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A Transdisciplinary Approach to Science and Astrologyby Alain NègreSummary : In the present state of contemporary knowledge, one recognizes acertain "astrological phenomenon". Apparently, an order exists which underlies theworld and may be experienced through the perusal of our birth chart, the latterreflecting the fathomless structures of our interiority. Nonetheless, with theemergence of scientific thought three centuries ago, astrology was met with newdifficulties as it tried to coexist with novel approaches to apprehending the"real". In fact, the very validity of astrology is repudiated by those whoconceive of a sole level to reality (which they believe science to reveal) eventhough physics has recently proved the existence of at least two levels toreality. As a reaction, astrology closes itself off to scientific discourse, or,conversely, dresses itself up as a science. In an attempt to sort through theconflicts between science and astrology, this article explores the unconsciousfoundations which gave birth to astrology. It draws from what C.G. Jung called thesymbolic function and originates in the "place" of the soul where mind and mattermay potentially reunite.The impasse over scientific astrologySurveys conducted over the past several years prove that the belief inastrology is increasing [1] despite repeated attempts on the part of skepticalmovements to show the inconsistency of astrological thought as opposed toscientific experience. From the perspective of physics or biology, suchinconsistencies are easily detected. The principal anti-astrological argumentshave not fundamentally changed since Ptolemy and are regularly trotted out today.However, without rehashing these eternal arguments like that of the equinoxprecession, it is child's play to reveal the absurdity of the astrological wordnext to the laws that science has illuminated. Thus, one may easily conclude thatif people continue to believe in the effect of the planets or zodiac signs ontheir character, qualities, flaws, behavior, and even future, it must be that theconcerns of astrology are situated outside the field of science.Before trying to clarify the ways in which astrology may be consideredtoday, it is essential to emphasize its origin. Astrology emerged from a mostancient and harmonious model which dominated occidental culture for centuries upto the inception of modern times. This global vision governed all universalphenomena by several simple and rational principles. In particular, the planets,or "wandering stars", the moon, and the sun were animated, even divine beings,whose movements inscribed concentric, interlocking spheres that formed aprotective shell around the earth. Everything between the Earth and the stars'fixed limit constituted a living being based on a system of correspondence,sympathy and harmony. The visible phenomena of nature were entangled withinvisible forces. Reality included both the natural and the supernatural. Theinner order of an individual mirrored that of the sky while being subjected to therestrictions of the sublunar realm of generation and corruption. The moral andphysical constitution of a given individual, as well as the pathologicalpredisposition of his temperament, depended on the state of the sky and the mutualrelations between the planets at the moment of his birth.At the beginning of the XVII century, this system of thought wascontradicted by new phenomena which could not be integrated into the previousvision of the world. A novel mode of thinking emerged, defined with a mechanisticconception of knowledge and symbolized by the clock and automaton. Nature became
 
an immense machine - a notion which would influence all areas of thought. Thebrilliant success of mechanistic science relegated astrology to oblivion until theend of the XIX century. Today, regardless of renewed popularity and attacks byskeptics, astrology barely interests scientists beyond historical curiosity aboutanother of science's errors.However, with the emergence of a new physics which has called intoquestion the mechanistic conception of a universal machine, the limits ofrationality have suddenly burst. Today, we are witnessing an intellectualrevolution in which the old dualities of body vs. mind and soul vs. matter nolonger have the same meaning. In particular, quantum physics has found evidence ofa mysterious indivisibility of matter - better known as non-locality. Theenigmatic nature of non-locality stems from its opposition to classical physics bywhich the world may be understood through its division into minuscule parts suchas molecules, atoms, and nuclei. This latter approach reaps results when oneignores the intimate texture of things, turning a blind eye to a particle's levelof reality as translated in the infinitely small figure of Planck's constant. Atthis minuscule level, one must use a new form of physics, namely quantum physics.Quantum physics reveals the non-separable nature of matter and thereby presentsits ultimate indivisibility. As a conclusive experiment has shown, the separationin space of two previously united particles fails to truly divide the particles,for they remain in instantaneous correlation with each other. In fact, themeasurement of one particle significantly affects the other, as if unityperseveres even at great distances. Since this correlation is instantaneous, itcannot be explained by an interaction propagated at the speed of light which, at300,000 km/s, still takes a certain amount of time.The above-mentioned experiment leads to the conclusion that each pointin the universe is connected to all other points at the quantum level. Such aphenomenon seems reminiscent of the universal interdependence described by theancients and by which all parts of the universe are in sympathy - a conceptmirrored in astrology's insistence on universal interdependence. Some, ignoringthe conditions of validity of this non-locality, have unfortunately used theexperiment to affirm that the new data brought forward by modern science grantsastrology a scientific dimension. Leaping at this opportunity, others have eventried to show that astrology is a science and elaborate on theories inspired byphysics or biology. As with the proponents of any new scientific theory, one mightask them: "do you have proof of what you advance?" "Have you observed phenomena orconducted experiments to verify your theory?" If such is the case, these studiesshould be published in specialized reviews and subjected to the analysis andcriticism of scientists. Micro and macro cultural and natural rhythms haveundergone this process and are now recognized as examples of veritable scientificresearch.