Both words have a long history (astronomy dates from the 12th century, astrology from the 14th), and they share an origin with the word calamity ” (the Greek astron, meaning “star). The two words have very distinct connotations in modern usage, although they were equivalent for hundreds of years.
Astronomy is defined as “This is the term astronomers use to describe the study of objects and things outside of the earth’s atmosphere, as well as their physical and chemical qualities; it’s also the term you’d expect to see on the cover of your college textbook.
Astrology is described as the study of the stars “the study of the positions and aspects of the stars and planets to determine their alleged influences on human affairs and earth events. The word presumed in the astrology definition has two purposes: it underlines that astrologers’ assertions are largely regarded as unscientific, and it also serves as a placeholder for thousands of science instructors’ screams of despair when students mix up astronomy and astrology.
We understand that remembering the distinction between two words that start with the same letters and have meanings related to outer-space-stuff might be tough. Remember that astrology is related to astrologaster, a now-obsolete word that was formerly a disparaging epithet for someone who claimed to study the stars.
Though some dumb Astrologaster or Figure-flinger hits in one thing out of twenty, he is immediately branded a cunning man; but even if the Physitian does six hundred cures, if he fails in one due to his Patient’s impatience, that one failure does more to his detriment.
-aster, when used as a suffix, implies “one who is not authentic or inferior, and its use was not limited to astrologaster. So, if you think that repeating what astrology is will help you remember what it is, here are a half-dozen more arcane and petty insults you might find more useful than picking on a horoscope writer.
In conclusion:
Do you have problems distinguishing between astronomy and astrology and are concerned that you will be ridiculed if you do? Relax; many individuals are perplexed by this distinction (and for hundreds of years the two words had the same meaning). Astronomy is now the scientific term, while astrology is the non-scientific discipline.
In This Article...
What is the origin of the term “astrology”?
– -logia, fromastron (“star”) (“study of”account of the stars”). The word came to English via Latin and medieval French, and its meaning was quite similar to that of astronomy (derived from the Latin astronomia). Astrology referred to divinations and plans for predicting human affairs until the 17th century, when astronomy acquired the scientific term.
When did astrology become astronomy, and when did astronomy become astrology?
Many facets of human history, including worldviews, language, and many aspects of social culture, have been influenced by astrological beliefs in correspondences between celestial observations and terrestrial happenings.
Astrology extends back to the 3rd millennium BC among West Eurasian peoples, with roots in calendrical systems used to predict seasonal shifts and interpret astronomical cycles as signals of heavenly communications. Astrology was considered an academic discipline until the 17th century, and it aided in the development of astronomy. It was widely accepted in political and cultural circles, and some of its notions were applied to conventional fields like alchemy, meteorology, and medicine. Emerging scientific notions in astronomy, such as heliocentrism, undercut the theoretical underpinning of astrology by the end of the 17th century, causing it to lose its academic standing and be labeled a pseudoscience. Predictions based on these methods have been demonstrated to be inaccurate through empirical scientific study.
What is the difference between astronomy and astrology?
Astrology is astronomy that has been brought down to Earth and applied to human matters.
Astrology and astronomy are both concepts related to the universe, and the terms astrology and astronomy were used interchangeably in the past. From the 17th century onwards, these two conceptions were steadily divided until they were proclaimed to be completely different.
Humans had to rely on the naked eye to observe the astral bodies above before telescopes and similar devices were devised. As a result, both astrology and astronomy’s early growth concentrated on what could be seen. The Sun, Moon, and five planets are the most prominent.
The majority of ancient societies associated these seven things with various powerful rulers. Indeed, the planets were named after the gods in Ancient Greece, and they were credited with possessing the powers of the gods whose names they carried. The ancient framework known as astrology was born from such thoughts (currently undergoing a radical resurgence in popularity). The positions of these bodies among the zodiac stars are regarded to contain the key to comprehending what we might expect from life in astrology.
