Ethics and Astrology
Ethics is concerned with moral behavior, or the principles of right and wrong. An ethics code in this context means a collection of laws, rules, or regulations, which may be mandatory or optional.
Since ancient times astrologers have debated what constitutes appropriate conduct in their profession. Vettius Valens, writing in the second century CE, thought that if other astrologers divulged his special techniques to the “ignorant or uninitiated” they would be sufficiently unethical to merit a curse from the gods.[1] Today, we might think of Valens’s concerns more in terms of the ethics of intellectual property rights and confidentiality agreements vs. freedom of information and free speech. When Roman astrologers were forbidden by law from predicting the emperor’s death, the underlying ethical concern was astrologers’ potential to instigate harmful political intrigue or civil unrest.
Fraud in Astrology
Throughout western history opponents of astrology could point to obvious examples of charlatans posing as knowledgeable astrologers, to the detriment of both their clients and the reputations of skilled astrologers. Laws designed to halt deceptive fortune-telling still exist in Europe and the United States. Their intent is to protect clients from paying fees for advice that is worthless or even harmful; and to discourage itinerant fortune-tellers (such as Roma or Gypsies) from working in local communities.
The Fraudulent Mediums Act (1951) of Britain[2] and the subsequent 2008 Consumer Protection Regulations ban professional fortune-tellers, mediums, spiritualists, or others claiming “telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers” from making predictions unless they qualified their work as “solely for the purpose of entertainment.“ Although these acts did not specifically single out astrologers, they clearly encompass certain types of astrologers.
Similar laws still exist in various jurisdictions at the state and local level in the United States. They sometimes seek to regulate fortune-telling without naming astrology specifically, yet predictive and horary astrology could easily fall under their definitions. Their underlying message is that some astrologers knowingly defraud clients, and even that astrology as a whole is a fraudulent practice if taken seriously.
Anti-fraud regulations set up a serious ethical dilemma for astrologers. Although most astrologers would condemn charlatans, the implication of the laws is that expert professional astrologers should declare their work to be for amusement purposes only, even if they know otherwise.
Challenges to Anti-Astrology Legislation
One of the most famous court cases of astrology and fraud involved the American astrologer Evangeline Adams.[3] In 1914, she was charged with fortune-telling under the New York State Criminal Code. ("Persons pretending to forecast the future shall be considered disorderly under subdivision 3, section 901 of the criminal code and liable to a fine of $250 and/or six months in prison.") Through her horoscope readings during the trial, Adams proved to the judge’s satisfaction that astrology was “an exact science.”[4][5] Nevertheless, the State of New York penal code still considers fortune-telling or uses of “occult powers” for a fee to be a misdemeanor unless the person admits to prediction only for amusement purposes.[6]
In a landmark 1985 case before the California Supreme Court the court ruled that astrology was protected under the constitutional right to free speech, just as the predictions of investment counselors and pollsters, however erroneous, were protected.[7] The California Supreme Court, moreover, defined astrology as a philosophy, arguing that the study of the relationship between celestial and human phenomena met the definition of philosophy as the rational, systematic study of the nature of knowledge and humanity’s place in the cosmos.
Professional Ethics Codes in Astrology
As a means of limiting the ability of unscrupulous or unqualified astrologers to harm clients and thereby damage the reputation of the profession as a whole, several professional astrological associations developed their own credentialing examinations and ethics codes. These codes are mandatory for society members. In general, astrology ethics codes are similar to modern versions of the Hippocratic Oath, named for the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates.[8] A modern version of the oath has long been required of medical doctors, but is also used in revised form in the ethics codes of other professions. Although the astrological codes vary in their particulars, their main objectives are to:
- Limit the potential of the astrologer to harm the client, or other people.
- Prevent the astrologer from engaging in conduct that would damage the reputation of fellow astrologers or the profession.
- Maintain the confidentiality of the astrologer-client relationship.
Further Considerations
Many astrologers do not join professional associations, however. They may be self-taught, and see no need to adhere to a code of conduct that varies from their personal ethical considerations or views on astrology. Either way, clients often raise ethical quandaries for the astrologer. Is death prediction ethical? Does it matter if the client is a cancer patient wanting to get her papers in order, a young person who is suicidal, or relatives inquiring about an elderly family member from whom they hope to gain an inheritance? Should an astrologer advise a client seeking a positive outcome for her planned extra-marital affair? These sorts of questions indicate the centrality of ethics to the practice of astrology.
See also
Weblinks
Notes and References
- ↑ Vettius Valens, ca. 150 CE, Anthologies, Book 7, preface and final paragraph.
- ↑ Fraudulent Mediums Act
- ↑ Karen Christino, 2002, Foreseeing the Future: Evangeline Adams and Astrology in America, One Reed Press.
- ↑ See also Christino, A Look at the Famous Astrologer Evangeline Adams online, and A Brief Biography of Evangeline Evans online
- ↑ The City of Middleton, New York, currently considers astrology to be a “science” but requires astrologers to take out a license indicating their qualifications and any criminal record. online
- ↑ New York Penal Law, sec. 165.35 online
- ↑ Jayj Jacobs, "The Law and Astrology".
- ↑ Peter Tyson, “The Hippocratic Oath Today,” Public Broadcasting Service online: hippocratic-oath-today.