Astrology, Alchemy, or Natural Magic - Essay Example

Bauer (1997) posited that “from Shapin's perspective, the historical notion of the Scientific Revolution which is commonly taught to school children as more or less a cataclysmic event in which the modern world of science/rationality defeats the medieval world of religion/occult is incorrectly portrayed” (p.1). Modern science today would prove most of the knowledge of these fields as superstition, but there should be some credit given. It could be said that without these ancient forms of pseudoscience, modern-day science may have been lost for good.

            Modern astronomy owes its existence to astrology in understanding how the universe outside our world affects us. Alchemy can be linked to the modern science of chemistry. However, the most crucial value of these pseudo-sciences is the model it has in getting results through experimentation, trials and testing, observation, and making hypotheses. While not intentionally having a scientific nature, these pseudo-sciences helped developed the foundation on which modern sciences can build on.