Cosmology (metaphysics)
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{{expert-subject|Philosophy}}
:''See: [[Cosmology]] (disambiguation)''.
'''Cosmology''' is the branch of [[philosophy]] and [[metaphysics]] that deals with the [[world]] as the totality of all [[phenomena]] in [[space]] and [[time]]. [[Presocratic]] philosophers from the [[Ionian School]] are sometimes called ''cosmologists''.
There are many basic cosmological positions that form the foundation of virtually all philosophies and [[religion]]s. There is overlap between some of these and [[mysticism]], and also with [[nondual]] viewpoints and traditions.
==Atheistic cosmologies==
Atheistic cosmologies can have a [[creation]] event, but such [[models of the universe]] do not involve [[supernatural]] entities. [[Metaphysical naturalism|Naturalism]] is the belief that the physical [[universe]] is all that [[existence|exists]]. [[Materialism]] and [[energeticism]] are two naturalistic cosmologies. Atheism is also strongly associated with [[nihilism]] which is an anthithesis to cosmology or properly with [[teleology]] in its rejection of meaning and value.
==Theistic cosmologies==
[[Theism]] is the belief that gods exist and created the [[universe]]. Types of theism include [[monotheism]] and [[polytheism]]. The [[Abrahamic religion]]s are theisms.
[[Pantheism]] is the belief that [[God]] and the universe have a one-to-one [[correspondence]]. The philosopher [[Spinoza]] was a pantheist. [[Panentheism]] or [[emanationism]] is the belief that the entire universe is part of God, but God is greater than the universe. The [[Neo-Platonism|Neo-Platonic]] philosopher [[Plotinus]] was an emanationist.
[[Deism]] is the belief that God [[creation (theology)|created]] the universe, set everything in [[Motion (physics)|motion]], and then had nothing more to do with it. God remains completely [[transcendence (religion)|transcendent]] to the creation after He creates it.
==Other cosmologies==
Cosmological [[dualism]] (as opposed to [[Dualism (philosophy of mind)|body-mind dualism]]) is the belief that there are two gods or metaphysical [[force]]s and the universe is a product of these gods or forces. The [[Iran|Persian]] religion [[Zoroastrianism]] is cosmologically dualistic.
[[Idealism]] is the belief that only [[consciousness]] exists. The various features of the world may be thought of as "ideas in the mind of God." Various forms of idealism can be compatible with either theism or atheism. The British philosopher [[George Berkeley]] was an idealist, as was the German philosopher [[Hegel]]. See: [[Hindu idealism]], [[Consciousness-only|Buddhist idealism]], [[Platonic idealism]], [[German idealism]], [[British Idealism]], [[Panpsychism]].
[[Acosmism]] is the belief that neither the [[self (philosophy)|self]] nor the universe has ever existed. This is held by some forms of strict [[Advaita]] [[Vedanta]], a [[Hindu]] philosophy. The Buddhist philosopher [[Nagarjuna]], whose beliefs are called ''voidism'', or ''nihilism'' (in the Eastern, rather than the Western sense), believed that the world neither exists, nor does it not exist.
==Metaphysics and the Single Intelligible Object==
Cosmology was a subject of [[metaphysics]] before the [[Copernican Revolution]]. Especially since [[Einstein]]'s theories, cosmology has been primarily concerned with [[physics]] (see [[Physical Cosmology]]) But the [[Great Ideas of the Western World]] <ref>The Great Ideas are the "[[Syntopicon]]" of the [[Great Books of the Western World]], constituting Volumes II and III of 54 volumes.</ref> defines metaphysical cosmology as "holding the universe in your hand as if it was a single intelligible object," to which it must be added, "for the purpose of defining Man's place in the universe," not to mention the place of the person "holding" the universe. Physics takes the world apart piece by ever smaller piece, trying to figure out the puzzle of existence. Metaphysical cosmology puts the universe into one comprehensible object so that it may be examined as the whole. From this method, the "first science" of metaphysics can generate theories, but not science.
According to the PBS program ''Faith & Reason'',[http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/gengloss/index-frame.html] cosmology is a "branch of study concerned with the origins and nature of the universe." But this describes physical cosmology, as well. The difference between them is that physical cosmology takes a dim view of "theoretical" metaphysics; what cannot be proved by science has little account in physics. However, the [[epistemological]] principle of discovering "[[cosmos]]" from "[[chaos]]" has traditionally been to accept the findings of either the metaphysics or the science of cosmology, then "develop the consequences."<ref>''Dictionary of Philosophy''; Dagobert D. Runes, Editor; 1968</ref>
Metaphysical cosmology did not give way easily to physics. [[Copernicus]] developed the "[[heliocentric]]" theory of the universe, and when [[Galileo]] backed him up, the cosmology of the [[Roman Church]], cosmology built on the solid foundation of [[Aristotle]]'s metaphysics as introduced into the Church by [[Thomas Aquinas]], received a shock heard throughout the Western World: the Earth was not the center of the universe. Galileo was put on trial for contradicting the Church, but his case won, with the resultant phenomenon of the "Copernican Revolution," so called ever since.
== See also ==
* [[Cosmogony]]
* [[Creationism]]
* [[Hylomorphism]]
* [[Mechanism (philosophy)]]
* [[Ontology]]
* [[Monism]]
* [[Cosmic pluralism]]
* [[Process philosophy]]
* [[Esoteric cosmology]]
* [[Holism]]
* [[Animism]]
* [[Buddhist cosmology]]
==References==
<references />
== External links ==
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04413a.htm Cosmology] and [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04405c.htm Cosmogony] at the Catholic Encyclopedia.
[[Category:Metaphysical cosmology| ]]