Albertus & the stance towards astrology & fate &

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I have just made a post in the news section about the redesign I have given to this page:

Albertus Magnus and Prognostication by the Stars, by Sue Toohey
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/magnus.html

Sue's article is valuable for helping to counter the still too widespread notion that the practice of astrology ever has been, or is, fundamentally contrary to religious concerns. Of course, it really depends on how astrology is used.

Too often, people believe that if a predictive stance is taken towards something then that necessarily implies a fatalistic outlook. I work as a predictive astrologer but I am not fatalistic in my outlook, except from the view that most things have a level of predictability about them, which can be usefully employed in the same way that weather prediction is.

I make various reference to the comments of Albertus in the horary course that I teach - he seems to me to deserve more acknowledgement within the astro-community for the outspoken defence he made of judicial astrology at a time when its books were severely under threat of being ruled illegal and burned.

I find myself in close alignment with this view that, although we might consider something to be predictable, and judge it so, we cannot know how someone will choose to respond to circumstances, and cannot deny the prospect that what seems inevitable may not be.

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thanks deb

i enjoyed the article and feel i learned something - mostly that our view of those in the past and the beliefs they held, is not what i have been led to believe...

i also like the look of the new skyscript and wish you success in any transition that is forthcoming..

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Very interesting post Deborah on Albertus Magnus, a member of the Dominican Order, also known as the Order of Preachers.

On a side note,
The asteroid 20006 Albertus Magnus was discovered April 11, 1991 by the astronomer Fremut Börngen and I find it interesting that when you published your post, the Asteroid was at 14 Gem 35 conjunct your natal Mercury!

Glad to see you back home and very nice design of the new Skyscript page,

Ouranos
Blessings!

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I didn't know that but I can add that I do seem to have had him in my mind a lot just lately! I am at a point in my horary course where his influence on the considerations for judgement are being explored amongst the students, and working with his material means I've been prompted to organise an astrological discussion on the views various astrologers have expressed re fate and free will in ancient and medieval times. Well there you go - I'm channelling his asteroid :)
Thank you.