Astronomy is the study of planets and other celestial objects with the goal of understanding their origins, interrelationships, and future movements. Astrology is the study of how the mobility and changes of celestial objects affect human life and nature.
Astronomy employs scientific proof to support claims about the cosmos and its origins. New developments aid space professionals with ever-changing discoveries, and they collaborate with scientists from many fields and academics to explore nearby planets, far-off stars, and distinct galaxies.
While Astrology had some of the trappings of true science, such as the use of particular mathematics and intricate charts, as well as a specific nomenclature, it began to be dismissed as a science during the 17th century.
Astronomy is assisting individuals in better understanding the cosmos and divine objects through perception and investigation through scientific examination. There are 17 subdisciplines in this multidisciplinary field. Thanks to the employment of creative tactics and communication across several academic areas, significant progress has been realized. Astronomers use specialized computer programs and measuring equipment to direct this vast research. In most cases, telescopes and satellites are utilized to dissect and acquire data.
There is a lot of debate regarding whether astrology should be considered a scientific or purely mystical. Astrology’s basic principles are drawn from hypotheses that go beyond the realms of logical examination, earning it the moniker “Mother of all sciences.” Astrology contains a few true science elements, such as specialized terminology, math, and perplexing graphs. Despite this, unexplained rumours have limited credibility. Astrologers do not use reasoning to distinguish between different scenarios. These debates revolve around the concept of energy methods such as yoga and Feng Shui, both of which have little logical support. Astrology is classified as pseudoscience since there is little evidence and a strong emphasis on fantasy and superstition.
Our star diagram or star map serves as a night sky guide. Algorithms are used to map the star alignment on any particular day. To make the findings more effective, astronomers divide them into frameworks. They are used to identify and locate clusters of stars and cosmic objects like as nebulae and galaxies. A star graph differs from a galactic index, which is a collection of cosmic materials posted or arranged for a certain purpose. The astrolabe and plan sphere are two devices that use a star diagram. Here’s where you can learn all about how we produce our star maps.
Several Great Plains Native American clans, most notably the Pawnee, Shoshone, Arikara, and Wichita, had intricate beliefs that included the usage of a star chart and astrology. Clans like the Cherokee accepted that everything on the Earth is a reflection of the stars on earth. Stars, according to the Pawnee, were gods that formerly lived on Earth and were then transformed into stars after death. Comets, shooting star showers, and novas were all thought to be indications of impending disasters. Photos of a Pawnee Star Chart with clearly visible heavenly body designs can be found. Rather than measuring the number of stars to determine an area, Native Americans used the Star Chart and Astrology charts to record the area of stars and heavenly bodies to mark seasons and events throughout the year.
Astronomers are generating new discoveries at an unprecedented rate as technology and space instruments improve and we can look further into space. Despite the lack of logical evidence or scientific proof, astrology is growing in popularity and importance in the public discourse.
What is the origin of the term “astronomy”?
Astronomy (from the Greek fromastron, “star” and – -nomia, “law” or “culture”) literally means “law of the stars” (or “culture of the stars” depending on the translation). Astronomy should not be confused with astrology, a belief system that asserts human affairs are linked to celestial object locations. Despite having a shared origin, the two fields are now completely different.
Is astrology an astronomy subdiscipline?
Astrology is a branch of astronomy that deals with the stars. Through social media, Aaliyah learns that Saturn will be visible tonight and that the weather will be clear.
What is Islam’s position on astrology?
Astrology is the study of celestial bodies’ movements and relative placements, which are thought to have an impact on human affairs and the natural world. According to historian Emilie Savage-Smith, astrology (ilm al-nujm, “the study of the stars”) was “by far” the most popular of the “many activities aiming to predict future occurrences or perceive hidden phenomena” in early Islamic history.
