Home Signs and beliefs Mental abilities of a person in the natal horoscope. Scientific analysis of astrological misconceptions Astrology mindset

Signs and beliefs

Mental abilities of a person in the natal horoscope. Scientific analysis of astrological misconceptions Astrology mindset

The problem of the truth of astrological forecasts was relevant already in ancient world. Many works of ancient philosophers have survived to this day, in which the truth of astrology was questioned. These include, for example, Cicero (On divination), Sextus Empiricus (Book against astrologers), and others. At the same time, various arguments against astrology were repeated from century to century, having little effect on its popularity. This is explained by the fact that the controversy was conducted in the field of philosophy. The development of natural science and scientific methodology has led to the fact that since the middle of the twentieth century, many critical works have appeared, where the phenomenon of astrology is studied from the point of view of science. Psychologists, philosophers, statisticians, astronomers, physicists, biologists and other scientists have conducted a scientific analysis of astrological concepts, the very phenomenon of astrology and its impact on people. The conclusions were unsatisfactory for astrology.

Astrologers draw up a horoscope. Medieval engraving

To a first approximation, astrology can be divided into 3 parts: popular astrology, traditional astrology and cosmobiology (including the study of the influence of cosmic factors on earthly organisms).

Numerous statistical studies by modern scientists show that the first part is useless and represents the exploitation of the masses for the purpose of personal profit or the propagation of an astrological worldview.

The second type of astrology requires diverse and intensive scientific research. There is a complex symbolic formalism here, formed over many centuries. The work of many analysts shows that it may not concern any real influence of planets and stars on human character. This complex system of symbols is considered by many people to be useful in providing a sense of human connection with the Universe as a whole, i.e. is more psychological than natural science in nature.

The third type of astrology, into which many researchers seek to include cosmobiology, can show that the modern concept of the Universe in which we live is not as final and complete as we used to think. There are some facts that require close attention and a good hypothesis to explain them. However, cosmobiology cannot be considered as a factor confirming traditional astrology, since its conclusions cannot yet be connected with astrological formalism.

In 1976, scientists, including many Nobel Prize winners, wrote a statement against astrology, in which they expressed their negative attitude towards this phenomenon. In addition, many specialists who have studied astrology and its methods in detail are inclined to believe that astrology does not reflect the objective relationships between celestial bodies and humans.

H. Eysenck and D. Nias conducted a study to determine the reliability of the correspondence of people’s psychological characteristics to the interpretations given by astrologers in accordance with the position of the Sun in zodiac sign at the moment of birth. In this case, only the most General characteristics person: introversion and extroversion, impulsiveness and mental stability. For the first pair of characteristics there was a good correlation with astrological predictions, while for the second pair there were no matches. Then H. Eysenck and his colleagues admitted that, perhaps, the preliminary knowledge of the people being studied about their astrological characteristics could affect the final result of the study. Therefore, a study was conducted on children who were not yet familiar with astrological forecasts. The first results in this case were not confirmed.

Research on the correlation between suicide and astrological factors in the horoscopes of victims, conducted by N. Press et al., showed that of the many astrological rules contained in reference books and manuals, not a single one coincided with the real event.

The achievements of cosmobiology indicate that the “coming true” of many general astrological forecasts can be caused by purely astronomical phenomena. Thus, it has been proven that people's mood can change depending on solar activity. Spots constantly appear and disappear on the surface of the Sun, the number of which increases with increasing solar activity. The period of solar activity is approximately 11 years. It is known that sunspots are sources of radiation that influence the Earth's magnetosphere. There is evidence that the number of sunspots is related to air temperature and the amount of rain on Earth. This has an indirect effect on people's mood. When the weather is sunny, people have good mood and treat other people better.

Astrologers have tried to establish a correlation between earthquakes and astrological factors. However, scientists deny the possibility of such coincidences, since earthquakes of varying intensity occur on Earth almost every 30 seconds and the results can be easily falsified. Many studies have been done to determine the possible influence of the Moon on earthquakes, but all have been inconclusive.

Almost all modern astrologers are moving away from the original inductive and empirical nature of obtaining astrological knowledge. If initially, according to the testimony of ancient Chaldean sources, information was accumulated about phenomena in the sky and events on earth, and then, after comparing those and other facts, conclusions were drawn, now we often have a situation where an astrologer, instead of collecting information, begins to interpret the horoscope based on own opinion, which is based more on intuition and speculation than on knowledge. For example, all zodiac signs have certain names. These names were assigned a long time ago, and it is difficult to say how they originated. In order to obtain more or less reliable information about how a person is affected by the time of his birth when the Sun is in a certain sign, for example, in the sign of Taurus, it is necessary to collect many characteristics of people born at this time, generalize them, and conduct scientific research using statistical methods and draw conclusions. Many astrologers do the opposite. They make a judgment about a person based on what qualities a Taurus should have, i.e. bull. This approach is unscientific and cannot lead to positive knowledge.

French psychologist M. Gokelin tested 50,000 personality traits on the corresponding 12 zodiac symbols and his results showed no correlation with modern simplified psychological interpretations of astrologers. Often people are born with the Sun in a certain sign and do not have personality traits associated with the characteristics of this sign. These facts indicate that the modern tendency to psychologize astrology is unscientific in nature and primitive interpretations of zodiac symbols have no basis in reality.

Astrology contradicts the scientific worldview, since nothing in science can be established as unconditionally true. In science there is a continuous search and experimentation that can refute old theories. Scientific conclusions should depend not on the researcher’s personal sympathies and beliefs about the hypothesis, but on the facts.

Any hypothesis put forward by astrologers must have very strong confirmation in order for scientists to accept it. Often in astrological literature there are large, unsubstantiated amounts of information obtained by analogy with previously established symbolic constructions. For example, Pavel Globa in his book “Practical Astrology” gives a description of the meanings of transits for planets. At the same time, he dwells in detail on the characteristics of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and invites his readers to figure out the characteristics of the distant planets themselves by analogy. This method of obtaining information is anti-scientific, as it makes the process of obtaining knowledge dependent on the subjectivity of each researcher.

