Description
Plato and Aristotle proposed a fifth ethereal element for the stars, influencing human affairs through astral mysticism. Proclus linked the human psyche to celestial bodies. These ideas were prevalent in ancient mystery schools and sects. In Islamic thought, the astral worldview became orthodox due to Quranic references, influencing European alchemy and astrology through figures like Ibn Sina. Even Dante explored astral spheres in the 14th century. During the Renaissance, philosophers and alchemists continued discussing the intermediate astral world. However, with the advent of the telescope, mainstream science shifted away from this concept.
