[ad. mod.L. cosmologia, a. Gr. type *κοσμολογί-α, f. κόσμο-ς world + -λογια discourse. Cf. F. cosmologie.]
The science or theory of the universe as an ordered whole, and of the general laws which govern it. Also, a particular account or system of the universe and its laws.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Cosmology, a speaking of the world.
1735. B. Martin, Philos. Gram., 101. By Cosmology is implied a philosophical or physiological Discourse of the World, or Universe in general.
1802. Playfair, Illustr. Hutton. Th., 132. In the cosmologies … of Leibnitz and Buffon, fire and water are both employed.
1876. Gladstone, Homeric Synchr., 221. It throws … a most important light on Homer’s cosmology.
b. Philos. That branch of metaphysics which deals with the idea of the world as a totality of all phenomena in space and time.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Cosmology, the science of the world in general. This Wolfius calls general, or transcendental cosmology.
1867. J. H. Stirling, Schwegler’s Hist. Philos. (ed. 7), 205. Metaphysics … are subdivided [by Wolff] into (a.) Ontology, (b.) Cosmology, (c.) Psychology, (d.) Natural Theology.
1874. W. Wallace, Hegel’s Logic, 58. The third branch of metaphysics was Cosmology. The topics it embraced were the world, its contingency, necessity, eternity, limitation in time and space: [etc.].
1889. E. Caird, Kant, II. 39. Rational Cosmology deals with the idea of the world as a totality of phenomena in one time and space.
