Editing Cosmos (section)

== Cosmology ==
{{main|Cosmology}}
[[File:Ptolemaicsystem-small.png|thumb|right|The Ancient and [[Medieval]] cosmos as depicted in [[Peter Apian]]'s ''Cosmographia'' (Antwerp, 1539)]]
[[Cosmology]] is the study of the cosmos, and in its broadest sense covers a variety of very different approaches: scientific, religious and philosophical. All cosmologies have in common an attempt to understand the implicit order within the whole of being. In this way, most religions and [[philosophy|philosophical]] systems have a cosmology.

When ''cosmology'' is used without a qualifier, it often signifies physical cosmology, unless the context makes clear that a different meaning is intended.

=== Physical cosmology ===
[[Physical cosmology]] (often simply described as 'cosmology') is the scientific study of the universe, from the beginning of its physical existence. It includes speculative concepts such as a multiverse, when these are being discussed. In [[physical cosmology]], the term ''cosmos'' is often used in a technical way, referring to a particular [[spacetime]] continuum within a (postulated) [[multiverse]]. The particular cosmos in which humans live, the [[observable universe]], is generally capitalized as ''the Cosmos''.

In physical cosmology, the uncapitalized term '''cosmic''' signifies a subject with a relationship to the universe, such as 'cosmic time' (time since the [[Big Bang]]), '[[cosmic rays]]' (high energy particles or radiation detected from [[outer space|space]]), and '[[cosmic microwave background]]' (microwave radiation detectable from all directions in space).

According to [[s:Author:Charles Peter Mason|Charles Peter Mason]] in [[William Smith (lexicographer)|Sir William Smith]] ''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]'' (1870, see book screenshot for full quote), [[Pythagoreanism|Pythagoreans]] described the universe.<ref name=CPM>{{cite book|author=Sir William Smith|title=Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology|year=1870|url=https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofgree03smituoft#page/304/|page=305|publisher=Boston, Little}}</ref>

[[File:Philolaus-and-Philomelus-Pythagorean-Book.jpg|thumb|upright|Excerpt from [[Philolaus]] Pythagoras book (Charles Peter Mason, 1870)]]
{{blockquote|
It appears, in fact, from this, as well as from the extant fragments, that the first book (from [[Philolaus]]) of the work contained a general account of the origin and arrangement of the universe. The second book appears to have been an exposition of the nature of numbers, which in the Pythagorean theory are the essence and source of all things. (p. 305)}}

In September 2023, astrophysicists questioned the overall current view of the [[universe]], in the form of the [[Standard Model of Cosmology]], based on the latest [[James Webb Space Telescope]] studies.<ref name="NYT-20230902">{{cite news |last1=Frank |first1=Adam |last2=Gleiser |first2=Marcelo |title=The Story of Our Universe May Be Starting to Unravel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/02/opinion/cosmology-crisis-webb-telescope.html |date=2 September 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230902161629/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/02/opinion/cosmology-crisis-webb-telescope.html |archivedate=2 September 2023 |accessdate=3 September 2023 }}</ref>

In October 2023, astronomers proposed a new, more comprehensive, view of the cosmos, and which includes all objects in the universe, and suggested that the universe may have begun with [[instanton]]s, and may be a [[black hole]].<ref name="PHYS-20231018">{{cite news |author=[[Australian National University]]  |title=A new view of all objects in the universe |url=https://phys.org/news/2023-10-view-universe.html |date=18 October 2023 |work=[[Phys.org]] |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20231019205532/https://phys.org/news/2023-10-view-universe.html |archivedate=19 October 2023 |accessdate=19 October 2023 }}</ref><ref name="AJP-20231001">{{cite journal |last1=Lineweaver |first1=Charles H. |last2=Patel |first2=Vihan N.|title=All objects and some questions |date=1 October 2023 |journal=[[American Journal of Physics]] |volume=91 |issue=10 |pages=819–825 |doi=10.1119/5.0150209 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

=== Philosophical cosmology ===
Cosmology is a branch of [[metaphysics]] that deals with the nature of the universe, a theory or doctrine describing the natural order of the universe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmology|title=Definition of "Cosmology"|website=www.merriam-webster.com|language=en|access-date=2017-06-01|archive-date=2017-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506111128/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmology|url-status=live}}</ref> The basic definition of Cosmology is the science of the origin and development of the universe. In modern astronomy, the [[Big Bang|Big Bang theory]] is the dominant postulation.

Philosophy of cosmology is an expanding discipline, directed to the conceptual foundations of cosmology and the philosophical contemplation of the universe as a totality. It draws on the fundamental theories of physics{{snd}}thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, and special and general relativity{{snd}}and on several branches of philosophy{{snd}}philosophy of physics, philosophy of science, metaphysics, philosophy of mathematics, and epistemology.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Philosophy of Cosmology|url=http://philosophy-of-cosmology.ox.ac.uk/|access-date=2020-08-31|website=philosophy-of-cosmology.ox.ac.uk|archive-date=2020-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817125303/http://philosophy-of-cosmology.ox.ac.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Religious cosmology ===
{{see also|Religious cosmology|Hellenistic philosophy and Christianity|Orphism (religion)}}

In [[theology]], the cosmos is the [[Creation myth|created]] heavenly bodies (Sun, Moon, wandering stars, and [[fixed stars]]). The concept of cosmos as the created universe and its arrangement has been important in [[Christendom]] since its very inception, as it is heavily used in the [[New Testament]] and occurs over 180 times.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/kosmos.html|title=Kosmos Meaning in Bible – New Testament Greek Lexicon – New American Standard|website=Bible Study Tools|access-date=2020-07-21|archive-date=2020-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721143737/https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/kosmos.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In [[Christian theology]], the word is sometimes used synonymously with ''[[aeon|aion]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Concerning Aion and Aionios|url=http://www.saviourofall.org/Writings/aion.html|publisher=Saviour of All Fellowship|access-date=22 April 2014|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730082108/http://www.saviourofall.org/Writings/aion.html|url-status=live}}</ref> to refer to "worldly life" or "this world" or "this age" as opposed to the [[afterlife]] or [[world to come]], although "aion/aeon" is also at times used in a more other-worldly sense as the eternal plane of the divine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://biblehub.com/topical/a/aeon.htm|title=Topical Bible: Aeon|website=biblehub.com|access-date=2020-07-21|archive-date=2020-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721104239/https://biblehub.com/topical/a/aeon.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>