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Copyright of Journal of the Faculty of Divinity of Ankara University / Ankara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Ankara Universitesi Ilahiyat Fakultesi Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bu çalışmada, Kur’an’da yer alan gök cisimlerini konu edinen ayetler, İslam öncesi Arap kültür ve inançları çerçevesinde ele alınmaktadır. Kur’an’da gökyüzü, gök cisimleri ve gök olayları ile ilgili çok sayıda ayet bulunması, bu olguların vahyin nazil olduğu dönemde muhatap kitlede önemli bir karşılığı olup olmadığı sorununu beraberinde getirmektedir. Kur’an’ın astronomi ve meteoroloji alanlarına dair bilimsel malumat vermek gibi bir hedefinin olmamasına rağmen bazı gök unsurlarına sıklıkla yer vermesi, gökyüzüyle ilgili ayetleri dönemin inanç ve kültür yapısı açısından incelemeyi önemli ve gerekli kılmaktadır. Bu sebeple çalışmada, Cahiliye Araplarında gök cisimleriyle ilgili genel durumun tespiti, kısa tasviri ve ayetlerin nazil olduğu tarihî zeminin tasvir edilmesi hedeflenmektedir. Nüzul vasatındaki muhatapların tanrı ve âlem tasavvurunu teşkil eden kozmoloji anlayışı ve inanç sistemleri ile ayetler arasındaki ilişkiye dikkat çekmek amaçlanmaktadır. Bu açıdan çalışma, Kur’an’da şems, ḳamer, şi‘rā, necm/nucūm, kevkeb/kevākib, burūc, şihāb, meṣābīḥ, felek vb. kelimelerin yer aldığı ayetlerle sınırlandırılmıştır. Bununla birlikte muġayyebāt-ı ḫams ve yağmur konusuna değinen bazı ayetler, Cahiliye döneminde yıldız kültüne dair bilgi içermesi ve kâhinlerin yıldızlarla ilgili inançları istismarı sebebiyle konu kapsamına dahil edilmiştir. Kur’an’da yer alan bir meselenin anlaşılabilmesi, ekseriya ayetlerin nazil olduğu dönem itibariyle mütekellim-muhatap ve kelam arasındaki ilişkiye dayalıdır. Bu sebeple çalışmamızda gök cisimleriyle ilgili ayetler, muhatap kitlenin içerisinde bulunduğu kültürel zemin ile Kur’an’ın temel hedef ve söylemleri merkeze alınarak genel bir bütünlük içerisinde sunulmuştur. Muhatapların ayetleri nasıl anlamış olabileceğini ifade etmek üzere İslam öncesi gök cisimleriyle ilgili inançlara dair Cahiliye örf, âdet ve geleneklerine yer verilmiş ve konu, ayetlerin bu zeminle irtibatı kurularak kısa malumatlar sunacak şekilde işlenmiştir. Dolayısıyla çalışma, klasik bir tefsir araştırmasından ziyade, envāʾ literatürü başta olmak üzere Cahiliye şiiri, hadis, tarih ve siyer kitâbiyâtının sağladığı bilgilerden hareketle gök cisimleriyle ilgili ayetlerin nazil olduğu zemine dair kapsamlı bir yaklaşımı temsil etmektedir. Sonuç olarak çalışma, gök cisimleriyle ilgili ayetlerde Kur’an’ın, genel olarak Cahiliye döneminin politeist ve astrolojik inanışlarını tevhid inancı doğrultusunda tashih ve dönüştürme hedefi taşıdığını ortaya koymaktadır.

