Abstract Knowledge

Abstract

• The term abstract is derived from the Latin abstractus, which is composed of the prefix ab-, which means "from" or "of," and the verb "trahere," which means "pull" or "drag away."
  • It refers to the way of thinking that permits the separation of components.
• Abstract knowledge can be studied from philosophical, psychological, and even neurophysiological perspectives.
  • It generally assumes that a person is capable of mentally deconstructing a whole into its component components in order to examine a situation from multiple perspectives simultaneously.
  • In this way, the practice of abstract thought leads to abstract knowledge, which is based on an individual's ability to recognize common properties among things or concepts, to plan and assume hypothetically, as well as to think and react symbolically.

Abstract Thought and the Human World

• With the emergence of Charles Darwin's (1809–1882) theories of natural selection, abstract knowledge has been an integral aspect of biology-related studies and has been the subject of extensive research.
• Theorists believe that as humans built increasingly complex social models, this led to the development of more conceptually sophisticated forms of thought and knowledge.
• Language and culture, for instance, arose from the need for cooperation and the development of complicated thought models in order to flourish.
• Psychologists have also been interested in constructing theories of abstract knowledge, which is distinct from concrete thinking, which is grounded in real-world experiences. Individuals begin to develop abstract thought, i.e., their own ideas or concepts, as they age.
• Jean Piaget (1896–1980) argued that abstract thought develops between the ages of 12 and 15, when humans transition from concrete to abstract or immaterial thought.
• The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) was the first to construct abstract thinking notions, particularly in his theory of universals.
• Abstraction is the mental process of detaching a conceptual quality from the total so that it can be reflected upon and studied independently of the rest.
• By comparing many things, a quality believed to be common by all can be separated or abstracted, and the object thus isolated is a universal.
  • Based on concrete data, this transforms into abstract knowledge.
• Abstraction is the ability to create projections and construct hypotheses on a totally abstract and immaterial plane. F
• Formal schemas, which are units of thought used to express knowledge, constitute the foundation of this method.
• Abstract thought is fundamental to all humans because it enables induction and deduction, the ability to integrate information, and the ability to infer what is essential to learn from any experience.
• In addition to allowing humans to comprehend the concrete phenomena they encounter, it is associated with creativity, insight, and mental flexibility.

Abstract Thinking and Language

• Abstract knowledge relies on language to construct immaterial ideas such as honor, freedom, and justice.
• Abstract concepts, like as mathematics and equations, are explained using concrete language.
• Intellectual development is connected to the gradual transition from concrete to abstract thought in a variety of domains.
• Language is a system of word-based communication that depends on both symbolic and conventional qualities and is complemented by culturally-based nonverbal communication and word content.
  • To acquire language, humans must go from studying language to establishing an internal language, or thinking.
  • Language serves a semiotic function, which is the articulation of figurative elements and their actions.
• Semiotics, a philosophy of language, is an example of knowledge that combines concrete and abstract modes of thought.
  • Although children's ability to manage abstract notions improves as they acquire language, spoken language is not the primary component of abstract thought.
  • Many forms of language and communication provide the foundation for abstract knowledge.
• There are three general categories of thought in relation to language: conceptual, judgment, and reasoning.
  • Conceptual thinking refers to the representation of an item through abstraction and generalization.
  • Judgment enables the elaboration of premises that determine the validity of a conclusion.
  • Reasoning encompasses both deductive and inductive thought, where deduction refers to conclusions reached by moving from the general to the particular while induction moves from the specific to the general.
• The notion of linguistic relativity proposed by Benjamin Whorf is among the most explicit theories connecting language and mind (1897–1941).
  • He believed that a person's distinctive worldview determines the form of their language.
  • His hypothesis asserts that language has a direct effect on mind when the features of a single language system are directly dependent on a particular job.
• Lev Vygotsky, a Soviet psychologist, is an additional prominent theorist who has authored works on language and abstract knowledge (1896–1934).
  • Contemporary psychology has been profoundly influenced by Vygotsky's beliefs regarding the relationship between thinking, knowledge, and language.
  • He suggested that although thinking and language, both high-level mental activity, have distinct genetic and ontogenetic origins, they have nonetheless evolved reciprocally.
  • He criticized behaviorist theories of language because he found that they emphasized conditioned forms of behavior.
  • He suggested that language may influence the growth of abstract knowledge and other cognitive abilities, such as thought.
• Nowadays, a wide range of disciplines, from philosophy to neurology, concur that language is a combination of a number of distinct talents and processes.
• The majority of these processes can be investigated independently, according to neuroscientific studies.

Abstract Knowledge and Moral Sense

• The link between abstract knowledge and the formation of a moral or ethical sensibility has long preoccupied philosophers.
• Neuroscientists have identified the frontal lobes or prefrontal region of the brain as the location of concrete thought and morality.
• According to psychological research, those who are more adept in abstract reasoning are more likely to accept fairness and harm as the basis of ethical norms.
• Moral underpinnings transcend fundamental notions of harm and justice as well as physical brain functions and capacities.
• Criticisms of the Kantian moral philosophy assert that it disregards the concrete circumstances of events and might lead to a dogmatic commitment to abstract concepts.
  • Only activities that are voluntarily chosen can be moral, which contradicts the behaviorist model based on biology.
• Morality, in Habermas's view, resides inside a framework of logical principles, which are grounded in logic and remain constant across a variety of concrete settings.
• Several contemporary theorists connect ethics with mathematics, whereas applied ethics is always based on real-world situations, bringing individuals back to the tangible and contextual.
• According to experts, it is essential to nurture critical thinking, foresight, and moral imagination in order to produce an ethical and socially responsible populace.
• Developing an ethical education, moral will, and creativity requires these skills. It is also essential to promote abstract knowledge, such as the ideals of justice and democracy, in order to instill the desire to be a moral global citizen.
• Although scientists frequently distinguish between concrete and abstract thinking processes, humans frequently begin their thought processes with concrete thinking skills and require tangible examples to comprehend abstract notions.
• The human mind is comprised of a network of extremely rich and intricate processes, making it difficult to distinguish between its numerous thinking forms and actions.

Developing Abstract Knowledge

• Thinking strategies are essential for interpreting reality.

• Higher levels of thinking depend on skillfully combining concrete and abstract mental processes, such as transferring what is learned in one context to another.

  • Some individuals are more skillful than others at building abstract knowledge, which may be due to natural predispositions, mental illness, frontal lobe injury, and other impairments.

• Exercises such as logic problems, mathematics puzzles, and other brain teasers may help, but these are of limited use as the brain and mind processes are highly complex and while an individual may be a proficient abstract thinker in one area, they may remain a very concrete thinker in others.

  • Other strategies that may help with improving abstract thinking skills include memory problems, problem-solving, organization techniques, and cognition.

• People can adjust the environment to help concrete thinkers better understand information and content, such as adopting concrete language, avoiding metaphorical concepts or deep levels of abstraction, and always explaining abstract concepts in relation to concrete examples.

  • However, the progress achieved by these exercises may not translate to other content, academic, or social areas, but it does help build up their repository of abstract knowledge in at least one area.

• It is often assumed that very young children do not have the ability to engage in abstract thinking, but this is a misconception.

  • Young children begin to develop abstract thinking skills and knowledge through pretend play, role-playing, and drawing doodles.
  • These skills are necessary for developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills, as well as empathy and a moral self.
  • Experts recommend encouraging and aiding young children to develop these skills through a variety of educational programs, games, and exercises.