TWO PSEUDO-SCIENCES 



ASTROLOGY 



In a general way modern astronomy may be con- 

 sidered as the outgrowth of astrology, just as modern 

 chemistry is the result of alchemy. It is quite possible, 

 however, that astronomy is the older of the two; but 

 astrology must have developed very shortly after. 

 The primitive astronomer, having acquired enough 

 knowledge from his observations of the heavenly bodies 

 to make correct predictions, such as the time of the 

 coming of the new moon, would be led, naturally, to 

 believe that certain predictions other than purely as- 

 tronomical ones could be made by studying the heav- 

 ens. Even if the astronomer himself did not believe 

 this, some of his superstitious admirers would; for to 

 the unscientific mind predictions of earthly events 

 would surely seem no more miraculous than correct 

 predictions as to the future movements of the sun, 

 moon, and stars. When astronomy had reached a 

 stage of development so that such things as eclipses 

 could be predicted with anything like accuracy, the 

 occult knowledge of the astronomer would be unques- 

 tioned. Turning this apparently occult knowledge to 

 account in a mercenary way would then be the inevi- 

 table result, although it cannot be doubted that many 

 of the astrologers, in all ages, were sincere in their 

 beliefs. 



Later, as the business of astrology became a profit- 

 able one, sincere astronomers would find it expedient 

 to practise astrology as a means of gaining a livelihood. 

 Such a philosopher as Kepler freely admitted that 

 he practised astrology "to keep from starving," al- 



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