In my opinion, he provides no new refutations of astrology, and I am not certain what audience Jerome had in mind for his book-not me or the 192 scientists in the U.S.A. As a sceptic of astrology, I nodded in agreement with many ofJerome's points, but they had a familiar ring to them. (That is what I have been told by a few astrologers and a few believers.) That is a very brief outline of Jerome's critique. Finally, he launches into what he seems to consider the worst aspect of astrology: astrologers' deceit in claiming to be able to guide people's lives, a claim admitted by those who may also say they 'don't really believe' that astrology is a science.
He points out, correctly, the faults of statistical studies that have been alleged to find astrological claims valid. From this basis he attacks the traditional apologies for astrology and then takes aim at a recent apology based on biological clocks and on the vaguely known terrestrial effects caused by celestial bodies (loosely called astrobiology). He shows how the casting and interpretation of a horoscope (a seemingly scientific matter) rests essentially on magic.
Next Jerome gets to the core of the matter by looking in detail at horoscopes and astrological claims. He then traces astrology's development in Babylonia, Egypt, Rome and Greece, its survival after being attacked by followers of Christianity and its revival in the Renaissance. He contends that astrology has never shaken its magical aspects, such as the often-used 'principal of correspondences'. Jerome states otherwise: 'the basic premise of this book is that astrology canbe disproved, that it is possible to clear up the confusion and deception that has long shrouded the ancient "art" in mystery.' How does Jerome go about his disproof? He first looks back into astrology's historical roots and connects them with early peoples' magical view of the world. Since faith is ultimately irrational, it cannot, in my opinion, be proven or disproven by rational argument.
How would Jerome disprove astrology? Many people I know-astrologers included-take astrology on faith, like a religion. Reviewed by Michael Zeilik, 11* I felt very uneasy abut this book when I read its title. Prometheus Books, Buffalo, NY, 1977.254 pp.
In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:īooks 163 Astrology Disproved.
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