Nov 12, 2026
Written in the Stars? The Philosophical Defense of Astrology
- 16:00 to 18:00
- Lecture
- Max Planck Research Group (ASTRA)
- Peter Adamson
Abstract
In many premodern societies, it was widely believed that events could be predicted by observing the movements of the stars. Astrology was used in all kinds of ways: to cast birth horoscopes, choose the best time to travel, predict the weather, and even support the authority of rulers. Leaders from the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar to the Abbasid caliphs used astrology to strengthen their claims that they were destined to rule. Although some philosophers were skeptical, many others accepted that astrology seemed to work and tried to explain why.
In this talk, I will explore how ancient Greek and medieval Arabic thinkers defended and made sense of astrology. They generally took one of two approaches. Some argued that the stars directly influenced events on Earth, while others saw them as signs that point to events without actually causing them—almost like a form of “sky writing.” In both cases, these ideas were connected to broader theories about how the universe works.
By looking at thinkers such as Alexander of Aphrodisias, Plotinus, al-Kindī, and Abū Maʿshar, we will see how astrology became part of mainstream philosophy and science in the ancient and medieval worlds. We will also meet some of the philosophers who remained unconvinced and questioned whether astrology deserved such an important place.
Biography
Peter Adamson is Chair of Late Ancient and Arabic Philosophy at LMU Munich. His research focuses on the philosophy of Late Antiquity and the Arabic tradition. His books concern the Arabic version of Plotinus, the philosophers al-Kindī and al-Rāzī, and authority in medieval philosophy. He has edited and co-edited several books, including The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy, three further volumes on philosophy in the Islamic world for the Warburg Institute, and Interpreting Avicenna: Critical Essays for Cambridge University Press. Since 2012, Peter Adamson has additionally held a part-time professorship at King’s College London, where he worked full-time from 2000 to 2012. He also produces the History of Philosophy podcast, which has spawned a book series published by Oxford University Press.
Peter Adamson. Source: Peter Adamson, 2026.
A high resolution download can be found below
Contact and Registration
We welcome both internal and external guests to this event. The event is free, but registration is required. Please note: the event will be live-streamed, and a photographer will take pictures to be used for our website and social media.
Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/written-in-the-stars-the-philosophical-defense-of-astrology-tickets-1989294552557
For further information about the High Gravity Talks series, please contact ANUJ MISRA or OLE LAURSEN.
About This Series
Organized by the Astral Sciences in Trans-Regional Asia (ASTRA) Research Group, the HIGH GRAVITY TALKS SERIES aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue by bringing leading voices to the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG). Each year, ASTRA invites a few distinguished and world-renowned scholars to Berlin to deliver public lectures on topics relevant to the group’s research into Eurasian astral sciences, broadly defined, and to engage with a broader academic and public audience. While organized within the remit of ASTRA, the High Gravity Talks will resonate beyond the group’s immediate focus, creating innovative synergies with other departments and research groups across the MPIWG and attracting a diverse audience of students, academics, and interested members of the public.