Announcing a new Meetup for The Horoscopic Astrology Group in Denver!



What: The Ethics of Astrology


When: Saturday, May 14, 2011 3:00 PM





Short Synopsis

At this month's meeting we will be having a group discussion on ethical issues related to the practice of astrology, addressing topics that are relevant to both professional and amateur astrologers. Each attendee is encouraged to read at least one of the codes of ethics linked to below prior to the meeting. There is no fee to attend this month's meeting, although an optional donation of $3-5 is welcomed to cover costs.



Extended Description

During last month's meeting on horary astrology a number of questions were raised about the ethical implications of applying such a technique to answer specific questions about a person's life. At this month's meeting we will explore the subject further by holding a discussion-based meeting on the topic of ethical issues related to the practice of astrology in the modern world.

So what are the ethics of astrology, and who are these ethics applicable to? In some ways ethical issues are most important for professional astrologers who see clients, since one's ethics can act as a set of standards or guidelines which set the terms of what is appropriate to say in a consulting setting. On the other hand, one does not need to be a practicing astrologer for ethics to be an important issue. Just the process of trying to establish a basic set of ethical guidelines for astrologers has the side effect of forcing one to think deeply about both what the nature of astrology is and what its scope and limitations are. Indeed, many of the specific ethical issues in astrology hinge on questions about what astrology is actually capable of doing, and what astrologers can reliably say when reading a chart. So, both the practicing and the amateur astrologer have quite a bit to gain from contemplating this issue.

In recent times a number of astrological organizations have tried to establish ethical guidelines in order to put in place some standards and rules of conduct. Below you will find a sampling of some of the different codes of ethics that members of the various organizations subscribe to. While these are primarily designed for practicing astrologers who see clients, there are a number of points that may be worth discussing during the meeting, so please take some time to read through at least one of the codes of ethics below before you attend:



The NCGR Code of Ethics:

http://www.geocosmic....

ISAR Code of Ethics:

http://www.isarastrol...

AFA Code of Ethics (in the middle of their membership page):

http://www.astrologer...

The American College of Vedic Astrology's Ethics and Standards Guidelines:

http://www.acvaonline...



Aside from the specific standards that are outlined in the ethics codes above, there are a number of broader ethical questions that we might want to address during the course of our discussion. For example, what is the role of prediction in astrology? Is astrology inherently predictive, or is it only descriptive? Should astrologers predict events for clients? To what extent should an astrologer's own philosophical or religious inclinations become involved in their interpretation of a chart?

Think about these questions and any others that might occur to you before the meeting, and come prepared to engage in a lively discussion about the pros and cons of the different positions.



Meeting Fee

There is no fee for the meeting, although donations of 3 to 5 dollars are appreciated, as they help to cover the $20 a month fee for hosting this page on Meetup.com. Any additional money collected will go towards hosting future speakers.





Click here to RSVP