Celestial influences and the Scientific Revolution: astrology under discussion in seventeenth century England / As influências celestes e a Revolução Científica: a astrologia em debate na Inglaterra do século VII

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2005

RESUMO

When philosophers of science refer to the Scientific Revolution, they usually deal with fields such as physics and astronomy, and describe the rise of a new form of rationality. This thesis suggests that those studies be extended to other areas, and presents how the seventeenth century unfolded, from the point of view of astrology. Although there was a long standing tradition of criticism concerning astrology, the acceptance of celestial influences was close to unanimous, in the early seventeenth century. During that century, astrology became popular in England, with the publication of a large amount of works in vernacular. Almanacs became best-sellers. Astrology, however, seemed to loose its prestige in the intellectual milieu. This curious process coincided with the foundation and establishment of the Royal Society and the consolidation of a new astronomy. There were many important recent observational astronomical discoveries, and in that period Copernicus ideas also began to receive a wider acceptance. This research investigates the peculiar situation of astrology in the scientific, cultural, philosophical and religious context of seventeenth century England, when astrology faced a new reality: it was widely popular and, at the same time, was loosing its prestige in the academic world. The historical context in which British astrology developed contained several new ingredients that could, in principle, strongly collaborate in leading to its questioning. However, it was found that the arguments used against astrology in that period were essentially the traditional ones. There was scarcely any discussion motivated by the new astronomical ideas and discoveries. The Royal Society did neither attempt to study astrology, nor to refute it. The astrologers who proposed astrological reforms, at that time, were usually concerned with internal difficulties found in their subject and were not reacting to external pressures

ASSUNTO(S)

historia das ciencias ciência e astrologia astrologia -- história -- inglaterra -- século 17 astronomia astronomy astrologia astrology

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