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RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY
This bibliography
includes studies by astronomers, astrologers, and statisticians, containing
varying degrees of skepticism and criticism of astrological theories
and practices.All of them are worthy of consideration in
building an understanding of which components of astrology are most
likely to be questioned by the detached observer, and which points
in our field need to be clarified in order to increase precision,
accuracy, and credibility.
Seymour,
Percy (1992).THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF ASTROLOGY.New
York NY: Saint Martin's Press.In this book, Percy Seymour,
PhD Astronomy, PhD Astrophysics, of the Plymouth Polytechnic Institute,
summarizes repeatedly observed correspondences between
planetary cycles, changes in the Earth's magnetic field,
and other natural phenomena that would verify astrology's
validity, and makes the reader wonder why resistance to
astrology's credibility still exists.
Culver,
Roger & Ianna, Philip (1988).ASTROLOGY: TRUE OR FALSE?.Buffalo NY: Prometheus Books.A
highly critical assessment of astrology and astrological
research.This book gives examples of what critics
of astrology use to discount it.It points out what
issues need to be addressed in encountering critics; it is
not intended to be a book that unquestioningly endorses astrology or
astrologers.It is similar to other books in that it
points out areas where astrology needs further research.
Dean,
Geoffrey & Mather, Arthur (1977).RECENT ADVANCES IN NATAL
ASTROLOGY.Subiaco, Western Australia: Analogic.The
subtitle of this book is "A Critical Review,
1900-1976", and indeed the book is so critical that
it set a lot of astrologers off fuming.What this
book did for astrologers, positively, is give a very broad
and coherent compilation of 20th century astrological
research, and make us critically aware of all our vulnerable
spots.It gives valuable insights into modern
history of astrological research, into the pitfalls of
poor to worthless quantitative research design, and
preparatory information to be ready for critics of
Astrology.If you are picking up the book for the
first time, brace yourself for everything you think you
know about Astrology to be questioned... on several
occasions, the compilers/editors played devil's advocate and drew
some rather heavily biased conclusions from data...
perhaps to challenge us to further prove what we assume to
be true.As of July 2000, the book is
unfortunately out of print but may be found through used
book locators.Don't expect to see astrology proven
by this book; do expect to see a good bibliography of
research studies, where to find them, and what they are
most likely to be criticized for. Remember, the
cards of the conservative academic establishment's deck
were stacked against Astrology for quite some time in the
past. Gauquelin,
Françoise (1982).PSYCHOLOGY OF THE PLANETS.San Diego
CA: Astro Computing Services.A summary of the extensive renowned research performed by
Françoise and her husband at that time, Michel Gauquelin.
This particular book gives a general summary of the
research methodology used and the results of comparing the
research with traditionally ascribed planetary
characteristics, verifying traditional assumptions about
the basic character of the planetary energies of the Moon,
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. "Those who believe
in astrology will probably consider the conclusions of this
study terribly obvious.... For the first time, scientific
proof of the existence of the astrological reality of some
of the planetary symbols has been clearly
demonstrated." Nolle,
Richard.CRITICAL ASTROLOGY -- INVESTIGATING THE
COSMIC CONNECTION.Tempe AZ: American Federation
of Astrologers.Addresses the need for critical astrology; Is
astrology ready for its own future?; Three steps to
research; The need for historical research in astrology;
Adapting statistical methods to astrology; Basic
statistical astrology techniques; Problems and
perspectives in astrological research; Science or psience?;
A hole in harmonics; Has tropical astrology had it?; Mars
sign and aircraft disaster.
Pottenger,
Mark, ed. (1995).ASTROLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODS -- AN
I.S.A.R. ANTHOLOGY.Los
Angeles CA: International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR).A substantial anthology of articles onastrological
research, with broadly varying convictions about what
research is and how it is to be done.A central,
comprehensive, must-read book for any astrologer seriously
interested in research issues. Articles by Françoise
Gauquelin, Charles Harvey, Mark Urbain-Lurain,
T Patrick Davis, Mavis Klein, J Lee Lehman, Jane Lee,
Douglas Kyle Pierce, Lois M Rodden, Ronald B Tiggle, Mark
Pottenger, Mike O'Neill, Suitbert Ertel, Theodor
Landscheidt, Frank McGillion, Graham Douglas, Raymond A
Merriman, Geoffrey Dean, Nicholas Kollerstrom, and Peter
Roberts.
