Cosmology

A branch of astronomy that deals specifically with the origins and chronology of the universe. Physical cosmology deals with the actual origins of the physical universe, while religious or mythical cosmology deals with the purpose and reason for the universe.

It comes from the Greek “kosmos” which means “to order or adorn, to put in order.” So a “kosmos” (cosmos) is a thing that is ordered, which is meant to describe the world in general, as opposed to unordered chaos.

This is also the derived basis for the word “cosmopolitan,” from “cosmo” + “politēs” which means “citizen.” So someone who is cosmopolitan is a “citizen of the world” or a well-traveled person with varied experiences.

Why I Looked It Up

For years, I’ve appreciated the Cosmological Argument for God, which says the entire universe is a series of causes and effects, but there had to be a “base cause” – there had to be a thing in the beginning that had no cause (hint: this is God).

I never knew the exact definition or source of the “cosmological” qualifier, until I saw the word “cosmology” in a book about science history. I looked it up, and it all made sense.