Introduction: Astrologers assume that the sun sign dictates personality. A relationship between personality traits and sun signs exists, though a degree of relation could vary. Selecting a career is thought to be dependent on a number of factors and the perceived suitability of one’s personality characteristics to a certain career is one among other factors. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore zodiac signs and related personality traits of dental students and their perception toward dental specialties. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among (n = 447) undergraduates and postgraduate dental students in Andhra Pradesh. A pretested 3 questionnaire was used to collect data regarding demographics, education level, zodiac-related personality traits, and preferred dental specialty, which was assessed using Google Forms. A Chi-square test was done to know the association. Results: There is a statistical significance (

This article shines a light on the musical contents of a "book of births", the Liber Nativitatum or Albubather, written by the Persian Astrologer Abu Bakr al‐Hassan ibn al‐Khasib in the ninth century, translated into Latin at the beginning of the thirteenth century, and published in Venice in 1501. "Books of births" served to show how an individual's fortune and personal traits could be ascertained from the position of the celestial bodies throughout the individual's gestation period. A significant portion of these traits pertain to loquacity, hearing, musical skill and the likelihood of a musical profession. Thanks to the connotations each celestial body bore – positive and negative – and the traits they are described as imparting, the Liber Nativitatum makes it possible to identify the skills and traits requisite for good musical performance, as well as those traits which might inhibit it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the book "Wonders and Rarities: The Marvelous Book That Traveled the World and Mapped the Cosmos" by Travis Zadeh. The book explores the concept of wonders and rarities and provides examples of things considered wondrous and rare. It focuses on the life and work of ʿImād al-Dīn Zakariyyāʾ al-Kammūnī al-Qazwīnī, particularly his natural history book "ʿAjāʾib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharāʾib al-mawjūdāt" (Wonders of Things Created and Rarities of Matters Existent). The book is divided into three parts, discussing Qazwīnī's influences, his study of natural philosophy, and the dissemination of his work in manuscript and print. The article also touches on the transformation and reception of Qazwīnī's work in the modern era. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Gumushane Universty Electronic Journal of the Faculty of Communication / Gümüshane Üniversitesi Iletisim Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi is the property of Gumushane Universitesi Iletisim Fakultesi Elektronik Dergisi (e-GIFDER) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Yearbook for Dutch Book History / Jaarboek voor Nederlandse Boekgeschiedenis is the property of Amsterdam University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper explores the accumulation of Indian astronomical knowledge within Chinese Buddhist scriptures and its dissemination across Chinese society through a comparative study of the Modengjia jing (Ch1 of the ZKA) and the Xiuyao jing (XYJ). The period from the Ch1 of ZKA to the XYJ was a time when Buddhism was in the midst of developing and maturing within China. The Ch1 of the ZKA is regarded as the first Buddhist scripture including a complete account of Indian nakṣatra astrology and translated from Sanskrit parallel text, rather than a native work codified by Buddhists in Ancient China. The XYJ is not a translation but rather an authoritative handbook of Indian astrological knowledge taught by Amoghavajra. A detailed comparison of the contents of the two texts shows that the knowledge contained within Ch1 of the ZKA belongs to the Vedic era and that the XYJ belongs to the post-Vedic era. Beginning with the Ch1 of the ZKA and ending with the XYJ, Buddhist astronomical knowledge steadily grew. Yang Jingfeng's revision and explanation of the first fascicle of the Sutra reflects Ancient Chinese intellectuals' acceptance, digestion, and recreation of Buddhist astronomical knowledge. His abandonment of the "Calculation of weekdays" reflects the influence of the Chinese mathematical and astronomical tradition and the calendar tradition upon his perspective; perhaps this is one of the reasons why China has accepted the weekday within daily life up to the modern era. Every civilization, in learning to assimilate other cultures, has a choice between foreignization and domestication, within which a tension is reflected. Learning from foreign cultures is about keeping up with the most advanced civilizations in the world and advancing with the times, while maintaining one's own cultural identity and cultural characteristics is necessary for one's own civilization; these two notions are complementary and should not be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the memory theatres in Robert Fludd’s major work Utriusque cosmi historia (History of both worlds), focusing in particular on their epistemological and artistic relevance. My recent research into Fludd’s manuscripts has revealed that the British philosopher invested his personal skills in the art of drawing, in order to materialise his ideas for images. He created appealing designs for his books, which worked as visualisations of his philosophical texts, both