Glossary: level of abstraction
"Abstract" is properly a verb, meaning to remove something from its usual context.
When you build a scientific theory, you sometimes make your analysis simpler by removing
determinants, that is, by looking at determinants in isolation from each other.
Good synonyms for abstract are "simple" or "isolated". What you mean when you say your
analysis is abstract is that you're looking at a small number of determinants in isolation
from the context in which they're normally found, typically grouped with larger numbers
of determinants.
"Concrete" means "complex", in the sense that your analysis includes multiple determinants
which interact.
"Level of abstraction" is the degree of simplification you're using at a particular point
in your analysis. The higher the level of abstraction, the fewer the determinants under
consideration, and the more isolated from their normal context.
"Abstract" does not mean "mental", and "concrete" does not mean "material".
"Abstract"
does not mean "theoretical", and "concrete" does not mean "real". The proper synonyms for
abstract are "simple" or "isolated" meaning mono-determined; for concrete, "complex", meaning
multiply-determined.
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