ponerology

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English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology

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

Noun

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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.