User:Robertcurrey/draft-sandbox3
Redraft (Core Principles Para 2)
[edit]At the heart of astrology is the metaphysical principle that the universe is governed by numbers, ratios, harmonics and patterns. This mathematical code permeates the Cosmos and manifests in numerical values, visual angles, regular shapes and sounds. These 'tones of energy' or 'consonances' are considered to be connected within a pattern of proportion. Pythagoras first identified that the pitch of a musical note is in proportion to the length of the string that produces it, and that intervals between harmonious sound frequencies form simple numerical ratios.[1] In a theory known as the Harmony of the Spheres, Pythagoras proposed that the Sun, Moon and planets all emit their own unique hum based on their orbital revolution,[2] and that the quality of life on Earth reflects the tenor of celestial sounds which are physically imperceptible to the human ear.[3] Subsequently, Plato described astronomy and music as "twinned" studies of sensual recognition: astronomy for the eyes, music for the ears, and both requiring knowledge of numerical proportions.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Bl_new.png/150px-Bl_new.png)
Later philosophers retained the close association between astronomy, optics, music and astrology, including Ptolemy, who wrote influential texts on all these topics.[5] Alkindi, in the 9th century, developed Ptolemy's ideas in De Aspectibus which explores many points of relevance to astrology and the use of planetary aspects.[6] In the 17th century, Kepler, also influenced by arguments in Ptolemy’s Optics and Harmonica,[7] compiled his Harmonices Mundi ('Harmony of the World'), which presented his own analysis of optical perceptions, geometrical shapes, musical consonances and planetary harmonies. Kepler regarded this text as the most important work of his career, and the fifth part, concerning the role of planetary harmony in Creation, the crown of it.[8] His premise was that, as an integral part of Universal Law, mathematical harmony is the key that binds all parts together: one theoretical proposition from his work introduced the minor planetary aspects into astrology; another introduced Kepler’s third law of planetary motion into astronomy.[9]
- ^ Weiss and Taruskin (2008) p.3.
- ^ Pliny the Elder (77) pp.277-8, (II.xviii.xx): "…occasionally Pythagoras draws on the theory of music, and designates the distance between the Earth and the Moon as a whole tone, that between the Moon and Mercury as a semitone, .... the seven tones thus producing the so-called diapason, i.e. a universal harmony". Nasa has recently confirmed that the Sun, Moon and planets emit sounds in their orbits, each very different due to their various speeds and distances. After the sound files recorded by Nasa are compressed many thousands of times, their ‘melodies’ become clearly perceptible to the human ear. The Nasa sound files have been made available on YouTube: see for example 'Jupiter Sounds'; retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ Houlding (2000) p.28: “The doctrine of the Pythagoreans was a combination of science and mysticism… Like Anaximenes they viewed the Universe as one integrated, living organism, surrounded by Divine Air (or more literally ‘Breath’), which permeates and animates the whole cosmos and filters through to individual creatures… By partaking of the core essence of the Universe, the individual is said to act as a microcosm in which all the laws in the macrocosm of the Universe are at work”.
- ^ Davis (1901) p.252. Plato’s Republic VII.XII reads: “As the eyes, said I, seem formed for studying astronomy, so do the ears seem formed for harmonious motions: and these seem to be twin sciences to one another, as also the Pythagoreans say”.
- ^ Smith (1996) p.2.
- ^ Hackett (1997) p.245 and Smith (1996) p.56.
- ^ An English translation of the Harmonica was recently published by Andrew Barker, in his Greek Musical Writings vol. II (Cambridge University Press, 2004). The work was also discussed by James Frederick Mountford in his article ‘The Harmonics of Ptolemy and the Lacuna in II, 14’ (Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, Vol. 57. 1926; pp.71-95). Mountford refers to Ptolemy’s Harmonica as "the most scientific and best arranged treatise on the theory of musical scales which we possess in Greek".
- ^ Kepler (1619) 'Introduction', p.xix. “Kepler did not ascribe any direct physical influence to the celestial bodies but supposed the astrological effects to be the result of instinctive responses of individual souls to the harmonies of certain configurations or aspects. A soul was also ascribed to the Earth itself, whose response to the aspects explained their influence on the weather”.
- ^ Kepler (1619) Kepler's Third Law used to be known as the harmonic law. It captures the relationship between the distance of planets from the Sun, and their orbital periods. "The square of the orbital period is proportional to the cube of the mean distance from the Sun "[1]. See also Gerald James Holton, Stephen G. Brush (2001). Physics, the Human Adventure. Rutgers University Press. p. 45. ISBN 0813529085.
The metaphysical basis of astrology's symbolism assumes that a universal mathematical code underlies the nature of the cosmos. This code takes the form of 'qualities or tones' thatmanifest in numbers ...
Astrology also incorporates the concept of Divine Proportion, in assuming that mathematical relationships express qualities or ‘tones' of energy that manifest in numbers, visual angles(aspects?), (geometirc?) shapes, and sounds — all connected within a pattern of proportion.
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Core Principles (Original Draft Para 2)
[edit]A universal mathematical code underlies astrology. According to this model, the Cosmos is permeated by distinct tones of energy that are symbolised by numbers, visual angles, shapes and sounds – all connected within a pattern of proportion. Pythagoras first identified that the pitch of musical notes was in proportion to the length of the string on an instrument and that the intervals between harmonious sound frequencies on the musical scale formed simple numerical ratios. From this discovery, he theorised that the Sun, Moon and the planets emit a unique hum that varied according to their motion. The quality of life on Earth reflected these imperceptible sounds known as the Harmony of the Spheres. [25] [1] Following on, Plato posed that astronomy is designed for the eyes and music for the ears and both ‘sensual disciplines’ can be understood by their natural ratio.[23] Subsequent philosophers retained this close association between sight: optics, shapes and planetary appearances and sound: musical harmony. Several treatises on optics by Ptolemy and others, known as de Aspectibus, which explored the mathematical connections between distance and the angular relationship of the viewer to an object, contributed to the astrological technique of aspects.[22] By 17th century, Kepler strongly influenced by Ptolemy’s astrological theories as set out in Harmonia[28], wrote Harmonices Mundi. Kepler’s harmonic analysis extended through theories of optical perceptions, geometrical shapes, musical consonances, meteorology and astrology. One theoretical harmony proposed minor planetary aspects and another came to be known as Kepler’s third law of planetary motion.[2]
- ^ Nasa has recently confirmed that the Sun, Moon and planets emit sounds in their orbits, each very different due to their various speeds and distances.
In the 18th century, this proportional planetary ratio appeared to be supported by Titius–Bode's law. - ^ Kepler's Third Law: "The square of the periodic times are to each other as the cubes of the mean distances."