Ten Treatises on Astronomy (Book of Astronomy)

...[judgement] is a middle and possible state: therefore it is possible. The judgments of the stars are true and useful because they are natural; hence they are not causes by "accident" In Aristotelian logic, an "accidental" cause is a coincidence, whereas a "natural" cause is predictable from that which is natural to them. Therefore, these judgments are not to be considered as nothing or useless, as some have said; those who claimed that the "possible" does not exist spoke wrongly, for we clearly see that possibility exists. Thus, the works and judgments of the stars exist.

It is also necessary that when it rains, there must be a cloud. It is impossible for it to rain in a way we can perceive when there is no cloud. However, it is not necessary that it always rains whenever there is a cloud, nor is it impossible for rain to come from any given cloud. Rather, it is possible that there will be rain from this cloud, and possible that there will not be rain from this cloud. Therefore, "the possible" exists, and the judgments of the stars exist. For through the motions and dispositions of the super-celestial bodies and the variation of the air, you can know from which cloud rain ought to come and from which it ought not, as will be discussed in the treatise on the change of the air.

Likewise, when someone has food in their mouth, it is possible for them to eat and swallow it, and it is possible for them not to eat or swallow it. This "possible" relates to both the necessary and the impossible: because while it is possible for him to eat, if he does eat, that possibility becomes a necessity once it passes into action, and the "possibility" is taken away as it meets the definition of the "necessary." Similarly, when a possibility does not pass into action, it becomes impossible, and its possibility is taken away. In this way, the stars and elements signify things that are possible, not just those that are necessary or impossible. It is necessary for the astronomer In this period, "astronomer" and "astrologist" were often the same profession to know the truth of how to predict future things.

Chapter Eight: Against those who speak against the judgments of astronomers and criticize them, being ignorant of their dignity because the science is not lucrative.

Another occasion for criticism comes from those who say that the predictions of astronomers are worthless because they do not see any financial utility in them—neither if, when, nor how they might devise a way to profit. They say this science is nothing. To these people, it seems to me the answer is this: they do not care for the grain, but only for the chaff. For science is to money as grain is to chaff. Those who say the profit of money is to be preferred to the science of the judgments of astronomy seem to show that they hold nothing as noble as the accumulation of money, which can be easily lost. They say that he who abounds in riches lacks nothing, and that it does not hurt him if he is not wise—showing the folly that wealth endures. They believe a "fortunate fool" does not need science, not considering their own error and not recognizing that their arguments are false, or rather, non-existent.

For every thing subject to proof is proven by its like: science is proven by science, and substance by substance. I have very often seen that the common crowd commends nothing except the accumulation of money. This is no wonder, for they sometimes see certain people—both religious and others who are believed to be wise in astronomy, medicine, and other sciences—attending to things that, if their opinions were well-considered, would seem easily refuted. For science is most noble in respect to money, while money is most vile in respect to science. Money can be given to the wise, the fool, the wicked, the base, the lazy, or the weak—to him who is otherwise considered worth nothing. No one will be so rich in money that, if he is otherwise base or foolish, it will not be said of him (and truly so): "This man is nothing, he merely guards

money for others," or for a stranger. Nor is money given to a man because of his strength, for we see some strong men lacking money and other strong men abounding in it; some weak men lacking money and other weak men abounding in it. Why this is so will be explained later in the business of judgments, or perhaps in the treatise on nativities horoscopes based on birth charts.

Nothing exists that can ennoble a man without the help of another thing, except for wisdom. Magnanimity greatness of spirit or generosity cannot perfectly ennoble a man without money, because a magnanimous man cannot perfectly show his greatness unless he has something to give to others. A wealthy man without magnanimity and the will to do good cannot show his riches, because his heart does not bring forth good deeds, and thus his money is like a buried treasure.

Wisdom, however, is the only thing that can ennoble a man without anyone else's help. Thus, science prevails over all other "accidents" external qualities or circumstances. Even if no other cause is praised, a man is praised for his science, because a man can be deprived of all other accidents before he can be deprived of science. Science does not choose someone because of their strength, nor their weakness, nor their nation, nor their riches; however, riches might be granted because of science. Truly, the wise man does not care about the "times" temporary worldly conditions, because nothing matters to him regarding things that can be taken away from him, except for the corruption of his physical body. And this is why the wise man does not care for those who are not praised for wisdom, intellect, discretion, and the knowledge of things that make a man worthy of nobility.

For man is not entirely different from other animals, and this difference only occurs because of wisdom, philosophy, and the knowledge of those things which other animals do not know. This is through the instrument of reason and rationality which are in man; that instrument is wisdom and the knowledge of things. This consists mostly in the knowledge of those things which were, which are, and which are to come. Science is an "accident" of such a kind that the more it increases in a man, the more it removes him from the level of other animals and makes him worthier and more noble than them. This is because of the science, discretion, and knowledge in his soul regarding things past, present, and future. The less wisdom there is in him, the further he is removed from rationality and the closer he is to the brute beast.

A man cannot become worthier or more noble than other animals except through wisdom and philosophy, and that cannot happen to him except through literacy. It cannot happen through accumulated substance wealth. One can survive as a species through physical substance, yet that is not "living" as in "truly living." Hence, Seneca says:

Leisure without letters is death and the burial of a living man. original: "Otium sine litteris mors est & vivi hominis sepultura"

Therefore, if a man is not wise, he would be no worthier than the other animals, as he is now. For all animals share other things with him besides wisdom: they all live, they eat, they drink, they generate offspring, they are born, they grow, they increase, they diminish, they grow old, and they die just like men. Thus, through wisdom, knowledge, and intellect, man is made worthier than the other animals. And since that which makes a man worthy of nobility is wisdom, it must be that the wisdom which is nobler, worthier, and higher makes a man nobler, worthier, higher, and more intelligent. That is the science of the future, which cannot be known except through the science of the stars. Therefore, the science of the stars is nobler than all other sciences except for philosophy itself; yet even philosophy cannot be known or held perfectly except through the science of the stars.