M-Lawrence-Hellenistic-Astrology

《M-Lawrence-Hellenistic-Astrology》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。

1、HellenisticAstrologyMarilynnLawrenceWestChesterUniversityofPennsylvaniaHellenisticandLateAntiquityastrologersbuilttheircraftuponBabylonian(andtoalesserextentEgyptian)astrological1traditions,anddevelopedtheirtheoreticalandtechnicaldoctrinesusingacombinationofStoic,MiddlePlatonicandNe

2、opythagoreanthought.Astrologyofferedfulfillmentofadesiretosystematicallyknowwhereanindividualstandsinrelationtothecosmosinatimeofrapidpoliticalandsocialchanges.Variousphilosophersofthetimetookuppolemicsagainstastrologywhileacceptingsomeastraltheories.TheStoicphilosopherPosidoniuswas

3、allegedtoembraceastrologyandwriteworksonit(Augustine,Decivitatedei,5.2).OtherStoicssuchasPanaetiusand(late)DiogenesofBabylonwereprimarilyadversetoastrologicaldeterminism.ForsomephilosopherssuchasPlotinus,horoscopicastrologywasabsurdforreasonssuchthattheplanetscouldneverbearillwillto

4、wardhumanbeingswhosesoulswereexaltedabovethecosmos.Forothers,suchastheearlyChurchFathers,ethicalimplicationsofastrologicalfatalismwerethemainpointofcontention,asitwascontrarytotheemergingChristiandoctrineoffreewill.TheGnostics,whoforthemostpartbelievedthecosmosistheproductofanevilan

5、denslavingcreator,thoughtoftheplanetsasparticipantsinthismaterialentrapment.ProminentNeoplatonistssuchasPorphyry,Iamblichus,andProclusfoundsomeaspectsofastrologycompatiblewiththeirversionsofNeoplatonicphilosophy.Theculturalimportanceofastrologyisattestedtobythestrongreactionstoandin

6、volvementwithastrologybyvariousphilosophersinlateantiquity.Theadaptabilityofastrologytovariousphilosophicalschoolsaswellastheborrowingonthepartofastrologersfromdiversephilosophiesprovidesdynamicexamplesoftherich'electicism'or'syncretism'thatcharacterizedtheHellenisticworld.TableofCo

7、ntents(Clickingonthelinksbelowwilltakeyoutothosepartsofthisarticle)1.Introductiona.BabylonianAstrologyintheHellenizedWorldb.HellenisticTheorizationandSystemizationofAstrology2.EarlyGreekThinking2a.Fate,Fortune,Chance,Necessityb.GreekMedicinec.PlatoandDivinationd.Ages,Cycles,andRatio

8、nalHeavens3.ThePhil