Die Astrologie der Antike

This survey of classical astrology is in three parts: a) a summary of its rich and eventful history from the Babylonians to the Renaissance; b) the methods of calculation which remained the same throughout the period, based on the planets, the zodiac and the “twelve houses”; c) an analysis of astrological thought, which is quite different from any modern approach; providing a rigid interpretation of the universe, it granted confort and security. It presents a curious combination of religion and science: the physics is the one forwarded by the stoïcs, with an equal balance of the four elements, and the microcosmic economy within the soul representing the macrocosmic one; but such a determinism is in contradiction with the Stoics' sense of responsability which presupposes free will.     

Geographischer und astrologischer Zonenbegriff in der Antike

The five (or seven) zones are treated during Greek‐Roman antiquity in geography and theoretical astrology as well. Although there is no use of them in astrological prognostication, they occur in the ascending scale of the twelve planetary houses. The common planetary order (moon ‐ Mercury ‐Venus ‐ sun ‐ Mars ‐ Jupiter ‐ Saturn) owes its widespread success primarily to its symmetry on both sides of the central sun, but the twofold vertical mesotes‐pattern in the heaven seems to be invented according to the horizontal symmetry of the five geographical zones surrounding the terrestrial equator.     

Theophrast über Pflanzenkrankheiten. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Phytopathologie in der Antike

Already before Theophrastus there was a botanical literature which also dealt with the diseases of plants, but we have only indirectly access to it — mainly by way of Theophrastus. The botanical excursus of the Hippocratic series of writings De genitura, De natura pueri, De morbis IV, which attributes the health of plants to a balance of warmth and cold and a correct quantity of specific humidity, forms an exception. This excursus hints at what is more fully developed in Theophrastus discussion of the diseases of plants: The diseases of plants are understood in close analogy to those of animals or human beings. In both cases, a basic distinction is made between inner, dietetic diseases and outer, traumatic ones. According to Theophrastus, especially humidity and an innate warmth are life-sustaining factors. A disturbance of the natural humidity/warmth-household must be counteracted by respective measures. As far as the terminology of plant diseases is concerned, Theophrastus relies on already existing concepts. Classical literature after Theophrastus has made no substantial contributions to phytopathology.     

Die (neue) Rolle der Landwirtschaft bei der Umsetzung der EU-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie Erfahrungen aus Nordrhein-Westfalen

Die Wasserrahmenrichtlinie (WRRL) wird im Vergleich zur FFH- und zur Vogelschutzrichtlinie, deren Anforderungen etwa acht Prozent der Landesfl?che von Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW) betreffen, mit aufzustellenden Bewirtschaftungspl?nen fl?chendeckend ganze Flusseinzugsgebiete erfassen und damit in ihren Auswirkungen für die Landwirtschaft alles Bisherige weit in den Schatten stellen. Insofern hat sich die Landwirtschaft recht frühzeitig in den Umsetzungsprozess der EU-WRRL aktiv eingebracht – angefangen von der Bestandsaufnahme über das Monitoring bis zu den jetzt anlaufenden Ma?nahmenprogrammen.