The works of astrologers of the Avestan school contain comprehensive background information about the aspects of the planets, their positions in signs, and houses of the horoscope. Moreover, recently discovered planets, such as Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, are described in as much detail as those known from ancient times. Uranus, since its discovery by William Herschel, has completed only 2.5 revolutions around the Sun, and Neptune and Pluto, discovered later, have not yet completed even one. However, many astrologers claim that the properties of these planets have already been studied quite well. The nature of this information casts doubt on the objectivity of the given system of knowledge. If the old planets could be studied by astrologers for thousands of years, then, for example, Pluto, discovered only in 1930 and having a period of revolution around the Sun of 248 years, still needs to be carefully studied. A suspicion arises that the information was taken from occult sources, invented on the basis of symbolic ideas, or simply falsified.

Analysis of astrological predictions shows that astrologers have developed their methods of expressing information to make their predictions appear more successful. One such method uses a vague, long time frame to allow for a wide variety of interpretations, another involves making predictions far into the future with the hope that people will forget about the prediction as time passes. Some astrologers make the same prediction many times over several years in the hope that this event will eventually happen. Thus, statistical studies show that the truth of clear astrological forecasts is small and does not go beyond the limits of random coincidence.

The astrological worldview has remained largely ancient, operating with symbolic objects and connections between objects. Such knowledge can be called pre-scientific. This is all the more confirmed by the modern state of astrological constructions, since astrology does not use many astronomical objects in its calculations, for example, satellites of major planets, which were not known in the ancient world. In terms of their physical significance, many of these bodies far exceed those known in antiquity. For example, Jupiter's satellite Ganymede is larger in size and mass than the planets Mercury and Pluto and is much closer to Earth than Pluto. However, modern astrology does not take into account its influence on earthly events.

The worldview of many astrologers can be called unscientific, since they do not know the principles of astrology, i.e. cannot indicate the mechanism of influence of celestial bodies on humans. Their ideas are more similar to magical ones; in any case, the principle of causality is clearly violated in them. Most often you can hear that everything in the world is arranged according to the principle: “what is above is like what is below.” This principle is occult and does not correspond to strict scientific ideas about the structure of the world. It is more like a vague philosophical principle from which no practical knowledge can be derived.

Many astrologers are practitioners and are not at all interested in the scientific nature of astrology and its connections with other disciplines. For them, the main thing is private practice, the use of existing simple rules, without their verification and further creative work.

One of the most significant problems that astrologers face is describing the mechanism by which planets influence people. Most of the models proposed by astrologers do not correspond to modern scientific picture peace.

Modern astrologers constantly emphasize the connection of their teaching with psychology and the special value of this union. Having explored this, R. Culver and F. Ianna believe that the attractiveness of astrology is that it offers a convenient way of avoiding responsibility. Instead of admitting responsibility for your actions, you can say that the stars were wrong, or that the stars forced you to do something.

The reasons for the growing popularity of astrology and other occult systems vary, from simple curiosity to a desperate search for a miraculous remedy that will help avoid many of life's problems. Modern stressful life pushes people to search for some form of relief and a sense of security. Many people do not see traditional religions as a viable means of truly helping, so they seek additional forms of spirituality. This is due to the fact that the traditional religious path is not easy, as it requires many restrictions and a lot of spiritual work. Modern Western man, who grew up in a consumer society, is no longer able to overcome his egoism and does not want to limit his pleasures, so he is looking for an easy way to solve life's problems.

Astrology has a quasi-religious significance in the lives of many people. People feel that they are part of some large whole, the entire universe, where everything is interconnected, where everything is planned in the movement of the stars, by someone’s highest authority and great power. This means that events in life are not random, but have some greater purpose within the entire Universe.

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The apparent success of astrology lies in the area of the human psyche. Today there are few people left who try to lead a more or less independent lifestyle. The lack of freedom of our contemporary is clearly visible, who, through newspaper propaganda, radio broadcasting and television, receives ready-made instructions, recipes - what he should do, what to give up, what to eat and drink, where to spend his vacation, what to wear on his feet, what to spend his free time and money on.

Belief in astrology can also be explained by the fact that if a person knows a prediction for the future, he behaves in such a way, even subconsciously, that this prediction comes true. His behavior changes compared to what it would have been if the prediction had not been known.

There are several important reasons why people turn to astrology:

This happens due to emotional fatigue and life's turmoil. Talking to someone, not necessarily an astrologer, about the problems of life provides some relief. In a society where everyone is a stranger to each other, consulting an astrologer can provide psychological relief.
Astrologers not only provide sound advice and empathy, but also support the client's self-esteem by emphasizing his future opportunities. This gives the client a sense of hope that their wishes will come true.
Astrologers rarely give moral advice. It's easier to talk to someone who won't judge the behavior and call it wrong. This gives the client the feeling that all his actions are legitimate, regardless of their consequences. The astrologer, as it were, takes part of the blame for unrighteous acts upon himself. The priest at confession will behave completely differently, demanding compliance with moral standards, which is why the popularity of Christianity in Western society is falling, and the popularity of astrology is increasing.
Astrological writings give a person a sense of the significance of his life as part of the larger Universe. In addition, it gives hope for a future spiritual life associated with reincarnation, since astrology is often integrated into theosophy and supports the belief in the transmigration of souls.
People who hate traditional religion and can use it as a replacement; people who look for simple solutions to complex problems; who needs flattery instead of truth; for those who are simply interested in doing this.
People consult astrologers because of the increasing social prestige of astrology and its acceptance. Today, more and more physiologists and psychologists are incorporating astrology into their practice, and this gives reason to the general public to believe that astrology has recognition in the scientific world. Many people simply believe that because astrology is so popular, there is a reason for its truth.
Many are drawn to astrology because it promises to provide control over the future and develop the inner potential inherent in a person. Thus, the temptation to be the master of your own destiny by guessing the future attracts you to astrology.

What are the reasons why people tend to trust astrology, despite the fact that it is refuted by science? A study conducted in 1991 by D. Tobasik and D. Schroeder showed that people who have low self-esteem and are unable to achieve great success in life on their own are more likely to trust astrology, consciously or subconsciously, as a method that can help them improve life status through unconventional, miraculous methods.

These researchers also found that belief in refuted teachings correlated with personality traits such as: anxiety about the time of death, feelings of alienation, irrational worldview, inconsistency of oral statements with objective reality, little control over one’s own feelings, schizotypy, i.e. the presence of various quirks in individuality, strange reactions during mental stress.

The popularity of astrology is also associated with the growing popularity of parapsychology, which is increasingly claiming to be scientific. Traditionally, the paranormal properties of a person were attributed to contacts with spirits, but now they are explained as revealing the potential of a person.

