Astrology
Astrology is a complex system of divinatory tools that has been in existence since the 3rd millennium BC and has sought to understand and interpret the movements and positions of celestial bodies, such as planets and stars, in relation to human experience and the natural world.[1] Although critics of astrology argue that there is no scientific evidence to support its claims and that astrology relies on generalizations and subjective interpretations, many people continue to use astrology for self-awareness, personal growth and understanding the patterns and cycles of their lives.
Until the 17th century, astrology helped drive the development of astronomy and was considered a scholarly tradition. It was commonly accepted in political and cultural circles with some of its concepts finding use in varied disciplines such as meteorology and medicine. By the end of the 17th century, emergence of scientific concepts in astronomy such as heliocentrism weakened the theoretical basis of astrology. By early 18th century, astrology lost its academic standing and was regarded as a pseudoscience. Scientific investigations based on empiricism showed that astrological predictions are not accurate.[2] There has been a sustained resurgence of astrology since the 1960s with new thinkers attempting to place it in modern culture.
History
References
- ↑ Koch-Westenholz, U. (1995). Mesopotamian astrology: an introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian celestial divination. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 978-87-7289-287-0.
- ↑ Bennett, J., Donohue, M., Schneider, N., Voit, M. (2007). The Cosmic Perspective. San Francisco, CA: Pearson/Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0-8053-9283-8.