Cosmology

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  cosmology \cos*mol"o*gy\ (k[o^]z*m[o^]l"[-o]*j[y^]), n. [Gr.
     ko`smos the world + -logy: cf. F. cosmologie.]
     1. The branch of science or philosophy dealing with the
        origin and nature of the universe as a whole. specifically
        (a) (Philosophy) the branch of metaphysics speculating on
            the structure and nature of the most fundamental parts


            of the system of creation, such as space and time, the
            elements of bodies, the structure of the universe, the
            modifications of material things, causality, the laws
            of motion, and the order and course of nature.
        (b) (Astronomy) the branch of astronomy dealing with the
            origin and structure of the universe, including the
            evolution of its present observable structure, using
            the methods of observational astronomy as well as
            mathematical physics.
            [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     2. a treatise dealing with the original and structure of the
        universe.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  cosmology
       n 1: the metaphysical study of the origin and nature of the
            universe
       2: the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and
          evolution and structure of the universe [syn: {cosmogony},
           {cosmogeny}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  39 Moby Thesaurus words for "cosmology":
     aesthetics, astrogony, axiology, big bang theory, casuistry,
     continuous creation theory, cosmic evolution, cosmic philosophy,
     cosmism, cosmogony, cosmography, epistemology, ethics,
     expanding universe theory, first philosophy, gnosiology, logic,
     mental philosophy, metaphysics, moral philosophy,
     nebular hypothesis, ontology, phenomenology, philosophastry,
     philosophic doctrine, philosophic system, philosophic theory,
     philosophical inquiry, philosophical speculation, philosophy,
     pulsating universe theory, school of philosophy, school of thought,
     science of being, sophistry, stellar cosmogony, theory of beauty,
     theory of knowledge, value theory