Another reason for the interest in astrology can be the desire of people to abandon traditional ethics. Studies have shown that 70% of Americans no longer believe in the absolute value of morality. This makes non-traditional religions and teachings more seductive than Christianity.

In conclusion, we can highlight the main conclusions of researchers involved in the study of astrology from the point of view of modern science.

Most researchers believe that astrology is dangerous, since any massive deviation from rationality due to ignorance should cause deep concern in society. The rising popularity of astrology is a sign of the deterioration of our culture and the possibility of its imminent collapse.

Numerous statistical studies in various countries of the world have shown that the classical teaching of astrology cannot be qualified as capable of giving accurate predictions for the future or accurately describing a person, with all the features inherent in his character.

The fact that more and more businessmen and politicians use the services of astrologers is alarming. For example, US President Ronald Reagan had a personal astrologer and did not take any steps without prior consultation. From wise people, especially those involved in the government of the country, one would like to expect more balanced decisions than irrational behavior and following dubious advice.

Astrology is harmful because it reinforces the wrong opinion about the person himself, about ethics, God, the Universe. Decisions based on this misconception cannot be useful. Astrology does not help people improve their lives, but encourages practitioners and their clients to level out. moral values and to accept various occult systems which might not have come into their view if they had not turned to astrology.

Astrology is dangerous because it operates with unverified and often false information. Nothing based on lies can help people make a constructive decision. A society or a person living in a lie cannot be healthy. These lies hinder godly living.

Astrology is harmful because it justifies selfish behavior. It contradicts the Christian ideal of love. IN modern society most people are more concerned with selfish matters than trying to help others. Many astrologers admit that their teaching is neutral and can be used to harm other people.

According to many Christian researchers, astrology is an occult system and forces people to engage in occultism. This spiritual practice always deals with spirits, which, according to the teachings of Christianity, hate people and want to destroy them. Involvement in the occult, according to the testimony of many physiologists, is often the beginning or aggravation of mental and spiritual illnesses. Many adherents of occult methods alienate themselves from society and have a morbid preoccupation with psychic phenomena that can become an obsession. Psychologists testify that the occult often leads to depression, psychopathy and psychosis. Many people who are seriously involved in the occult commit suicide or end up in a mental hospital.

References

1. Eysenck, H.J. and D.K.B. Nias. Astrology: Science or Superstition?. Penguin Books, Markham, Ontario, 1982.

2. Gauquelin M. Cosmic influences on human behavior. The planetary factors in personality, 1990.

3. Globa P., Practical astrology, Leningrad, 1984.

4. Culver, Roger B. and Philip A. Ianna. Astrology: True or False? A Scientific Evaluation. Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York, 1988.

5. Tobacyk, Jerome and Deborah Shrader. "Superstition and self-efficacy" Psychological Reports, Volume 68, 1991.

According to the classification proposed above, astrology should be classified as a parascience. Although it shares a body of objective knowledge with astronomy about the visible movement of celestial bodies and their relative positions in the sky, nevertheless, the main research interest of astrology is focused on a completely alien subject for astronomy: the influence of celestial bodies on the destinies of people and on events occurring on Earth. For astronomy, such a formulation of the question will be obviously anti-scientific, since we are not talking about a physical effect, but about a connection of a completely unclear nature, and studying the essence of this connection is not the task of astrologers. It is initially postulated as a manifestation of a certain universal principle of “universal sympathy.” This is already the first serious distinctive feature of astrology as a quasi-scientific education. Its constructions are based on the idea of forces and interactions that are not and cannot be studied by any other scientific discipline. This idea was formulated, obviously, back in antiquity and since then has not been questioned and, it seems, has not undergone serious changes. Here are some of the basic provisions of astrological symbolism that justify the division of the Zodiac into significant parts. "The quaternary division of the zodiac [Dividing it by the points of the spring and autumn equinoxes, as well as the points of the winter and summer solstice - V.P.] ... gives us four main types of cosmic substance: fire, air, water and earth. This is the most fundamental distinction, for the zodiac as a whole symbolizes... the creation of the microcosm. Substance is most important in creation, but energy and form are also important... Energy is slightly different from substance. It is, as shown in modern physics, an activated and released substance. Therefore, we can expect that the principle of differentiation of energy is similar to the principle of differentiation of substances. Both are based on the principle of dualism, action and reaction. Hence, energy zodiac is octal, and the substantial one is quaternary" (hereinafter quoted by D. Rudhyar. Personality Astrology. M., 1991). It is clear that the use of such principles as the foundation of theories, which apparently have a mythological origin, is at least a dubious way of justifying the scientific nature of the results obtained.

But this is not the only thing that separates astronomy as a science and astrology as a quasi-science. The content of astrology, in addition to the mentioned body of knowledge about celestial bodies, also includes a set of theories and interpretive schemes that connect the location and movement of celestial bodies with the affairs and destinies of people. These theories and schemes would generally be empirically testable and, moreover, well supported by thousands of years of successful predictions and historical accounts of events that occurred in accordance with what was ordained in heaven. Given the possible theoretical and computational errors, an acceptable degree of confirmation here can only be achieved due to the specific uncertainty in the meaning of those empirical terms in which astrological forecasts and predictions are usually formulated. And such uncertainty does exist. As a rule, it consists in the fact that a person using the services of an astrologer is given a recommendation (quite reasonable in its content) to refrain from any actions during certain periods of time (so to speak, a forecast-warning), or it is reported that in certain types of affairs there will be luck, or some success can be expected in them. If a person needs advice in a very definite matter (how the stars will react, say, to a marriage with a chosen person), then in this case the recommendation can be given with reservations, while the presence or absence of the conditions expressed in them is quite difficult, if not impossible . In fact, to show that the forecast did not come true under such conditions is as difficult as to prove its theoretical impracticability.

Suppose that a certain person conscientiously refrained from making new acquaintances on the days of the full moon, but at the same time still suffered from the insidious deception of old, and seemingly proven friends. Does this mean that the astrologer's advice was wrong? No. After all, it remains unknown what would have happened if this person had not listened to the astrologer. In this case, his troubles could be much greater. In addition, can one be sure that the victim did not meet the people who deceived him on the day of the full moon?