allusively and didactically. In this article, I develop my earlier findings by arriving at the conclusion that Fludd also used skills in the art of memory to create and organise his ideas for images. Most notably, Fludd preferred round and square shapes, corresponding to the shapes that he applied in his “Ars memoriae”. I conclude the article by exploring the further historical reception and development of Fludd’s hermetic art of memory, showing the shift from mnemonics as a competency in Renaissance arts and sciences to mnemonics as an artistic subject and method in modern and contemporary fine arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tanburi Cemil Bey is considered one of the greatest geniuses who grew up in the classical Turkish music tradition. However, his place in the history of national culture cannot be understood only through his actions and works in the musical field. To accurately determine his position, the conceptual apparatus of a comparative and multidimensional perspective is needed. For this reason, this study discusses the concept of genius attributed to Cemil Bey and investigates the possibilities of evaluating him as a form of historical subjectivity through the structure-agency tension in sociology. While doing this, the concept of melancholy, which has accompanied genius since ancient times, is also included in the analysis. These concepts have a deeprooted unity that frames the medical, epistemological and philosophical norms of the Western tradition of thought. The closeness between these two concepts, which were mainly established on a medical and philosophical level in ancient Greek thought, is discussed in a wide range of symbols within the framework of the Saturn myth in Renaissance cosmology. By revising the ancient belief that the planets have a certain influence on the character and moral qualities of people, the personification of the melancholic genius is added to the myth of Saturn in the astrological context of Renaissance cosmology. Thus, it paves the way for the maturation of a separate poetic experience of melancholy that focuses on the existential dimension of melancholy as well as its physical symptoms. Romanticism intensifies the perception of melancholy as a sign of selfreflexivity that allows contemplation on the deepest aspects of existence and often symbolizes creative genius. It creates a context in which Cemil Bey can be read, like C. Baudelaire and W. Benjamin, who see themselves as residents of this unique field of subjectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1643 onwards – almost until the ends of their lives –, the philosopher and astronomer Pierre Gassendi (1592–1655) and the mathematician and astrologer Jean-Baptiste Morin (1583–1656) were engaged in a bitter polemic. Scholars in the history of early modern science consider this polemic crucial both for understanding the debate over Galileanism and Copernicanism in France, and for understanding the decline of astrology within scholarly communities. This conflict began with the publication of Gassendi's De motu impresso a motore translato (1642) and Morin's subsequent critique of the author's Galileanism and Copernican stance. As the polemic evolved, it came to include other members of Gassendi's network, who retaliated with criticism of Morin's astrological practices – a process that culminated in what Robert Alan Hatch interpreted in 2017 as a significant moment in the exclusion of astrology from French academic discourse. In this paper, I present evidence that two of the texts in this polemical series, the Anatomia ridiculi muris (1651) and the Favilla ridiculi muris (1653), which have traditionally been attributed to Gassendi's pupil François Bernier (1620–1688), were in fact authored by Gassendi himself. This re-attribution casts Gassendi's influence on the decline of astrology in early modern France in a different light, while also offering a deeper insight into his intellectual biography and into the composition of his Opera omnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of KUL Journal of Legal Studies / Studia Prawnicze KUL is the property of John Paul II Catholic University of Lubin / Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawla II and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper documents the resilience of fenye (分野, lit., “field allocation”) and its applications through the nineteenth century in China. Despite literati (and eventually imperial) criticisms that the fenye system of correlative cosmography was outdated and unworthy of belief, fenye retained a sizeable audience through the close of the Qing period. At the top, the Qing imperial state continued to reference fenye correlations in its official communications late into the dynasty. In local society, literati looked to newly issued dynastic sources of astrological knowledge to update local gazetteers; in the nineteenth century, these trends were pronounced along frontier areas lacking longstanding gazetteer records. Finally, people engaged in the practice of fengshui looked to fenye knowledge to update the values and layout of the compass, the historical origins of which related to geomantic practices. In the Qing period, the compass was both theoretically and physically altered under the influence of Jesuit-introduced “Western Learning” (Xixue 西學). The paper contends that the status of fenye in pre-twentieth century China was seldom an allor-nothing proposition between a celebrated component of imperial orthodoxy and an outdated relic in inexorable decline: people critiqued fenye, used fenye, and updated fenye.

