Yes but sort of what I was getting at is that individual astrologers and alchemists accomplished impressive, and usefully true, feats despite the faultiness of their tools. And their tools were eventually refined into our tools, which are much more reliable though of course still not perfect.

So who knows what we can get out of those easily disparaged modern sciences, or where they may eventually lead us. If those early pioneers had this view of their methods, had felt this sense of shame around them, where would we be?

I would guess that shame has been a significant motivator in the evolution of astrology and alchemy into astronomy, chemistry and physics.

Some of their personal writings are in the historical record so you don't have to guess really.