Aveni,
Anthony (1992). CONVERSING WITH THE PLANETS: HOW SCIENCE AND MYTH
INVENTED THE COSMOS.New York: Times Books.
This information-intensive and scholarly book addresses the merging of scientific paradigms
with the humanities.Dr Aveni, professor of
archaeology and astronomy, raises the question of the
role science plays and is to play in the future,
and writes an extensive account of the development of
astrology that interrelates the physics of the planets with the
mythology and symbolism of the planets.While the
book does not address research methodologies in detail, it
is a must-read in order to gain a balanced perspective on
where astrology has come from, and where it is headed in
the future.Dr Aveni presents interesting background
on non-European astrologies, particularly the Mayan and
Babylonian.
If
you know of other books that you think should be considered as
additons to this
bibliography, please contact blakefinley@www.uranian-institute.org
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RESEARCH
LINKS
please
contact blake@www.uranian-institute.org
if you find links that may need to be updated.
There is broad variation among the
following links, ranging from strong empirical emphases, to flat rejection of
empirical research, to emphases on the need to develop new approaches to both
research design and perhaps more significantly than these issues, data interpretation.
On the
research of Professor
Suitbert Ertel, Ph.D. Psychology, University of Göttingen, verified the
research of French analysts Françoise and Michel Gauquelin in the face of
clownish and manipulative attacks on their research. Astronomical
Contributions to Research on the Nature of Astrological Phenomena
by
Irina
Predeanu, Ph.D.
Mathematics/Astronomy: In
this article, which originally appeared in French in the RAMS astrological
research journal, Dr Predeanu eloquently presents current scientific realities
which validate standard astrological assumptions.Such writings dispel
doubt of the link between astronomy and astrology and the rationality of
astrological principles, despite the last remnants of diehard skepticism among
both astronomers and astrologers. (added March 2003)
Stealing
Fire from the Gods
(in the USA):
review of a thought-provoking book on
astrological research by Glenn Perry, Ph.D. Clinical
Psychology: addresses the critical issues and weaknesses
of quantitative research and the need for methods that account for the
psychosocial aspects of research more effectively.
R.A.M.S.:
Research in Astrology via Methods of Science (in France):
website maintained by Francis
Santoni, with information
on both current research projects as well as established
research and methods of
Paul Choisnard, Françoise & Michel Gauquelin, and other astrologers who have
spent many hours of their time to apply scientific method
to astrological
research.This site consists primarily of empirical
data studies, application, and interpretation. Pages also available in
French.This organization publishes the RAMS
Research Journal.
Astrology-Research.Net
(in Britain): including numerous abstracts of research on astrology, this
website is maintained by the Research Group for the Critical Study of Astrology
at the University of Southampton. D.A.V.
Centre for Research in Astrology
(in Germany):
includes articles on astrological research issues by Peter
Niehenke, Dr. phil. Psychologie,and the method for
acquiring the
Database of the D.A.V. (German Astrologers'
Association).
Astrology
& Statistics website
of Hervé Delboy,
Docteur en médecine.:
bilingual in French and English, includes English-language articles on
astrological techniques and research issues.Dr Delboy has presented some
of the most exhaustive recent statistical research on astrological techniques,
some in collaboration with Francis Santoni of RAMS.
Statistical
Astrology and Individuality,
a thought-provoking, critical article about the nature, use, and
effect of statistics on astrology, by Dane
Rudhyar,
posted on Michael Meyer's Khaldea website.
Astrology
& Science: Dialogues & Observations
: Summaries
of scientific research studies carried out in Europe by Suitbert
Ertel, Mike Harding, Dennis Elwell, Geoffrey
Dean, Ivan Kelly, Rudolf Smit, and
critical assessments of both astrological research and
astrologers' attitudes toward research.
See also the Uranian
Institute Astrology & Science page.
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