Purpose: Most scholars who do research on Manichaeism and its founder, Mani, believe that he did not possess suitable knowledge about the Buddha’s teachings, and Mani’s familiarity with Indian schools was limited to only a couple of years of his journey somewhere in the subcontinent. On this premise, those scholars argue that the information regarding Buddha and his teachings provided in the Manichaean texts, is related to the Manichaean society of Great Khorasan, who, due to their vicinity to the Buddhist cultural milieu, have included the religious terminology of Buddhism into Manichaeism. Findings and Conclusions: This aforementioned assessment is not acceptable for some reason proposed and discussed in this article: There is notable evidence that shows before travelling to India, Mani was acquainted with Indian schools, especially with Buddhism, so that he made a trip there to complete what he had learned about them in his homeland. Moreover, the Iranian philosophers were obviously aware of Indian knowledge and sciences, in as much as meetings of debate have been frequently held in the Shahs’ court between the sages of different schools. According to the spread of Indian teachings in Iran, and the documentation provided by Mani and Manichaean writings, it can be illustrated that before traveling and during the formative years of his principles and revelation, Mani made great use of Indian knowledge and schools; further, in his description of the universe and celestial bodies in Šābuhragān, he was influenced by Indian astronomy and astrology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the early Christian critique of astrology, focusing on its perceived conflict with the concept of free will. Key figures such as Origen, Tatian, and Bardesanes are highlighted for their contributions to this discourse. Origen’s works, including his homilies and commentaries on the Book of Genesis, notably oppose the deterministic implications of astrology by asserting human free will and divine omnipotence. Tatian’s writings, particularly his “Oratio ad Graecos,” condemn astrology as a demonic invention that undermines Christian doctrines. Bardesanes, who is well-informed in astrology, differentiates between cosmic influences and moral decisions, arguing that ethical behavior is not determined by the stars. The article also explores the theological and philosophical foundations of these arguments, tracing influences from earlier thinkers like Philo of Alexandria and Carneades. Overall, the text provides a comprehensive analysis of how early Christian writers engaged with and refuted astrological beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cumhuriyet Ilahiyat Dergisi / Cumhuriyet Theology Journal is the property of Cumhuriyet Universitesi, Ilahiyat Fakultesi / Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Theology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Traditional Iranian architecture has always been praised for its elegant decorative features, especially its ornamental vaulted ceilings appearing in houses, mosques, and bazaars. Besides their ornamental characteristics, some scholars believe these structures were built by master builders who were equipped with the knowledge of geomancy, astrology, and the human system. Authors' previous studies on the traditional system of architecture of Iran and its connection to Indian Vastu Shastra further reveal that the esoteric concepts and symbols such as chakras that are popular elements of Indian traditional architecture also appear in traditional Iranian built space. Having the knowledge of the human aura and its chakras and the similarities of concepts in traditional architecture of India and Iran, the authors believe the decorative vaulted ceilings of traditional Iranian houses, besides their structural considerations and physical functions, follow the concept of mandalas and human chakras. Case studies on three well-known houses of Kashan prove this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to foresee the outbreak of epidemic disease, and to predict its course, is a highly coveted skill. Most often associated with statistical techniques, such efforts to improve the health of communities are thought to be exclusively modern. Public health more generally is often said to be categorically distinct from pre-modern medicine, which was interested above all in individual patients and rarely considered the broader health of a population. This article challenges these long-entrenched views by showcasing early modern astrologers at work on disease at the population level. Located at the intersection of medicine and mathematics, astrology was once a promising methodology for monitoring the health of the people. Astrologers made annual predictions about the diseases that would predominate in particular regions, disseminating their forecasts widely alongside advice on what should be done in response. Their ability to think in terms of relatively standardized 'populations' — alongside their attempts to correlate the incidence of disease with external factors — made astrologers prime candidates for developing novel approaches to epidemics. Before the epidemiologist there was the astrologer, who looked to the stars to find patterns between celestial configurations and major health events, using their findings to model the rise and fall of epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the presence of astrological science in the Tesoro de la lengua castellana o española (1611) by Sebastián de Covarrubias y Orozco, as well as in the Suplemento and, additionally, in his Emblemas morales (1610). To do so, the state of development of this science is contextualized, in which astronomy was moving towards scientific autonomy, the ecclesiastical dogmatics of the moment are discussed, and the scope of these studies at