A similar situation arises if a certain person, on the advice of an astrologer, undertook some undertaking, for example, a journey, but as a result suffered many hardships and hardships along the way. Did the astrologer determine the specific details of the route? Did the astrologer choose the hour when he should stop to avoid dangerous or unpleasant encounters, and the hour when he should resume the journey? Did the astrologer select travel companions? Finally, is it possible that if the traveler had stayed at home, even more terrible events would not have happened to him? In addition, one can always assume that the experience of overcoming life's adversities, accumulated during this journey, can be of great benefit in later life.

As you can see, quite a lot of loopholes to justify an apparently unsuccessful forecast can be found in such cases, but the following is fundamentally important here: we cannot simultaneously act in accordance with the advice of the astrologer and contrary to it, in order to be able to compare the results obtained and thereby obtain indisputable empirical confirmation or a refutation of his predictions. The use of two different persons in the experiment, one of whom will be obedient and the other will not be obedient, will not give final confidence in the correctness or error of astrological predictions precisely due to the fact that destinies are predicted, that is, individual and, generally speaking, unique life events, and this means that people here are not interchangeable, they cannot be selected with absolutely identical characteristics, and without this the experiment cannot be considered pure. Even twins will not satisfy the conditions of the experiment, since the difference in the moment of birth will inevitably make their fate different.

The same features can be noticed when considering astrological descriptions of the character of people born under one or another zodiac sign. First of all, such descriptions are aimed at forming some positive image of the individual, which, however, is not free from possible negative deformations under the influence of external circumstances. This creates a situation where, with the appropriate psychological attitude, the astrologer’s client can always identify his own abilities and character traits with those described in the horoscope. At the same time, a positive perception of one’s own personality is restored (or confirmed) and an optimistic mood is created for the perception of future events. Consider, for example, the general characteristics of Sagittarius. They are characterized by "Open-mindedness, keen intelligence, honesty, insight. Tendency to generalize. Willingness to conquer new areas. Compassion. Passion for ideas. Love of open spaces and travel." If, for example, you are a Sagittarius by zodiac sign and at the same time you are aware of your dishonesty, then by doing so you have shown open-mindedness about yourself and... honesty with yourself. This means that honesty is still inherent in you, and this is in some way “deep” honesty. Consequently, denying such qualities leads, if not to logical, then to psychological contradictions, and it is impossible to disagree with such a characteristic. On the other hand, the combination of insight and compassion makes it possible to interpret almost any action as a manifestation of one of these qualities. If I lent money, I showed compassion; if I didn’t, I showed foresight (they wouldn’t have returned it to me). Both of them correspond to the horoscope. Obviously, under such conditions, each Sagittarius is able to recognize his own character in this description and at the same time remain satisfied with the abilities and opportunities that the stars have provided him.

Finally, another essential feature that distinguishes astronomy from astrology lies in the specific relationship of astrology to its theoretical foundations. Obviously, astrology from ancient times to the present day has as its main goal the prediction of the future. However, unlike other divinatory procedures, it does not use any special material means (cards, sacrificial animals, coffee grounds, etc.). Its methods do not depend on the randomness of material selection, its results are based on precise mathematical calculations and therefore must be unambiguous and reproducible by any suitably qualified person. Consequently, under these conditions, astrology should be interested in the most accurate computational base, that is, in the most complete explication of the relationships of the relative positions of the heavenly bodies with the fates and characters of people born at these locations. However, no research work in this direction is systematically carried out by astrology. In fact, it is known that the planets stay in different constellations for an unequal amount of time, moreover, the vernal equinox point, from which the signs of the zodiac are counted, is not stationary, but moves along the ecliptic, making a complete revolution in 26 thousand years. This means that the Sun also appears in the zodiac constellations not at the same calendar time, but gradually shifts, lagging on average for two thousand years by one constellation (in fact, there are thirteen zodiac constellations, but the constellation Ophiuchus is not taken into account in astrological calculations, the Sun stays there for only 6 days). However, astrological interpretative schemes do not contain any corrections for such movements and unevenness. The ecliptic is divided into twelve equal parts, calculations are made on the basis of such an ideal division, but this means that in fact astrology abandons the position that the location of the celestial bodies determines human destiny. She uses at least some important empirical astronomical data incorrectly from the point of view of scientific methodology. Moreover, such incorrectness is not considered unacceptable; on the contrary, it is sanctified by the ancient tradition of astrological practice. Such justification by tradition is also not typical for those disciplines that are considered truly scientific. It seems to be more suitable for the body of knowledge that developed in the pre-scientific era, when the mythological understanding of reality was dominant.

It cannot be said that this circumstance is not realized by astrologers themselves. But it receives its philosophical and methodological justification from them. As D. Rudhyar states, "... astrology - or any other way of interpreting life - deals with the facts of experience that become significant... An astronomical understanding of the solar system is a system for interpreting observed facts, convenient and intellectually perfect. For us too only facts are important. On the basis of facts, astronomy has developed a model of the solar system. On the basis of the same facts, astrology establishes symbolism for the interpretation of the facts of life. Both are equally logical. And if the first seems more accurate than the second, it is probably because the second deals with a region of existence in which meanings prevail over events, where the principle of uncertainty operates more strongly."

It should be noted that currently there are two trends in astrology, which can be conditionally called scientific and humanistic. The first strives to make astrology a truly scientific discipline, noting existing historical coincidences between earthly and celestial phenomena. The second understands astrology as a discipline “helping people resolve their personal and interpersonal problems, especially in actualizing the potential that they are endowed with from birth.” Nevertheless, both of these trends are within the framework of the initially formed body of astrological ideas as a kind of empiric-metaphysical (or even mythological) conglomerate. The first of them seeks to push metaphysical components to the periphery, while the second, on the contrary, strongly emphasizes their important, fundamental role in astrological predictions. Moreover, in both cases there is no actual theoretical scientific foundation. Astrology turns out to be an applied discipline for which there is no fundamental discipline. It is no coincidence that the role of theoretical concepts in the corpus of astrology is played by the rules of symbolic interpretation, which, generally speaking, indicate only the main trends in the influence of astronomical forces on the human personality, but cannot be expressed in any quantitative way. The only exception here is the time parameters: an angular distance of one degree corresponds to approximately a year of human life. But since it is not specific events that are predicted, but their “fateful” characteristics, the interpretation of what happened to a person during the year almost always allows you to select the desired astrologically predetermined event.