Despite Islamic prohibitions, some medieval Muslims were interested in studying the apparent motion of the stars. This was partially due to their belief in the importance of the celestial bodies, and partly due to the fact that desert inhabitants frequently traveled at night and relied on knowledge of the constellations for navigation. Muslims needed to determine the time of prayers, the direction the kaaba would face, and the correct orientation of the mosque after the arrival of Islam, all of which helped give a religious impetus to the study of astronomy and contributed to the belief that the celestial bodies had an impact on terrestrial affairs as well as the human condition.
The criteria for Islam’s attitude on astrology are laid out in Islamic jurisprudence, the Quran, the Hadith, Ijma (scholarly consensus), and Qiyas (analogy). The idea is further differentiated into that which is either halal (authorized) or haram (forbidden) (forbidden). The view that astrology is forbidden by the authorities, as enshrined in the Quran and Hadith, is shared by all Islamic sects and academics.
Is it true that many believe in astrology?
Christine Smallwood’s fascinating piece, “Astrology in the Age of Uncertainty:
Astrology is currently experiencing widespread popular acceptability that has not been seen since the 1970s. The transition began with the introduction of the personal computer, was expedited by the Internet, and has now reached new levels of speed thanks to social media. According to a Pew Research Center poll from 2017, about a third of Americans believe in astrology.
Astrology, like psychoanalysis before it, has infiltrated our collective vernacular. At a party in the 1950s, you could have heard someone talk about the id, ego, or superego; now, it’s normal to hear someone explain herself using the sun, moon, and rising signs. It isn’t just that you are aware of it. It’s who’s saying it: folks who aren’t kooks or deniers of climate change, who don’t find a conflict between utilizing astrology and believing in science…
I ran a short Google search and discovered the following Pew report from October 2018:
The religion breakdown was the only thing that surprised me about this table.
I had the impression that mainline Protestants were the rational ones, but they believe in astrology at the same rate as the overall population.
But, hey, I guess they’re ordinary Americans, so they have average American ideas.
Only 3% of atheists believe in astrology, which is also unexpected.
This makes sense, yet it seemed reasonable to me that someone may not believe in God but believe in other supernatural things: in fact, I could see astrology as a type of replacement for a traditional religious system.
But it appears that is not the case.
Brian Wansink has been compared to an astrologer who can make astute observations about the world based on a combination of persuasiveness and qualitative understanding, and then attributes his success to tarot cards or tea leaves rather than a more practical ability to synthesize ideas and tell good stories.
Does Brian Wansink, on the other hand, believe in astrology?
What about Marc Hauser, Ed Wegman, Susan Fiske, and the rest of the bunch who call their detractors “second-string, replication police, methodological terrorists, Stasi, and so on?”
I doubt they believe in astrology because it symbolizes a rival belief system: it’s a business that, in some ways, competes with rah-rah Ted-talk science.
I wouldn’t be shocked if famous ESP researchers believe in astrology, but I get the impression that mainstream junk-science supporters in academia and the news media feel uncomfortable discussing ESP since its research methods are so similar to their own.
They don’t want to be associated with ESP researchers because it would devalue their own study, but they also don’t want to put them under the bus because they are fellow Ivy League academics, so the safest plan is to remain quiet about it.
The greater point, however, is not astrology believing in and of itself, but the mental state that allows individuals to believe in something so contrary to our scientific understanding of the world.
(OK, I apologize to the 29% of you who don’t agree with me on this.)
When I return to writing on statistical graphics, model verification, Bayesian computation, Jamaican beef patties, and other topics, you can rejoin the fold.)
It’s not that astrology couldn’t be correct a priori:
We can come up with credible hypotheses under which astrology is real and amazing, just as we can with embodied cognition, beauty and sex ratio, ovulation and voting, air rage, ages ending in 9, and all the other Psychological Science / PNAS classics.
It’s just that nothing has come up after years of rigorous research.
And the existing theories aren’t particularly convincing: they’re speculative world models that may be good if the purpose was to describe a real and enduring occurrence, but they’re less so without actual data.