the University of Salamanca is detailed. As far as astronomy is concerned, Covarrubias demonstrates a solid knowledge of the subject and, in line with his brother Juan de Horozco, considers the new heliocentric theory as paradoxical. Regarding astrology, he presents an orthodox attitude: considers permissible the prognosis of natural phenomena (meteorological and medical) and is contrary to its judicial practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, researchers are very interested in studying various Diophantine equations due to their importance in Cryptography, Chemistry, Knot Theory, Astronomy, Geometry, Trigonometry, Biology, Algebra, Electrical Engineering, Economics, and Astrology. The present paper is about the non-negative integer solution of the exponential Diophantine equation nx + 43y = z², where are non-negative integers, is a positive integer with nx + 43y = z², where n = 2 (mod 129) and n + 1 and is not a perfect square. The authors use the famous Catalan conjecture for this purpose. Results of the present paper indicate that 2, 3, 0, and 3 are the only required values of and respectively, that satisfy the exponential Diophantine equation, where are non-negative integers, is a positive integer with nx + 43y = z², where n = 2 (mod 129) and n + 1 and is not a perfect square. The present technique of this paper proposes a new approach to solving the Diophantine equations, which is the main scientific contribution of this study, and it is very beneficial, especially for researchers, scholars, academicians, and people interested in the same field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Babylonian horoscopes, edited by Rochberg in 1998, contain sets of astronomical and astrological data on dates of, or close to, individuals' births. Each element of these short and concise texts reflects the astral divinatory practices and astronomical observation developed over the first millennium BC, as well as the latest innovations, including the zodiac as coordinate system and the occurrence of new astrological schemes partly based on it, which had previously remained obscure. In this paper, I present a new interpretation of the astrological terminology and the schemes that underly some of the data in the Babylonian horoscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study offers an analysis of the treatise Von der Pestilentz an die Statt Stertzingen (first edition 1576, ed. Michael Toxites) in the context of Paracelsus’s likely sojourn in Tyrol in 1533/1534. The article discusses Paracelsus's approach to treating plague, emphasizing practical remedies over theoretical considerations. Paracelsus offers various therapeutic interventions, including bloodletting and herbal remedies. The treatise also delves into astrological considerations, offering recommendations based on sex, age, and other factors. Despite its departure from Paracelsus’s more theoretical plague works, such as Zwey Bücher von der Pestilentz vnnd jhren Zufellen and De Peste Libri tres, the Sterzing treatise is deemed authentic, reflecting a practical and utilitarian approach likely driven by Paracelsus’s attempt to secure patronage. The article underscores the importance of considering audience and genre when interpreting Paracelsus's writings, suggesting that the Sterzing treatise serves as a valuable biographical source while offering insights into his evolving medical theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jung's conceptualization of synchronicity has a relation to his engagement in astrology began in roughly 1906. Jung's conceptualization of varieties of synchronistic experiences can be divided into non-divinatory and divinatory experiences. Among the divinatory sources, he overlooked the differences between I-Ching divination and astrology. His neglect caused a logical discrepancy in his early synchronicity theory. Forty-six years after his first engagement in astrology, his essay on synchronicity (1952) possesses a long section for his astrological experiment. In his astrological experiment, his problematic understanding of metaphysical and methodological issues behind the experiment led to the failure of his statistical part of the experiment. The case study part of it turns to support his meaningful chance version of synchronicity theory and leads to the acknowledgement of the standard version of synchronicity theory: meaningful chances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we aim to provide a summary of the development of modern psychological astrology over the past century in terms of its esoteric and scientific historical antecedents, highlighting the contributions of the Theosophists on the one hand and C.G. Jung on the other, while discussing not only the complex interrelationships between the two but also other important authors and relevant historical aspects. By tracing the links between psychology and Western esotericism we also try to illustrate that, although being apparently two very separate fields, they are connected in several ways, both because of the similar questions they pose, because of certain historical processes that have influenced them, and because of the common subject matter they address—the human mind or soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicolaus Copernicus’s achievements in the field of astronomy are widely known and undisputed, but few people know that he also studied astrology – in his time recognised as a science and a subject of academic lectures. Evidence of this activity, though scarce, is preserved in the margins of one of the popular astrological treatises of the 15th and 16th centuries, which was owned by Nicolaus Copernicus. Thanks to these marginal notes it is possible to undertake a consideration of the scale and reasons for the involvement of the astronomer in the exploration of astrology.