Here are some examples taken from the already mentioned book by D. Rudhyar. In Mussolini's birth chart (the location of the celestial bodies on his birthday), the arc between Saturn and Jupiter is 41 degrees. "41 was a critical age for Mussolini due to the assassination of Mateotti, in which prominent fascists were involved. However, he passed the storm raised by the political opposition, probably because in the radical chart Saturn is sextile with the Sun; thanks to this, what could lead to a fall, only strengthened his position. Another characteristic example is the horoscope of Queen Victoria. "The sun had just risen when she was born, and it happened about an hour after the new moon in Gemini. We see a person of rare intellectual giftedness (Gemini) and an era bearing the stamp of rigidity and narrow-mindedness, highly emphasized intellectualism (seven planets in the fourth quadrant thoughts); in this era, the means of transport and travel received amazing development, and with it nervous disorders. The significance of the 12th house is revealed by the fact that after the death of her husband the queen lived in solitude for most of her life and that she acted best while remaining behind the scenes , through Prime Minister Disraeli. The symbol of the degree of the Sun gives the meaning of aristocracy and sufficient individual strength. We can say that the whole Victorian era is a typical manifestation of the 12th house: a summing up, a period of karmic acceleration, the end of a cycle preceding the amazing innovations ready to enter life.

The most significant moment of the Queen's life corresponds to the age of 56, when the plan for the formation of the British Empire was drawn up in detail, and as a first step her son was sent to India. Then Victoria’s point of self coincided with the Sun, and her personality truly became a symbol of global significance, fully demonstrating the power of fate, the true self. Her coronation as Empress of India occurred a year later when the self-point was trine Jupiter in the 1st house. This date, as well as the anniversary of 1897, when the point of the self coincided with Jupiter in the X house, were the highest points of manifestation of its power. But her true self is not here, but in the hidden backstage passages, which is obviously emphasized by the new moon in the XII house."

It is easy to notice that such expressions as “self”, “force of destiny”, “the highest point of manifestation of power” are not and cannot be scientific terms. These are elements of a special ideological style, pseudo-explanations through confirmatory interpretations of past events and the characteristics of various historical eras.

All of the above can be summarized as follows. Despite the fact that astrology in its tasks and methods of solving them resembles an applied science, it differs from a real applied discipline in the following significant characteristics. Firstly, its theoretical foundations are speculatively metaphysical, mainly originating from ancient mythological ideas. Secondly, they cannot be clarified by any of the existing fundamental scientific disciplines. Thirdly, the solution of astrological problems directly relies on this speculative metaphysics, since it uses the rules of symbolic interpretation of astronomical phenomena. Fourthly, the success or failure of solving these problems cannot be assessed using any objective criteria. Finally, fifthly, there is no procedure that would produce the same results regardless of the subjective experience of astrological interpretations and predictions. Any astrological forecast is obviously personal in nature.

Having noted the significant differences between astrology and disciplines whose scientific status is beyond doubt, it is still necessary to answer the question of whether it is possible to transform astrology into a truly scientific discipline. Apparently, the idea of the influence of cosmic forces on earthly events cannot be considered a simple relic of mythology. As a heuristic research principle, it deserves serious consideration. But will the simple elimination of unscientific interpretative schemes and mythological concepts from astrology be enough to transform it into a genuine science, as “scientific” astrology is trying to do? This is unlikely to be the case. To implement such a transformation, it is also necessary to create an adequate theoretical base capable of describing the direct determining influence of cosmic factors both on the behavior of each human individual individually and on the formation of his personality. Moreover, we are obviously not talking about the influence of, say, solar activity on the geophysical characteristics of the Earth and through this on the well-being of people. Such an influence remains outside the scope of astrology and is the subject of research in medicine. No, this influence must be carried out in a more subtle differentiated way and, moreover, serve as the source and basis for the individuality of such influences. If the moment of birth turns out to be decisive for the formation of a personality of one type or another and this formation is carried out under the influence of certain cosmic radiations (forces, energies), the sources of which are the celestial bodies closest to us (the Sun, the Moon and the planets of the solar system), then these radiations form and the way a person perceives heavenly influences throughout his subsequent life. Only in this case does it make sense to say that, say, a certain day is favorable for new beginnings for Capricorns, but unfavorable for Taurus, while at the same time for Libra it is a day of rest and fun, etc. After all, the location of the planets in the sky, and, consequently, the effect they have on people in their physical characteristics remains the same. Otherwise, the planets will have to be ascribed will and omniscience regarding all people living on earth and their actions, and this is clearly unacceptable for science.

However, the possibility of creating such a theory looks rather doubtful in the light of modern scientific ideas about both space and man. If we are talking about such subtle, unique influences, the consequences of which appear years later (when the child becomes a relatively independent being and we can talk about his personality), and at the moment of influence practically cannot be expressed in behavior in any meaningful and unambiguously interpretable way Thus, it is completely incomprehensible what kind of experimental technique could be in this case that would make it possible to obtain the effects predicted by the theory, which could not be observed in the natural environment and which would serve as decisive obvious evidence in favor of the astrological theory.

Another source of doubt is the fact that accepting the thesis about such a determination of earthly events by heavenly causes requires a total revision of all psychological, pedagogical, sociological, historical, economic, etc. theories and concepts, since the very fact of such global determination is not taken into account by them and, moreover, contradicts them. Naturally, the recognition of such determination and the transformation of astrology into a genuine science in the above manner will also lead to a revision of the philosophical concepts of man. The question of human freedom will be decided in a very definite way. It will be necessary to make serious changes both to legislation and to everyday social regulations. In short, the astrological scientific revolution, if it turns out to be possible, will have such epochal planetary consequences that can only be compared with the emergence of civilization. All this, in our opinion, suggests that the integration of astrology into the body of modern scientific knowledge is a much more complex and time-consuming matter than it seems at first glance.

Finally, the following considerations cast doubt on the possibility of success of such an enterprise. If there really is a determinism of the basic properties human personality and the results of its behavior by cosmic factors, then how is it possible to combine it with the existence of empirically random, but socially and individually significant events? Suppose that four people of equal astrological characteristics sat down to play poker. One of them won a large sum of money, the rest were losers. What did the stars influence in this case: the distribution of cards, the decisions of the players, or everything at once? If all four play fair, and astrological characteristics they have almost the same, and the forecast for this day and for this activity is favorable, then the result is inexplicable from the point of view of astrological influences, and the forecast is impossible, since everyone cannot win against each other. The most fair result here is a zero win for each player. But where is the luck then?

