “D” hired to draw up chart on Princess Elizabeth who had been on house arrest by the queen. – Queen Mary was threatening to execute her.

“D” said that she wouldn’t be executed, but one day be Queen.

– Queen Mary dies shortly and Queen Elizabeth appoints “D” as royal astrologer.

Keppler in Astrology

• Keppler in 1608 drew chart for military officer. • Planet of war (Mars) was

prominent.• Became a triumphant

general.• 1632 same general

consulted astrologist who said conditions were unfavorable.

– His troops lost.

– He was found a few days after killed by his own soldiers in the month Keppler predicted for his death 26 years earlier.

Hitler in Astrology

• 1924 astrologist predicted the birth day of a great German leader. • Years later found that was Hitler’s.

• Hitler and his men consulted astrologists. – When one said that it was favorable to make peace

with Britain, one of his men flew over, was arrested, and spent his life in jail.

– After that Hitler put astrologers into concentration camps.