The question ‘Was Copernicus an astrologer’ is prima facie very clear, while in fact being quite ambiguous. This question should rather be regarded as a vast topic covering lots of more concise questions such as ‘Was Copernicus thoroughly educated in astrology?’, ‘Did Copernicus believe in astrology?’ or ‘Did a mature Copernicus practice astrology?’ Unfortunately, thus far, consensus has not been achieved among historians on any of them. Accordingly, the topic has been for some time, and still is, a battlefield of the most acrimonious debates in Copernicology, nay, perhaps in the whole history of science. Carefully made distinctions and subsequent analysis of the common pro et contra arguments enabled this paper to arbitrate the different perspectives. None of the arguments has been found to have a decisive force. In general, while the pro lines of reasoning are normally based upon insecure or even faulty inductive logic, their contra counterparts often suffer from ex silentio inferences or even ad ignorantiam fallacy. Two new, subtle arguments have been introduced instead. They can be considered as genuine new evidence allowing for the resolution of some lingering doubts. First, the natal charts of Copernicus that were cast in the middle of the 16th century have been studied. The excessively exact birth hour of Copernicus at 4:48 PM has quite naturally been expected to be a result of a preliminary astrological rectification. However, apparently it was not rectified by the algorithms most popular at the time. The findings suggest the number-symbolic rather than astrological inclinations of Copernicus. Further, a careful analysis of Copernicus’s annotations in the Alfonsine Tables revealed a link between the misprints corrected by him and the ancient observations he included in De Revolutionibus. Consequently, an extensive astrological use of the tables by him can be excluded with a high probability. Moreover, Copernicus likely never used Regiomontanus Tables on a regular basis either. The conclusion integrates all the available arguments pertinent to the relationship of Copernicus with astrology.

This article is an introduction to the subject of Copernicus and astrology. It presents an overview of a set of facts and positions of researchers exploring the relevant ideas of Copernicus, as well as the author’s own perspective. A key role is played by a critique of R.S. Westman’s theses.

The article presents an anthology of literary almanacs from the 18th century in Spain, specifically those related to astrology. The anthology, compiled and examined by Eva María Flores Ruiz, focuses on the almanacs published from 1733 to 1767, when they were officially banned by the Spanish government. The book is part of a broader research project on literary almanacs and astronomical forecasts in Spain during the 18th century. [Extracted from the article]

In 1645 Troilo Lancetta saw to the publication of a compilation of texts, Raccolta medica, et astrologica, under the anagrammatic and implausible pseudonym Lootri Nacattel. Most of these texts were translations into the Italian vernacular. They include writings by Girolamo Cardano; Hippocrates; Aristotle, and his commentators; Girolamo Fracastoro; Lancetta's teacher, the philosopher Cesare Cremonini; and a handful of ancient Greek and Latin historians, in addition to excerpts from Lancetta's medical writings. The presentation of the selected texts advances a set of polemics against the practice of bloodletting as a cure for fevers and against astrology, especially its use in medicine. The collection employs a range of authorities both classical and recent to bring anti‐Galenic and anti‐astrological teachings, already present in the University of Padua, to a broader readership. This transfer reinforced Lancetta's identity as an erudite expert in philosophy and in medicine, an identity that he cultivated in other publishing endeavors, which included Latin editions of Cremonini's psychological and dialectical writings. Lancetta's Raccolta reflects a sophisticated employment of medical humanism, which used Aristotelian and Hippocratic texts to undermine interpretations of Galen and promoted Cremonini's teachings about Meteorology as part of arguments about the subalternation of medicine to philosophy, the vanity of astrology, and the denial of the predictive power of prodigious meteorological phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the optimistic reading of the trust deficit in contemporary democracies, an increasingly non-religious and presumably more rational citizenry is naturally inclined to distrust public institutions. This modern shift is viewed as a positive check that can supposedly improve representative government. This article proposes a more nuanced understanding of the influence of supernatural beliefs on institutional trust. Specifically, the article moves beyond the popular analytical dichotomy between