The astrological theory can be saved by the assumption that the case described above, although logically possible, is in fact prohibited by the laws of astrology: such a meeting at the card table is impossible, the stars will definitely separate the players so that they will never sit down to play together at the same table. But such a prohibition, generally speaking, is very strong. It does not even allow the artificial, experimental creation of such a situation. Even if we “as if by chance” organize a meeting of four such players and create all the conditions for them to play, it will still not take place; something unknown, some force beyond our control will keep these four from realizing the idea of playing poker.

This state of affairs looks very strange. If the influence of celestial bodies turns out to be so strong that the occurrence of some events, despite their apparent routineness, is simply impossible, then, obviously, this same influence makes some other events completely inevitable. But then, at least in some cases, a person cannot be held responsible for his actions, since they led to a result predetermined by cosmic influence. If, in fact, each individual human action is influenced by cosmic forces (even if this influence in the general case only provides the conditions for obtaining the results people are interested in, but does not guarantee their appearance), then it follows that the result of the totality of these actions is also determined by the celestial bodies. As a result, we get the following. Each of us, in accordance with cosmic influences, is given a predisposition to certain actions and the achievement of certain results in certain areas. The actions of other people are designed to provide us with opportunities to realize our predispositions. In other words, other people act towards us as instruments of the stars. But in the same way, we are in relation to other people in the position of instruments for fulfilling stellar instructions. It is obvious that it is very, very difficult to combine in one theory the idea of a person as an instrument of stellar influence, and the idea of him as a subject whom the stars help. The principle of strict stellar determinism will objectively strive in such theories to strengthen and spread its influence in breadth and depth, since there are many more situations in which a person is forced to act as a toy in the hands of the stars than the opposite ones.

Finally, it will be very difficult to reconcile astrological theory with the existence of mass events of the same type that simultaneously happen to a large number of people. Several historical examples.

On August 6, 1945, tens of thousands of people died almost simultaneously in Hiroshima as a result of the atomic bombing. Obviously, the population of such a large city cannot consist of people of the same age and gender, or born under the same zodiac signs. Nevertheless, in their horoscopes, in all of them without exception, the year 1945 (and possibly the day - August 6) should have been marked as a period in which they were in mortal danger. Considering that all these should have been different horoscopes in content, such a coincidence looks completely incredible.

In the summer of 1994, the infamous MMM company collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously lost their money, and for each of them it was a very sensitive blow. Astrological theory should, in this case, lead to the compilation of horoscopes in which for all these people this moment in time would be marked as a period of serious financial losses. The possibility of this also looks doubtful due to the huge variety of birth dates among investors in this company, as well as the density of their distribution on the timeline. All such events, as well as natural disasters and catastrophes, represent natural "crucial experiments" to test any possible scientific astrological theory. The supposed required accuracy for such a theory, due to the above circumstances, looks practically unattainable for modern science.

But another scenario is logically possible. If astrology has no real prospects for becoming a truly scientific discipline that meets modern scientific standards, then when these standards change, i.e. if our ideas about science and scientific activity change, astrology may have a chance to be considered a scientific discipline without radically changing its content. In this case, we are talking about the possibility, discussed in philosophical and methodological literature, of transforming the image of science, deviating from some ontological and methodological attitudes inherent in classical science. Among the possible changes in the near future, the methodologists suggest considering the following alternatives.

"1. The natural order is not given from the ages. Matter is not inert - it has inherent sources of self-movement and activity and cannot be identified with extension ...

2. The separation of the material and the ideal (consciousness) is relative. Man is not only and not so much opposed to nature, but is an immanent part of it. He should not control nature, but be in a different, for example, dialogical relationship with it.

3. There are no common methods for all sciences; other types of explanation are possible, in addition to the reduction of the whole to parts.

4. Mathematical knowledge is not the universal language and standard of science. Qualitative, “understanding” methods are no less important." (Filatov V.P. About the idea of alternative science // Errant mind? The diversity of extra-scientific knowledge. M., 1990, p. 157.)

Let's try to assess how much astrology corresponds to such modified features of scientific knowledge. The first of these signs is poorly compatible with the astrological picture of the world, since the order of connections between cosmic bodies and people described by it is eternal and unchanging, so unchanging that even real astronomical changes in the configuration of celestial objects do not affect astrological predictions. The second sign mostly concerns changes in the relationship between a person and his environment; it has a very indirect relation to astrology. In any case, astrology is unlikely to imply any kind of equal dialogue with the planets; rather, on the contrary, it is closer to traditional science, which set as its goal the use of natural laws by man for his own utilitarian purposes. The third of these signs can really allow astrology to count on inclusion among the scientific disciplines. Expanding the set of methods of explanation acceptable in science by adding symbolic and mythological interpretations used in astrology will give it the desired scientific status. But at the same time, such an expansion will provide a similar status to magic and the occult, and this in turn can lead to the practical loss of boundaries between science and other forms of spiritual culture. As for the last, fourth sign, it will most likely prevent astrology from gaining recognition as a science, since the mathematical component plays one of the leading roles in it. Without very accurate and technically complex mathematical calculations of the location of the heavenly bodies at certain points in time, astrological predictions lose their meaning. It is computer technology that creates the field here for the use of symbolic interpretations. Without it, they hang in the air. In this regard, astrology turns out to be very firmly tied to the classical ideal of mathematical science, and any changes in this ideal in the direction of abandoning mathematical rigor and accuracy will apparently lead to a loss of interest in astrological forecasts. If the applied science of prediction uses outdated technology, it will be suppressed by competitors whose methods are regarded as more modern and progressive. Thus, the proposed changes in the image of scientific knowledge are generally unfavorable to the hopes of astrology to acquire the status of a full-fledged science.

Elena Vyshinskaya’s questions were answered by astrologer Mikhail Chistyakov (St. Petersburg), whose lectures on horary astrology can be visited for the first time in Moscow from January 3 to 5.

How do you know when it’s time to trust astrology?

Astrology is one of the oldest disciplines; texts with astrological predictions were discovered in the library of Ashurbanipal in the 7th century. BC e. For many centuries, astrologers served in all courts and were trusted. If they were not trustworthy, what would they get their bread for?

