abstraction
Essence without particulars
Abstraction is the process of pulling away from concrete particulars to focus on general principles or essential features.
In philosophy and logic, abstractions are concepts that exist independently of specific instances: Justice is an abstraction.
In art, abstraction departs from realistic representation toward form, color, and pattern.
The word also names the state of being lost in thought: She gazed out the window in abstraction.
In computing, abstraction hides complexity behind simpler interfaces.
Deriving principles from examples
- ideaMental formation
- notionImprecise mental impression
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- principleFundamental truth or standard
theory · conceptualization · categorization · classification · idealization · universals · particulars · schema
Philosophy of existence's nature
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- nominalismUniversals exist as labels only
- idealismBelief in noble principles
realism · phenomenology · universals · particulars · essentialism · conceptualism · Aristotle · Plato
Unclear and formless
- unclearNot easily understood
- intangibleNot physically present
- impreciseLacking exactness or accuracy
- indefiniteNot precisely determined
elusive · ethereal · removed · detached · distant · theoretical · ivory tower · impractical
Not depicting reality
- minimalismAesthetic of reduction
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
dadaism · avant-garde · modernism · Kandinsky · Mondrian · Pollock · Picasso · Matisse
Changeable elements in equations
- functionsWorks or serves purposes
- algebraMath using symbols
- set theoryMathematics of abstract collections
- topologyStudy of spatial arrangement
axioms · proof · theorem · symbolic · formalization · generalization · structures · groups
Purify through vaporization
- generalizeMake broadly applicable
- reduceMake smaller in degree
- condenseMake more compact
- synthesizeCombine into unified whole
summarize · essentialize · boil down · pare down · strip away · isolate · decontextualize · schematize
generalization
Deriving principles from examples
principle · theory · conceptualization · categorization · classification · idealization · universals · particulars · schema · framework
metaphysics
Philosophy of existence's nature
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- nominalismUniversals exist as labels only
idealism · realism · phenomenology · universals · particulars · essentialism · conceptualism · Aristotle · Plato · forms
nebulous
Unclear and formless
- unclearNot easily understood
- intangibleNot physically present
- impreciseLacking exactness or accuracy
indefinite · elusive · ethereal · removed · detached · distant · theoretical · ivory tower · impractical · recondite
nonrepresentational
Not depicting reality
- minimalismAesthetic of reduction
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
surrealism · dadaism · avant-garde · modernism · Kandinsky · Mondrian · Pollock · Picasso · Matisse · Rothko
variables
Changeable elements in equations
- functionsWorks or serves purposes
- algebraMath using symbols
- set theoryMathematics of abstract collections
topology · axioms · proof · theorem · symbolic · formalization · generalization · structures · groups · rings
distill
Purify through vaporization
- generalizeMake broadly applicable
- reduceMake smaller in degree
- condenseMake more compact
synthesize · summarize · essentialize · boil down · pare down · strip away · isolate · decontextualize · schematize · model
encapsulation
Surrounding on all sides
inheritance · polymorphism · API · layer · module · generics · protocols · facades · wrapper · decoupling
- contemplationcontemplation, meditation, reflection, pondering, musing
- philosophy termstruth, reason, knowledge, wisdom, logic
- Ideationbrainstorming, mind mapping, idea generation, ideas, brain dump
- ontologyontology, being, existence, becoming, universals
- art theoryaesthetics, art criticism, art history, formalism, iconography
- conceptscategorization, typicality, generalization, family resemblance, basic level
abstractionconcreteness
Quality of being solid
particularity · specificity · tangibility · materiality · concretion
abstractionattention
Focused mental awareness
attentiveness · concentration · focus · alertness · awareness
abstractionconcretization
Making abstract things tangible
specification · particularization · instantiation · individualization · reification
- lyrical abstractionExpressive, non-representational painting movement
- hardware abstractionLayer hiding physical components