Praxiology

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The study of human conduct and the principles that make actions effective, examining how purposeful activity can be carried out most efficiently
2. A branch of knowledge concerned with the general theory of efficient action and the rules that govern successful human work
3. The systematic examination of effective human behavior, seeking the common principles that underlie all deliberate and efficient action

Etymology: "Praxiology" is an alternative spelling of "praxeology", and the two forms share a single source: the Ancient Greek noun "prâxis", meaning action, doing or practice, combined with the suffix "-logy", meaning the study or discussion of something. Put together, the term describes a systematic study of human action. The Greek "prâxis" comes from a verb meaning to do or to accomplish, and in classical usage it covered conduct and practical affairs rather than theory. Adding "-logy" to it follows the same pattern as words like "biology" or "theology," where the second element names a field of knowledge built around its subject. Because the word is a compound built directly from familiar Greek parts, its meaning follows straightforwardly from those parts. The spelling "praxiology" simply keeps the Greek "-ia" sound of "prâxis" visible, while "praxeology" uses an "e" in its place.

Synonyms: praxeology