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Etiology
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<p>Etiology is the study of <a href="/facts/Causality/Swh496X7">causation</a> or origination. The word is derived from the <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek/LIK7NlUh">Greek</a> word αἰτιολογία <i>(<i>aitiología</i>)</i>, meaning "giving a reason for" (from <i> </i>αἰτία<i> (<i>aitía</i>)</i> 'cause' and <i> </i>-λογία<i> (<i><a href="/facts/-logy/1pnzedcV">-logía</a></i>)</i> 'study of'). More completely, etiology is the study of the causes, origins, or reasons behind the way that things are, or the way they function, or it can refer to the causes themselves. The word is commonly used in <a href="/facts/Medicine/2fnp90Je">medicine</a> (pertaining to causes of disease or illness) and in <a href="/facts/Philosophy/zAH5PVD6">philosophy</a>, but also in <a href="/facts/Physics/a7aH2y08">physics</a>, <a href="/facts/Biology/1M1ee3pB">biology</a>, <a href="/facts/Psychology/duoqW7Sz">psychology</a>, <a href="/facts/Political_science/Gqy5EoRX">political science</a>, <a href="/facts/Geography/TRd1Toyo">geography</a>, <a href="/facts/Cosmology/yM19zM7Y">cosmology</a>, <a href="/facts/Spatial_analysis/R6rlDzRl">spatial analysis</a> and <a href="/facts/Theology/N71Fyw2M">theology</a> in reference to the causes or origins of various <a href="/facts/Phenomena/4CBrlVeW">phenomena</a>. </p><p>In the past, when many physical phenomena were not well understood or when histories were not recorded, <a href="/facts/Myth/kG8UTfem">myths</a> often arose to provide etiologies. Thus, an etiological myth, or <a href="/facts/Origin_myth/bYbjqtWn">origin myth</a>, is a myth that has arisen, been told over time or written to explain the origins of various social or natural phenomena. For example, <a href="/facts/Virgil/K9zjwwHS">Virgil</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Aeneid/s75oF7LS">Aeneid</a></i> is a <a href="/facts/National_myth/NllMyVWo">national myth</a> written to explain and glorify the origins of the <a href="/facts/Roman_Empire/l4E1aUuV">Roman Empire</a>. In <a href="/facts/Theology/N71Fyw2M">theology</a>, many religions have <a href="/facts/Creation_myths/qB15K1b0">creation myths</a> explaining the origins of the world or its relationship to believers. </p>