the religious and the non-religious by separating the non-religious into a non-believer segment and a segment hitherto overlooked by studies of political trust: unconventional or heterodox believers (e.g. in astrology and lucky charms, but not in conventional religion). Using comparative data from the International Social Survey Programme, the study finds that heterodox believers, similarly to non-believers, tend to distrust institutions, albeit for very different reasons. The previously ignored role of heterodox beliefs points to grave implications regarding the current trust deficit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of the Eighteenth-Century, the printer Isidoro Hernández Pacheco requested to reprint an old astrological prognostication by Diego Torres Villarroel. The Council of Castile censor delivered an overwhelming denial, showing the change of politics towards almanacs, widely tolerated until 1767. Actually, Pacheco intended to print a plagiarism, attributing to Torres a mocking prognostication by Francisco Robles. We study this case in its various ramifications, including posthumous reception of Torres Villarroel' work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dispute between science and religion evolved into diverse forms in the early modern period. Among the advocates of science, not all manifested anti-religious sentiments, and in some instances, religious authorities even supported scientific methods in resolving secular and sacred problems. Sixteenth-century Persia, under the Safavid monarchy, witnessed disputes between proponents and opponents of scientific methods in addressing religious and civic matters. In this article, I will present two polemics between scholars and jurists who served the Safavid shahs concerning the relevance of astral sciences in resolving religious matters. The first dispute concerns determining the orientation of the prayer niche direction (qibla). The second concerns legalizing the practice of astral sciences in general. For the matter of the prayer niche, I will discuss a dispute that occurred at the court of Ṭahmāsb I (r. 1524–76) between ʿAlī ibn Ḥusayn al-Karakī (d. 1534), the first chief jurisconsult (shaykh al-islām) at the Safavid court, and Ghiyāth al-Dīn Manṣūr Dashtakī (1461–1542), which proved to be a failure for science and a success for tradition. For the case of the astral sciences, I will examine two attempts by Bahāʾ al-Dīn al-ʿĀmilī (1547–1621), the successor to al-Karakī at the court of ʿAbbās I (r. 1587–1629), to justify the permissibility of scientific methods in addressing matters of jurisprudence. I will discuss ʿĀmilī's opinion on the prayer niche in four of his works, and will introduce and examine his Crescent Garden (al-Ḥadīqa al-hilāliyya), a commentary on a prayer for crescent sighting. I will further show that although the first attempt failed to establish scientific credibility for astronomy and astrology at the court, the second proved successful both in the royal and civic realms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field theory as a concept entered scientific discourse in the midnineteenth century. Yet the essential features of a field long predate discoveries about the physical properties and behavior of matter. The paper briefly describes ancient esoteric precursors to scientific field theory, including the Hermetic tradition and archetypal astrology, before turning to twentieth-century sociological field theories and their elemental idea of subjectivity and intersubjectivity. Jungian psychology is a field theory, expanding the limits of sociology in important ways. The paper adopts a somatic archetypal perspective to argue that intersubjectivity, the basis of sociological and psychological field theories, is inadequate. Instead, depth psychologists should embrace intercorporeality, the more embodied, holistic field theory originating in the work of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty. The paper concludes with a discussion of nekyia to illustrate how an intercorporeal field theory can include the underworld in world mythologies. The inverted cosmic geography of one tradition, the Sámi, gives new meaning to numinous encounters with one's ancestors and spirit guides. Such encounters intertwine the subtle energy bodies of the personal and transpersonal worlds, a meeting one can imagine as soul to sole, not just soul to soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The example of a scarab beetle synchronicity is recounted by Jung in his 1951 lecture 'On Synchronicity' and then the following year, in 1952, it appears in his book Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle. It is also recounted in Memories, Dreams, Reflections , appears in a number of the biographies on Jung, and has had journal articles written about it. It is no understatement to say that his scarab beetle synchronicity has become iconic in Jungian