Medical Research On Astrology In Western Europe During The Renaissance

During the Renaissance,astromedicine of Western Europe drew upon the fruits of the civilization from ancient Greco-Roman and Medieval Arab,and its theory became more perfect.The medical applications of astrology have permeated the general public from the elite in universities,royal families and churches.This research can re-examine the history of the simultaneous revival of "human" and "nature".Through investigating the cultural foundation in Western Europe and the Arab in the Middle Ages,we would comprehensively understand the "paradigm" and "continuity" debate about the development of natural science.Moreover,some experiences may be drawn on and lessons learned for the development of traditional medicine of other nationalities in the world via exporing the rise and fall of Renaissance astromedicine.The first chapter traces the historical origin of astromedicine in Western Europe and expores its cultural and social background during the Renaissance.In Greco-Roman times,astrology and medicine in Western Europe were simply combined and applied to individual medical practices,although Ptolemy systematized the theory of astromedicine.In the early middle ages,the Arabs inherited it from Western Europe and advanced its theory and technology rapidly.In the 12th,the translation movement of scholars reintroduced astrology to Western Europe.By the Renaissance,the theory of cosmic harmony and natural astrology advocated by humanist philosophers and natural philosophers promoted theoretical innovation for astrology medical system.For example,the ’spiritus mundi’ created by the Neoplatonists,pro vided a natural way of understanding the order of the universe;The revival of Hermeticism and the development of Christian kabbalism in the late middle ages also prompted humanists to pay attention to and imitate nature.Meanwhile the social and survival crisis offered more chances for the medical application of astrology.The medical humanists collated,translated and annotated on a large number of medical works in ancient astrology.Besides,they modified and supplemented Galen and Ptolemy’s theories,and learned from the Arab theory of tertiary planetary conjunctions so as to offer more specific guidance to the relationship between astrology and medicine.The principle of astromedicine is mainly based on the harmonious concept of macro-micro universes and the observation of mathematical astronomy.It includes three elements,namely planets,zodiac signs and houses,which correspond to organs and Humors respectively.Doctors explain diseases and epidemics based on the ’Critical Days’ and the ’major Conjunction’.As a cultural revival movement,astromedicine was first penetrated into the elite.Since the late middle ages,many universities have set up colleges of astrology and medical schools.They ruled of astrological practice and this tradition was kept and deepened in Renaissance.The academics disputed on the function and status of astromedicine.The majority supported it and believed that it could improve the quality of life and administrate medicine.Opponents attacked the its randomness and unverifiability.Among the debaters,the "moderates" advocated to reform the theory and practice of astrology,especially Galen’s ’critical days’ and the Arabian Conjunction in order to adapt to the increasing mathematical and medical knowledge.Universities are the vital places to foster royal and ecclesiastical talents.Therefore,astrology soon infiltrated the political and religious elite.The royal family employed astrologers to diagnose,treat diseases and offer advice on healthcare to ensure their health and longevity.In the meanwhile,astrologers expanded their businesses to help nobles select the proper time to get married and conceive.The underlying cause for supporting was to provide references for their own political and military decisions and give legitimate explanation of the source of power and expansion,or regard it as a way to demonstrate and show off their power.For the church,the core of the argument was the conflict between the order of the celestial universe and the divine of god,between astrology therapy and faith therapy.In the process of reconciling conflicts,theologians played a critical role of ’disenchantment’,and they asserted that astrology was legal only for medical practice.In addition,they combined the celestial healing system with the saint guardian system.By the end of the 16th,there were less disputes on astromedicine.Its application by non-academic physicians led to the simplification of theory,which make it become popular medicine and stay away from the upper class.The social demand,made astrology therapy into a profitable business.Therefore,physicians or astrologers compiled various astrological predictions in annual calendars,and marketed their astrological abilities and services to get more clients.On the one hand,with the diversification and competition of the medical market,there were more medical options for the public and the interaction between patients and astrologers was more frequent.Some patients gave astrologers pictures of horses’ urine or others’ birth chart to verify astrologers’ level.On the other hand,more and more female patients consulted astrologers about gynecological diseases,but more often in the name of therapy,they asked questions about marriage,childbirth and marital affairs.As far as I am concerned,astromedicine in Western Europe during the Renaissance inherited the achievements of ancient Greco-Roman and Medieval Arab,and modified contemporary medical philosophy.It catered to the needs of elites and the public.In addition to the value of perfecting life,maintaining health and curing diseases,astromedicine had played an impossible social function in different social groups:it had freed the moral bondage of the "sex" of the body and the "sex" of the flesh brought about by cultural revival;For the political elite,it provided a natural source of legitimacy,expansion,and ostentation;As far as religion is concerned,astrology medicine provided a unique grafting platform for faith therapy and god in the face of faith crisis.In Renaissance,the academic debate on the function and status of astromedicine led to the revolution of mathematical therapy,which ended in failure.Until the early modern,the competition in the medical market became increasingly fierce,astromedicine not only guided the bleeding and prescribed herbal,but became more of a tool for the public,especially women who wanted to solve life and family problems.