Computer Astrology
Modern information technology has become increasingly important in astrological practice, not only in the calculation and production of chart drawings, but also with computer interpretations.
Modern astrology is almost unthinkable without the use of computers to calculate and print charts. The main advantages are amount of time saved which would otherwise be needed to calculate the chart and, presuming that the software used is reliable, the avoidance of mistakes in calculation. It is particularly useful when doing complicated calculations such as solar return charts, Davison Relationship charts or composite charts. And thanks to computers the drawings are almost immediately available, which does however have one disadvantage: The act of drawing by hand, which can be part of the process of interpretation, disappears. And the danger with computer drawings is that there may be a temptation to only throw a fleeting glance at them.
Electronic data bases are also a great help in astrological research. Computers have made the gathering of statistics and research much easier for astrologers to research their particular fields in ways that were previously difficult if not impossible Statistics and Astrology. The internet has also come to play an increasingly important role for astrology – for example, it has made it possible for astrologers all over the world to exchange ideas.
More problematic is the interpretation of horoscopes by computers which is also widespread. All kinds of different astronomical information are stored on a computer which interprets them according to the particular astrological programme installed. When the concrete data of a particular person are fed in, the computer calculates the natal chart and prints a text based on these calculations. What distinguishes this from a personal consultation is that an astrologer considers how certain aspects may have been experienced by the individual in the past, whereas the computer calculates the data in a formulaic manner. Two things that make for a good astrologer are missing – intuition and experience. It is therefore quite possible that a person rejects astrology on the grounds that he fails to recognise himself in the computer interpretation. But computer horoscope interpretations can help to introduce people to astrology, and in the past few years programmes have been developed which are capable of producing high quality and nuanced texts.
The growing importance of computer horoscopes gives more ammunition to the opponents of astrology. For example, Edgar Wunder, a long-term serving member on the board for the scientific investigation into para-science, complained that "instead of observing the heavens astrologers just stare at their computer screens".
