abstraction

abstraction
Supposed process of forming an idea by abstracting out what is common to a variety of instances: a process stressed, for example, by Aquinas in his moderate solution to the problem of universals (abstrahentium non est mendacium : abstraction is not lying). The problem is that unrestricted abstraction leads one to suppose that qualities such as substance, causation, change, and number may apply not only to the sensible bodies that give rise to our ideas of them, but also in a spiritual realm or other domain quite outside the reach of experience. Locke is vehemently attacked by Berkeley for this and related errors. See also abstract ideas.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • ABSTRACTION — ABSTRACTI Terme qui renvoie à tout au moins quatre significations, à la fois indépendantes les unes des autres et pourtant reliées par un jeu de correspondances profondes. Un sens premier du mot abstraction est le suivant: négliger toutes les… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Abstraction — • A process (or a faculty) by which the mind selects for consideration some one of the attributes of a thing to the exclusion of the rest Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Abstraction     Abstraction …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Abstraction — Ab*strac tion, n. [Cf. F. abstraction. See {Abstract}, a.] 1. The act of abstracting, separating, or withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; withdrawal. [1913 Webster] A wrongful abstraction of wealth from certain members of the community.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • abstraction — index concept, generality (vague statement), idea, impalpability, larceny, notion, preoccupation, vision ( …   Law dictionary

  • abstraction — Abstraction. s. f. Terme dogmatique. Separation que l esprit fait d une qualité, d une proprieté, &c. d avec le sujet où elle est. Considerer les accidents en faisant abstraction des sujets ausquels ils sont attachez. la blancheur considerée par… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • abstraction — (n.) c.1400, withdrawal from worldly affairs, asceticism, from O.Fr. abstraction (14c.), from L. abstractionem (nom. abstractio), noun of action from pp. stem of abstrahere (see ABSTRACT (Cf. abstract) (adj.)). Meaning idea of something that has… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Abstraction — (v. lat.), 1) Abziehung, Ableitung; bes. 2) beim Denken, wenn wir Vorstellungen u. Gedanken von allen sinnlichen Wahrnehmungen abgezogen ihrem eignen Inhalt nach bestimmen; das geistige Vermögen, dies zu thun, heißt das Abstractionsvermögen; vgl …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • abstraction — [n] state of being lost in thought absorption, aloofness, brooding, cogitation, consideration, contemplation, daydreaming, detachment, engrossment, entrancement, musing, pensiveness, pondering, preoccupation, reflecting, reflection, remoteness,… …   New thesaurus

  • abstraction — ► NOUN 1) the quality of being abstract. 2) something which exists only as an idea. 3) a preoccupied state. 4) abstracting or removing something …   English terms dictionary

  • abstraction — [ab strak′shən] n. [ME abstraccioun < LL abstractio: see ABSTRACT] 1. an abstracting or being abstracted; removal 2. formation of an idea, as of the qualities or properties of a thing, by mental separation from particular instances or material …   English World dictionary

  • Abstraction — This article is about the concept of abstraction in general. For other uses, see abstraction (disambiguation). Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal ( real or concrete )… …   Wikipedia

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