Definitions of an astrology

   The standard definition of an astrology still doesn't exist, different formulations are provided in different sources, and their total number reaches several tens. The considerable part of continuous discussions concerning an astrology role in the history isn't least called by lack of a clear understanding of this term. I will give some of the most characteristic definitions and I will give two opposite points of view on this concept.

   V.Dahl's dictionary (1880) says: "An astrology - superstitious guessing by the stars; imaginary art of a prediction of terrestrial events under the mutual provision of celestial bodies".
   In 55 years the formulation was slightly softened: "An astrology (from the Greek astron - a star and logos - the doctrine) - the doctrine about stars based on belief that on an arrangement of stars it is possible to predict the future (The Explanatory dictionary of Russian under D.N.Ushakov's edition).
   In 18 years S. I. Ojegov in the "Dictionary of Russian" wrote as cut off: "An astrology - in the ancient time and in the Middle Ages: the scholastic flase doctrine about stars, and also predicting of destiny, the future under the provision of stars". By the way, about scholastic (i.e. idealistic) the doctrine. Just in those days the astrology took the leading positions both in policy, and in medicine. Then there was no doctor who isn't owning receptions of a medical astrology.
   In the Big Soviet encyclopedia (1950) such treatment is given: "An astrology - the false doctrine, leaning on which tried to predict an outcome of the taken actions, and also the future of individuals and the whole peoples on an arrangement of heavenly bodies".
   M.S.Gorbachev's perestroyka also didn't introduce anything new in the official point of view. "An astrology - the doctrine about allegedly existing communication between an arrangement of heavenly bodies and historical events, destinies of individuals and peoples" (Soviet encyclopedic dictionary, 1990).
   In "Modern dictionary of foreign words" the astrology is defined as the doctrine which arose in an extreme antiquity, gained development in the Middle Ages and again extended in 20 century about communication between celestial motion and terrestrial events, about the method of a prediction of destinies (individuals, groups, social educations), based on this communication.
  The general for these two definitions is the phrase "the doctrine about communication", but nature of this communication isn't specified. Meanwhile, the term "communication" in this case is too wide. We will tell, at the same time occurred phenomena in space and on Earth are connected among themselves by event time, and it is impossible to argue with it. But it is obvious that the words about "allegedly existing" communication which are present at definition of the Soviet encyclopedic dictionary mean narrower sense of the term "communication".
   In the first definition an event connect "with an arrangement of heavenly bodies", in the second – "with celestial bodies motion". Actually, the astrology analyzes also an arrangement of celestial bodies in certain timepoints (for example, at the time of the birth of the person), and the movement of these bodies, and also considers some other astronomical factors which can't be defined as celestial bodies (we will tell, situation and the movement of points of intersection of a lunar orbit with an ecliptic).
   Further, in definition of the Soviet encyclopedic dictionary the phrase "historical events" is submitted very unsuccessful, as, first, it demands specification of criterion, what events are historical, and what - No. Secondly, historical events in our space age can occur not only on Earth whereas the astrology throughout all the history after all studied communication of astronomical factors with terrestrial events (though it isn't excluded that in the future, with distribution of mankind on other planets, notgeocentric astrology will be possible).
   The mention of "a method of a prediction of destinies" which is present at the second definition in the first definition is absent, and it is quite lawful, after all the astrology actually isn't system of predictions or fortune-telling. More likely, an astrology – the doctrine about correlation of terrestrial rhythms to space rhythms. Having studied alleged influence of space factors on the past and on the present of the person, the astrologer can make and the forecast for the future, but the purpose here often is not the accuracy of the forecast, but achievement by the person of greatest "coordination" own and space rhythms, the maximum realization of potential with which it is allocated since the birth. Such approach, in particular, is characteristic for the concept of the "humanistic astrology", formulated by D.Rudhyar. There are many convinced astrologers who aren't engaged in predictions and perceive astrologers prophets approximately as the doctors seeking not to cure the patient of an illness, but precisely to define, through what is the time he will die of this illness.

   Astrology - the doctrine about ways of a prediction of terrestrial events, character and destiny of the certain person and so forth, based on research the celestial bodies of an arrangement relatively each other and concerning the horizon (S.Yu.Golovin Astrological dictionary).
   The astrology is the science investigating influence of celestial bodies on live and inanimate nature, and also reaction of the nature to this influence (M.March, J.McEvers).
   Astrology subject - studying of relationship between structure of the immense Universe which is reflected in heart of the person, and all real in this world, whether it be a plant, an animal or the person (J.Kepler).
   The astrology is the science bearing inspiration (A.Einstein).
   The astrology is an art of interpretation of the structural-symbolical relations existing between celestial motions and events of life of people (both social, and deep-psychological) (K.Selchenok).
   Astrology – the system of theoretical and practical knowledge founded on the principle of correlation of terrestrial processes and conditions of terrestrial objects by astronomical factors (D.Kutalyov).
   The well-known British astrologer of the beginning of 20 century Alan Leo gave the following definition to an astrology: "science which studies influence of celestial bodies on character of the person and his manifestation in the physical world".
   Reinhold Ebertin, the famous German astrologer of 20 century, writes that the word "astrology" designates field of knowledge, arisen more than ten thousand years ago which object is possible influence of stars on Earth, the natural phenomena, political events and, first of all, on a state, character and destiny of the person".
   The most original definition was offered the modern American astrologer and the philosopher Robert Hand: an astrology – the science studying characteristics of this point in space/time by means of its correlation with other points of the same continuum, and using the symbolical language connected with space structures".
   In formulations of A.Leo and R.Hand the word "science" guards. If in the Middle Ages the astrology really was considered as scientific discipline, in 18–20 centuries scientific circles in most cases refuse to an astrology scientific character. Obviously, the neutral characteristic of an astrology offered Ebertin – "field of knowledge" is more adequate.
   Definition of A.Leo is inexact and therefore that limits object of an astrology to "influence of celestial bodies on character of the person and his manifestation" while since ancient times there are such sections of an astrology which are engaged in especially natural phenomena which aren't connected with human activity (for example, a meteorological astrology).
   On the other hand, it is impossible to agree and with Ebertin considering that object of astrological knowledge – "possible influence of stars on Earth", after all astrologers consider not so much stars, how many a body of Solar system.
   In definition of Hand the statement raises doubts that the astrology is engaged in studying of "characteristics of this point". Possibly, it is connected with a polysemy of the English word "point" which in this context can be translated not only as "point", but also as "object". But if to speak about an astrology as about discipline which correlates among themselves various objects, using "the symbolical language connected with space structures", the area of the concept "astrology" will be too wide. Then the chiromancy (it studies characteristics of a palm, correlating it to the identity of the owner and using symbolical language in which there are hillocks of the Moon and Venus, the lines of Mercury and Saturn, a phalanx of the Aries and the Taurus, etc.), and the physiognomics (allocating the types of the constitution of the person, a shape of a face, etc. called "lunar", "venusian" and so forth), and a graphology (in that its version that uses " terms Mercurian handwriting", "Jupiterian character" and so forth), and some sections of alchemy (in which, as we know, gold is called as the Sun, mercury – Mercury, etc.) also fall under this definition. In all these areas of knowledge "the symbolical language connected with space structures" is used, though it is obvious that they are not sections of an astrology, but disciplines, rather adjacent to it.
   In Leo and Ebertin's definitions the emphasis is placed on "influence" of celestial bodies which the Hand consciously refused. The matter is that many modern astrologers don't mean direct impact of celestial bodies on terrestrial events., and first of all point to symbolical correlation between events on Earth and in space.