[2] The submission of its theories to experimentation and observation,has also allowed the recent discipline of chronobiology to become a science whichaccounts for the cyclical determinism of geocosmic phenomena. In the same spirit,recent conferences were presented with works that demonstrate the influence of thelunar and solar cycles on humans.[3] The belated interest in this type ofphenomenon on the part of the scientific community is partially due to a perceivedrelationship with astrology which casts studies in a negative light. Here, thegreat scientist Galileo may serve as an example to skeptics. In the XVII century,Galileo refused to consider any possible effect of the moon on the earth's tides,relegating such speculation to the realm of astrology as opposed to that ofscience. Today, of course, no one would deny the effect of the moon on tides andnumerous other earthly phenomena.To the extent that they respect the scientific method, works which aimto elucidate correlation or causal links between the cosmos and human beings arevaluable, even if they are inspired by astrological motivations. But by no means
 
should they be confused with astrology. What then may they prove? Quite simplythat the laws of physics, chemistry and biology function when applied to geocosmicphenomena. This approach stands in great contrast to the attitude of astrology'sdefenders who champion their theories with an absolute lack of proof. Suchapologists only serve to further confuse a world so adrift in fragmented knowledgethat it has become extremely difficult to reflect on the conditions of validityand the significance of one's own discipline.Those who are inclined to believe in astrology are, to some extent,comforted by the proof-less theories peddled by many of its adherents. In fact,their tactics are far from limited to the astrological milieu. Faced with a publicthat is fond of fascinating theories which push the limits of space, matter, andtime farther and farther, certain researchers go spinning out of control. Theirtheories introduce notions like the soul and the psyche which science did awaywith in the course of its development. Of course, such reintroductions into themodern scientific method explain everything relating to mind and matter. Whilethese scientists are ignored or upbraided by their colleagues, their aura iscelebrated among astrology's amateur public. Science has been burdened with anegative connotation since the Second World War. Thus, being an object of reproachin the scientific world may reward one with a certain amount of sympathy. Take,for example, the physicist Jean Charon who is esteemed for his writings [4] andwhose work on relativity was revered by his peers. Later, Charon came to endow theelectron with a soul. In the same vein and with a greater connection to astrology,the biologist Etienne Guillé began by the observation and scientific analysis ofmetal traces susceptible to fixation on DNA. These same metals were traditionallylinked to the seven planets. Subsequently, Guillé defined "vibratory energies"with frequencies that are measured by a pendulum.[5] Regrettably, no scientificpublication mentions Guillé's theories nor any associated experiments orobservations by which they might have been proven. Moreover, it is questionablethat experimental protocols could ever be conceived of allowing for the objectiveobservation of an electron's spiritual properties or the vibratory energies ofDNA. Objection might also be raised over falsifiability or the economy principleby which arbitrary and useless entities must not be introduced in a theoreticalmodel. In any case, it is clear that such theories may be those of philosophy ormetaphysics, but certainly not of science.Other attempts to prove astrology have adopted a different tactic.Abandoning the research of celestial influence and causality, some use statisticsto show a correlation between the state of the sky on an individual's chart andhis comportment. The skeptical movements, sometimes in collaboration withastrological associations, are especially fond of this approach. In every case,the results have invalidated any astral influence on human personality or destiny.Numerous examples of this type of experimentation may be found in "The SkepticalInquirer".[6] Astrological journals and conferences include a plethora of workswhich attempt to link a case of alcoholism with the configurations of the planetNeptune or an example of genius and aspects of the planet Uranus. As these studiesare rarely based on more than fifteen cases, they have no statistical value.Furthermore, they are never placed in the hands of experts for a first and secondassessment. While lacking in depth, such works manage to cloud the issues andfurnish astrology with a falsely scientific dimension.At this point, we might turn to two recently scrutinized studies thatseem to move towards the verification of astrology. Madame Suzel Fuzeau-Braesch,research director at France's National Center for Scientific Research, hasdemonstrated that 238 pairs of twins with nearly identical charts, but for theirascendants, display behavioral differences which correspond to the meanings oftheir ascendants. Out of 238 responses, these studies reveal 153 which arefavorable to astrology.[7] Henri Broch, physics professor at the University of
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