cosmology

Definitions of Cosmology

1. (noun) The study of the origin and nature of the universe.
2. (noun) A set of beliefs that defines the origin and nature of the universe.
3. (noun) A comprehensive theory of the origin, composition, dynamics, evolution, and structure of the universe as a system.

Examples of Cosmology

• Definition 2:
  • Buddhist cosmology
  • Creationist cosmology
  • Jain cosmology
• Definition 3:
  • Big Bang Theory
  • Steady-State Theory

Cosmology Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: cos·mol·o·gy

Audio Pronunciation

International Phonetic Alphabet

• American English – /kɑzˈmɑlədʒi/
• British English – /kɒzˈmɒlədʒi/

Usage Notes

• Plural: cosmologies
• From Greek kosmos, meaning “world” or “universe.”
• Cosmology is known as the “Theory of Everything.”
• A specific account or theory of the universe is called a cosmogony. Cosmogonies are typically in the form of a creation myth or scientific theory.
• A (noun) cosmologer or (noun) cosmologist studies (adjective) cosmologic or (adjective) cosmological topics (adverb) cosmologically.

Related Quotation

• “The capitalistic economy of the present day is an immense cosmos into which the individual is born, and which presents itself to him, at least as an individual, as an unalterable order of things in which he must live. It forces the individual, in so far as he is involved in the system of market relationships, to conform to capitalistic rules of action. The manufacturer who, in the long run, acts contrary to these norms, will just as inevitably be eliminated from the economic scene as the worker who cannot or will not adapt himself to them will be thrown into the streets without a job” (Weber [1904–5] 1930:19–20).

Additional Information

• Word origin of “cosmology” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
• Barth, Fredrik. 1987. Cosmologies in the Making: A Generative Approach to Cultural Variation in Inner New Guinea. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Geertz, Clifford. 1973. The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. New York: Basic Books.
• Greene, Brian. 2010. The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory. 2nd ed. New York: Vintage.
• Gribbin, John. 1986. In Search of the Big Bang: Quantum Physics and Cosmology. London: Heinemann.
• Hawking, Stephen W. 2001. The Universe in a Nutshell. New York: Bantam Books.
• Kirshner, Robert P. 2002. The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
• Singh, Simon. 2005. Big Bang: The Origin of the Universe. New York: Harper Perennial.
• Traube, Elizabeth G. 1986. Cosmology and Social Life: Ritual Exchange Among the Mambai of East Timor. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Related Terms

• atheism
• belief
• collective consciousness
• culture
• denomination
• ecclesia
• monotheism
• polytheism
• religion
• sect

---

Reference

Weber, Max. [1904–5] 1930. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Translated by T. Parsons. London: Allen and Unwin.

Note: Page number is from a reprinted edition, Routledge Classics (2001).

Works Consulted

Henslin, James M. 2012. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. 10th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Macionis, John, and Kenneth Plummer. 2012. Sociology: A Global Introduction. 4th ed. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.

Macmillan. (N.d.) Macmillan Dictionary. (https://www.macmillandictionary.com/).

Marsh, Ian, and Mike Keating, eds. 2006. Sociology: Making Sense of Society. 3rd ed. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.

Merriam-Webster. (N.d.) Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/).

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).

Cite the Definition of Cosmology

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “cosmology.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 20, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/cosmology/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

cosmology. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/cosmology/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “cosmology.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/cosmology/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“cosmology.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/cosmology/>.