studies, and even beyond. In this article I offer a fresh perspective by locating the incident, together with Jung's broader engagement with the scarab, within his esoteric worldview oriented around alchemy, astrology and magic. I also gesture to the value of such symbols for our time, by reference to ecopsychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of independent and semi-independent governments between the 4th and 7th centuries coincided with the weakness of the political structure of the Abbasid Caliphate and the decline of central control in parts of the Islamic world. In addition to creating extensive social and political changes, this symmetry caused cultural transformations in Islamic lands. At this time, the court of the local sultans became the center of migration of scholars and scientists, and this process continued during the period of consolidation of the power of the Mongols and the age of Ilkhans. As informers of the secrets of the sky, astronomers found a strong and influential presence in the court of Sultans. "Astronomical tables" or "zijs" and other astronomical tools were among the tools of astrologers to predict future events in the Islamic Middle Ages. Now, the main question is, considering the position of Astrology in the political functions of the sultans, what effect does this have on the geographical distribution of astronomical tables between the 4th and 7th centuries? In this research, the historical method has been used to describe and analyze the data. The findings of the research show that between the 4th and 7th centuries, there was a change in the location of the compilation of astronomical tables from Baghdad to other areas of Islamic lands, especially Iran and Transoxiana. Also, the construction of observatories in these areas, the writing of detailed zijs in the name of local rulers, and the writing of zijs in the Persian language are examples of the influence of the Astrological approach of the sultans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sixteenth-century Lisbon, Aires Vaz and Manuel Rodrigues were summoned to the Inquisition on account of their astrological practices. Records of the trial of Vaz and Rodrigues provide valuable information regarding the training and practice of an astrologer in sixteenth-century Portugal. Prior to this study, however, our knowledge on these matters was scarce and mostly indirect. In this article, we argue that the study of these trial records is crucial to understanding both the practice and the regulation of astrology. Studies on the censorship of astrology usually emphasize the importance of the Roman Index, the Tridentine Rules, and the papal bulls against astrology. By looking at these two trials, this article sheds new light on the application of the Roman rules and allows us to trace the general profile of an astrologer in early modern Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The final theory of the physical world, capable of harmonizing and connecting the existing basic theories, is seen as the ultimate achievement of the modern physical science. It is said to be the fulfilment of a long effort of describing the functioning of the physical universe and the coronation of the most successful intellectual endeavor undertook by the Western world. However, as put forward by illustrious physicists, such a theory would be the final blast to the previous rival theories based on non-metrical measurements. All former non-empirical, spiritualist theories, which managed to survive the triumphant march of the Western modern science, including astrology, would now be sentenced to extinction. And even philosophy would be turned as inconclusive and embarrassing for scientists, since they would no longer need philosophical suggestions on how to investigate the physical reality. In turn, expelling all the spiritual heritage from the modern world would mean heading towards the void, embracing the nonsense of an impersonal universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The practical turn in cosmological discourse is explicated in the contests of actual post-secular tendencies with their searching for new worldview orientations in research practices of cosmology and self-understanding of human as active and passive actor in space explorations. The interdependence of cosmological and ethical discourse within their educational possibilities is analyzed on materials of universal and suffering ethics emphasizing of imperatives of responsibility and reverence for life. The educational potential of cosmological studies is explicated with their contribution to new planetary spiritual culture required for preventing of planetary ecological crisis. The distinction between astronomy and astrology is showed on the borders of cosmological discourse and in educational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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