Anyway, if 30% of Americans are willing to believe such nonsense, it’s no surprise that a significant number of influential American psychology professors will have the kind of attitude toward scientific theory and evidence that leads them to have strong beliefs in weak theories with no supporting evidence.
Indeed, not only support for specific weak theories, but support for the fundamental principle that pseudoscientific views should be treated with respect (although, oddly enough, maybe not for astrology itself).
P.S.In defense of the survey respondents (but not of the psychology professors who support ideas like the “critical positivity ratio,” which makes astrology appear positively sane in comparison), belief in astrology (or, for that matter, belief in heaven, gravity, or the square-cube law) is essentially free.
Why not believe these things, or not believe them?
Belief or denial in evolution, climate change, or unconscious bias, on the other hand, can have social or political consequences.
Some opinions are purely personal, while others have a direct impact on policy.
I have less patience for famous academic and media elites who aggressively support junk science by not just expressing their trust in speculative notions supported by no real data, but also attacking those who point out these emperors’ nudity. Furthermore, even a hypothetical tolerant, open-minded supporter of junk sciencethe type of person who might believe in critical positivity ratio but actively support the publication of criticisms of that workcan still cause some harm by contaminating scientific journals and the news media with bad science, and by promoting sloppy work that takes up space that could be used for more careful research.
You know how they say science corrects itself, but only because individuals are willing to correct themselves?
Gresham’s law is also true, but only when people are willing to distribute counterfeit notes or money they think is counterfeit while keeping their lips shut until they can get rid of their wads of worthless stock.
P.P.S.Just to be clear:I don’t think astrology is a waste of time, and it’s possible that Marc Hauser was onto something real, even while faking data (according to the US government, as mentioned on Wikipedia), and the critical positivity ratio, ovulation, voting, and all the rest…
Just because there isn’t enough evidence to support a theory doesn’t mean it’s untrue.
I’m not trying to disprove any of these assertions.
All of it should be published someplace, along with all of the criticism.
My issue with junk science proponents isn’t simply that they advocate science that I and others perceive to be rubbish; they can also be wrong!
However, they consistently avoid, deny, and oppose valid open criticism.
P.P.P.S.Remember that #notallpsychologists.
Of course, the problem of junk research isn’t limited to psychology in any way.
Professors of political science, economics, sociology, and history, to the extent that they believe in astrology, spoon bending, or whatever (that is, belief in “scientific paranormalism as describing some true thing about the natural world, not just a “anthropological recognition that paranormal beliefs can affect the world because people believe in it), this could also sabotage their research.
I suppose it’s not such a big problem if a physicist or chemist believes in these things.
I’m not attempting to shut down study into astrology, embodied cognition, ESP, beauty-and-sex-ratio, endless soup bowls, spoon bending, the Bible Code, air anger, ovulation and voting, subliminal smiley faces, or anything else.
Allow for the blooming of a thousand blooms!
Given that a sizable portion of the populace is willing to believe in scientific-sounding notions that aren’t backed by any good scientific theory or evidence, it should come as no surprise that many professional scientists hold this viewpoint.
The repercussions are especially evident in psychology, which is a vital field of study where theories can be hazy and where there is a long legacy of belief and action based on flimsy data.
That isn’t to say that psychologists are awful people; they’re merely working on difficult challenges in a field with a long history of failures.
This isn’t a critique; it’s just the way things are. Of course, there is a lot of excellent work being done in the field of psychology. You’ll have to work with what you’ve got.
Is it astronomy or astrology that is older?
Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, with roots in prehistoric religious, mythological, cosmological, calendrical, and astrological beliefs and practices; vestiges of these can still be found in astrology, a discipline that has long been intertwined with public and governmental astronomy. During the Copernican Revolution, which began in 1543, it was not totally separated in Europe (see astrology and astronomy). Astronomical data was employed for astrological prognostication in several cultures. Many institutions have provided financial and social support to the study of astronomy, particularly the Christian Church, which was its most important source of support from the 12th century to the Enlightenment.