What requires contacting a professional astrologer, and what can be read in general forecasts?

Astrologers themselves have become victims of their popularity. Of all the articles in respected newspapers and magazines, the first thing a reader reads is the prediction column. However, it is impossible to distribute the entire population of the planet into 12 categories - according to zodiac signs, this is wrong, the horoscope is strictly individual. Therefore, if a person just needs to have fun, you can, of course, read a newspaper forecast, but for an answer to a serious question you need to contact a specialist.

Who should delve into the study of astrology and make a profession out of it?

Everyone needs to know astrology - it’s like being able to read and write, at least at the level of planets and signs, in order to understand what it is. But only a person who sees this as his calling and is not afraid of responsibility to other people should make this a profession. We must understand that astrology is a profession like all others, and perhaps if we remove the veil of mysticism and esotericism from this discipline, it will become less tempting, or maybe vice versa.

How did you become an astrologer?

Very gradually, not in one day. I heard the very word “astrology” back in school, but then I was not able to get to know it better - in the USSR this knowledge was prohibited. When the prohibitions were lifted and this knowledge became available, many people rushed to receive it. So in 1989 I ended up at P.P.’s school. Globa. Then this flow thinned out, and, as you understand, only a few became astrologers. It is impossible to become an astrologer without practice, but this is probably true for everything.

Your personal discoveries in astrology.

Astrology has existed for thousands of years, and during its existence it has undergone virtually no changes. Moreover, sooner or later astrologers return to their roots, to medieval and ancient texts. Astrology in this sense is very conservative. What about personal discoveries? Working with real people every day, you discover something new, unexpected, interesting.

Is horary astrology, the course of which you will teach in Moscow in January 2018, your main topic in astrology?

No, I still specialize in personality astrology - in the construction of natal charts. But you need to know the horary (the astrology of the current moment), because some of the client’s questions can be answered exclusively using the horary horoscope.

Can astrology help improve relationships with an astrologically unsuitable partner or achieve success in an activity for which there is no astrological predisposition?

Certainly! Unfortunately, we don’t always do what we need to do and live with those who suit us best. The astrologer’s task is to understand the situation and help with advice. And if the advice is always “divorce and no nails” or “quit this job, it’s not suitable for you” after a person has devoted his whole life to it, we won’t be worth a penny. After all, astrologers have walked hand in hand with doctors since ancient times, or rather, they were doctors. And the main commandment of a doctor is to do no harm.

Did the science of astrology in Russia lag behind world standards until it was used during the USSR?

Don't think. I have already said that astrology is a very conservative discipline. Over the 30 years that it has officially existed in our country, local astrologers have “pumped up” and are no longer inferior to imported ones. However, maybe this is just an aberration of proximity, as L.N. used to say. Gumilev.

What can you say about the coming 2018?

First of all, Happy New Year everyone! This year will be a year of respite, but it is useless to count on any bonuses now. One thing is certain: the war that they are scaring us will not happen. And the absence of bad news is already good news.

Details Author: Gorbatsevich V.V.

My thoughts on the learning process (more precisely, on the teaching process) are based on my personal experience (teaching is one of my three main professions; the other two are research in mathematics and astrological consulting). I taught mathematics (first) and then astrology for 45 years. At the same time, I did not read literature on teaching methods, but learned everything practically. To this was added the use of astrological symbolism in relation to the phenomena of specific life.

It’s interesting for me now to remember that, as a schoolboy, I could not imagine that teaching would become one of my main professions. It seemed to me that this was a very boring, tedious task - repeating the same thing over and over again. And only then did I realize that I was wrong and that this activity could be interesting for me (if it was not reduced to a tedious repetition of the same thing over and over again).

What is the training connected with, what astrological factors? Functionally – with Mercury, i.e. with its corresponding functional subsystem. And also with the zodiac signs ruled by Mercury - Gemini (the abode of direct Mercury) and Virgo (the exaltation of direct Mercury). And, of course, with the corresponding astrological houses - the 3rd and 6th. Sometimes learning - especially school - is associated with these two houses. The 3rd house is associated with the assimilation of information, and the 6th is associated with its analysis and detailing. Sometimes this is where astrologers’ discussions about training end. But in vain! After all, Sagittarius and... Pisces, as well as the corresponding houses - the 9th and 12th, are very significant for the learning process. And if the 9th house appears quite often in discussions about learning (especially in connection with higher education), then I somehow didn’t come across Pisces and the 12th house in the literature on this matter.

Where did Sagittarius and Pisces come from? And these are the signs opposite to Gemini and Virgo. But there Mercury is weak (in exile and fall, respectively), a person who studied astrology only from simplified books will say. But in fact, he is not weak there, but he simply has a different symbolic form of manifestation there! If in Gemini the function of Mercury is strong at the external level of Existence (now called “possession of information”), then in Sagittarius it is strong at the internal level (and this is called UNDERSTANDING information). Further, in Virgo, Mercury is also strong on the external level, and in Pisces - on the internal level. It is with Pisces that deep assimilation of information is associated, the ability to receive answers intuitively (but based on previously received information). Professionals (in science, art, business, sports, army, etc.) work not only at the level of Virgo (and the 6th house), but also at the level of Pisces (and the 12th house). And among themselves they often exchange remarks that are strange for the uninitiated - for example, this: “I know for sure that this is exactly so.” In this case, evidentiary arguments are not necessarily provided. A qualified person can “see” the true answers directly, without explicitly (externally) resorting to detailed analysis (Virgo) and without referring to specific sources of information (Gemini). You can learn this, but not as quickly as learning to catch the necessary information (especially now, with the development of the Internet). Training at the Sagittarius or Pisces level is training at a level of Being higher than the mental (sometimes called the intuitive level). By the way, at this level (the fourth level, i.e. even) it is the female part of a person that is strong (in the literal sense, that is, women, and in the figurative sense, that is, some men). Whereas on the mental – third, odd! – the level is stronger than the male part of a person. It is interesting to note that at the intuitive level, knowledge meets faith. Now this happens quite rarely. But sometimes this happens even in science. Even in mathematics! For example, there are many statements that mathematicians are confident in the truth of, although they cannot prove them. Let's say that almost everyone was confident in the validity of Fermat's Theorem (starting with Fermat himself), but it was possible to strictly prove it (on a purely mental level) only not so long ago - at the end of the 20th century. Sometimes there is no such confidence. For example, regarding the Poincaré Hypothesis (the one recently proved by G. Perelman), there were two different (intuitive) opinions among mathematicians - that it is true and that it is false. And attempts have been made to prove both.

