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COSMOS
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In its most general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from a Greek term κόσμος meaning order, arrangement, ornaments. The word cosmetics originates from the same root. The study of the cosmos (from whatever perspective) is termed "cosmology".
When used as an absolute, the term cosmos is considered to include all that exists, whether it has been discovered or not. In theology the term can be used to denote the created universe, not including God. In philosophical use the word "absolute", cosmos and universe can be employed synonymously to include all that exists. In physical sense it is often used in a technical way, referring to a space-time continuum; see physical cosmology.
The view of cosmos as "nature as self-sufficient, self-governing body" is in sharp contrast to the view of nature as merely mechanism for the growth of humans. In the cosmos world view, man is a part of nature, whereas in the mechanism world view, man dominates nature, it in turn bends to his will.
The philosopher Ken Wilber uses the term kosmos to refer to all of manifest existence, including various realms of consciousness. The term kosmos is used to distinguish this nondual universe (which, on his view, includes both noetic and physical aspects) from the strictly physical universe that is the concern of the traditional ("narrow") sciences and which is widely associated with the term cosmos.
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