ponerology

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πονηρός (ponērós, “grievous, knavish”) + -ology; compare Ancient Greek πονηρολογίᾱ (ponērologíā, “bad reasoning”).

Noun

ponerology (uncountable)

1. The study of evil.
   • 1849, Carl Immanuel Nitzsch, System of Christian doctrine, page 214:

     Christian ponerology is divided into two leading sections, that of sin or the bad participating in guilt, and that of death or the bad which has participated in the same.

   • 1887, Isaak August Dorner, System of Christian Ethics, page 53:

     The end for which God created the world is not an impotent thought, but an earnest one, incessantly striving to become actual in the world; for which reason it cannot be thwarted by actual sin, which is to be treated of in ethical ponerology.

   • 1958, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, page 27:

     To the charlatans who so desperately strive to perpetuate these pious frauds, such a threatened warm welcome is an essential feature of their gloomy ponerology — hence the puerile solemnity with which it continues to be invoked against all who temerously thumb the nose at their bogus thaumaturgy.

   • 1962, Edgar Snow, The Other Side of the River: Red China Today, page 122:

     To call Mao either the saint or the devil of China is relevant only to those who see history as a branch of ponerology.