Mercury is rarely used at the school at the level of Sagittarius and Pisces. Moreover, now we are even promoting (and even imposing!) the priority of using information received by someone else. And if in countries where cultural layer measured in two to three hundred years (who am I talking about, what do you think?), this is normal, but in our country such an attitude towards learning is offensive. Although it is very convenient for officials and narrow-minded managers, it makes it easier for them to function.

And now - a little about teaching astrology. There are many different ways to do this.

The simplest, even primitive, is to “give information”. Mercury in Gemini is used here. Reading out, dictating all sorts of “planets in signs, in houses”, etc. This was especially widespread in Moscow in the early 90s (during the very first period of widespread teaching of astrology in our country). Then I often heard such conversations: “Did they give you“ this ”? No? And they’ve already given it to us!” I think that such methods are still preserved somewhere on the periphery... By the way, textbooks on astrology were often written, and sometimes are still being written, using this method. There, for example, along with information on how to interpret, say, Mercury in Leo, “information is given” (completely meaningless for individual person), how to interpret in natal chart Saturn in Leo (well, of course, "creative professions" - yes? NO!!!).

A slightly more advanced way is in accordance with Mercury in Virgo (exaltation!). Here information is not just given, but it is clarified, analyzed, and critically comprehended (which is impossible when they simply “give information” and you just need to write it down). New astrological details are being added (all sorts of asteroids, very minor aspects, etc.). Another way of learning is not just assimilation of the flow of information, but its understanding and synthesis. This is for Mercury in Sagittarius. It is important here to have some general approach to the topic, some ideology. I myself have never used teaching methods based on Mercury in Gemini. But using Mercury in Virgo has happened. But I prefer the teaching method symbolized by Mercury in Sagittarius. And there is also Mercury in Pisces. I did not have the opportunity to use this approach when teaching mathematics (there were no students suitable for this). But when teaching astrology, I sometimes said: “Now I’ll draw - mentally! – a picture for you,” focusing specifically on imaginative thinking and intuitive perception of information. If this is also done emotionally enough, then the knowledge gained in this way will never be forgotten by the trainees. This approach is the antithesis of a boring story (looking at a pre-written piece of paper).

In continuation of the series of articles addressed to people studying astrology, today I propose to consider the signs of intelligence in the birth horoscope. To solve this problem, it will be useful for an astrologer to limit himself only to knowledge of traditional astrology, without taking into account newfangled trends involving trans-Saturn planets in judgment.

Signs of the mind in the horoscope

The mind depends mainly on the position of Mercury in the chart. If he is in his houses (Virgo - love of study, high intellectual qualities; Gemini - subtle mind, good reason, imagination, combination of mind and intuition) or in the houses of Saturn (Capricorn - deep and judicious mind, Aquarius - love of induction) and in good aspects with Saturn, Sun, Jupiter, Venus and Moon, it gives a good mind and great abilities for all kinds of knowledge. In other signs he does not represent anything remarkable.

I would like to draw the attention of readers that by the term “good” aspects, I do not mean any specific ones (as is often mistakenly believed in modern astrologers - sextile and trine). For an aspect to be considered favorable, a number of conditions must be met: the essential goodness of the planets, accidental strength and their mutual reception (relationship to each other). And the nature of this aspect (quadrature, trigon, etc.) does not play a big role, with the exception of oppositions. You can find out more about how to work correctly with aspects in a horoscope by reading mine.

However, let's return to the definition of human mental abilities. Astrology, in addition, considers the first house to be indicators of the mind (here Mercury, by the way, is incidentally stronger than any other planet of the first house, since this house is also its house of joy); to a lesser extent, 3, 5, 9 can also be included here , 11th house, therefore the presence of Mercury in them (especially in the first) enhances mental abilities. In addition, its presence in a certain zodiac sign predetermines a person’s inclination towards certain types of science and art: in Gemini, Virgo and Libra - eloquence; the houses of Jupiter and especially Saturn give knowledge of mathematics and love of exploring nature; statesmen and spiritual leaders depend on the signs of Jupiter and Venus. For example, if Mercury is in houses 1, 3, 5, 9 or 11 and is located in Gemini, Virgo or Libra, then the desire to express one’s thoughts in a beautiful form will direct a person towards the path of government, social or pedagogical activity (in a favorable aspect with a strong Sun, such Mercury will give brilliant and ardent eloquence, they say about such people - “he burned the hearts of people with a verb”).

Another important horoscopic factor indicating good mental abilities is all aspects formed between Mercury and the Moon. They all impart intelligence, and the more precise the aspect, the stronger the mental abilities. This is especially evident in a situation where one of the planets is located in Gemini (the conjunction of Mercury and the Moon in this sign under favorable aspects can give real genius).

The aspects of Mercury with other planets determine the inclinations, based on the qualities of such. For example, an aspect with a favorable Saturn indicates a high philosophical, theological and mathematical mind, seeking application in literature, science, state or social activities; in the presence of an aspect with a well-placed Venus - artists, artists, musicians, artists in general, merchants, etc. Aspects with the same planets, but turned out to be "evil" and standing in negative receptive connections, will give the same indications, but in the lower plane of their planetary manifestation.

The signs of a weak mind are already quite easy to determine from the above: if Mercury is weak essentially (in the fall or exile) or peregrine, at the same time it is affected incidentally (especially if it is retrograde and / or burned) and forms aspects with evil planets - this indicates a weak mind and spoiled.

Of course, in horoscopes there are rarely "pure" situations and the astrologer, as a rule, has to work with a mixture of favorable and negative indicators. However, here it’s a matter of analysis and clear understanding general principles astrological science.

For example, the position of Mercury in his own house (the strongest essential position) can outweigh many negative factors, but if at the same time he is accidentally struck, it will be difficult for a person who naturally has a wonderful mind to manifest it in the external environment. If at the same time Mercury has a favorable reception with another strong planet, then perhaps he will learn to show his wonderful mental abilities through it.

This is roughly how the signs of intelligence are determined in the birth horoscope. By the way, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with mine, from which you will find out in which zodiac sign the most scientists are born.