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14 Examples of Abstract Thinking

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Abstract thinking is thinking that extends beyond concrete realities. The following are illustrative examples.

Concepts

All concepts that don't have a physical form are abstract. For example, thinking about freedom and respect is abstract thinking because these are ideas don't exist as a physical thing.

Theories

Developing theories to explain observations. For example, a farmer who develops a theory that artichokes aren't growing well in a particular field because the soil is too acidic. This may be based on concrete data but the theory itself is conjecture and can therefore be considered abstract.

Organization

Organizing things into abstract categories. For example, the cultural convention of organizing days into weekdays and weekends. These are both abstract concepts that can't be tied back to anything physical.

Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking is the process of using the imagination to create novel solutions to problems such as a farmer who identifies a companion planting that allows artichokes to thrive in acidic soil.

Thought Experiment

Developing an analogy that simplifies a complex problem. For example, Galileo's Ship is a thought experiment that says that if you drop a cannon ball from the mast of a moving ship, it should fall directly below where it was dropped and that this location is not influenced by the speed or direction of the ship. This was developed by Galileo Galilei in 1632 to counter the prevailing argument at the time that if the Earth where really rotating an object dropped from a high location would not fall directly beneath where it was dropped because the Earth would have moved. It is now known that the Earth does rotate and that the principle of relativity validates the predictions of the Galileo's Ship thought experiment.

Emotions

Emotions are mental states that color all thinking. The ability to think about the emotional impact of things is a type of abstract thinking. For example, a public speaker who is able to craft and deliver a message that builds feelings of trust, anticipation, joy and astonishment in an audience.

Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of making information interesting. This typically wraps concrete information in elements such as literary devices, rhetorical devices, suspense, humor and culture that are almost always abstractions.

Culture

Elements of culture such as norms are often social constructs that are completely abstract. It is a mistake to think that because something is abstract that it isn't real. For example, norms can help people to get along as a society and can be both real and valuable.

Counterfactual Thinking

Counterfactual thinking is the process of imagining how that past could have been different. For example, if you say something dumb in a social situation you might later imagine more intelligent things you might have said and how this would have lead to different outcomes. Counterfactual thinking can be a waste of time as the past can't be changed. However, it can also provide insights and identify improvements that can be applied to the future.

Prediction

Developing forecasts, estimates and predictions of the future is an abstraction because the future itself doesn't physically exist yet. For example, a hiker who runs into a wild boar on a trail who predicts what might happen if they quietly and slowly walk backwards away from the animal.

Synthesis

Designing things is a process of abstract thinking. For example, a fashion designer who creates a hat from an idea. This is an example of an abstract concept becoming a concrete object.

Aesthetics

Being able to understand why things are visually appealing or unappealing. For example, a hair stylist who is able to develop new styles that fit into a time, place and culture as visually appealing.

Magical Thinking

Abstract thinking is a powerful form of thought that allows you to create value, solve problems and influence people. However, it can also be used for lazy thought processes, motivated thinking and to form biases that paint an inaccurate picture of the world. For example, magical thinking is the process of assigning magical powers to an abstract concept such as a technology that are unrealistic.

Overthinking

In some cases, individuals spend too much time thinking about abstractions that are far detached from the practical realities of a situation such that they miss opportunities to make a quick decisions that would benefit them. For example, a student who spends endless hours thinking about their fear of public speaking as opposed to taking practical steps towards gaining speaking experiences that begin to defeat this fear.

Summary

Abstract thinking is the ability to think about things that do not have some specific physical manifestation. Human language and visual symbols are inherently abstract such that abstract thinking is the rule and not the exception.
Overview: Abstract Thinking
Type
Definition
Thinking that extends beyond concrete realities.
Related Concepts

Thinking

This is the complete list of articles we have written about thinking.
Abductive Reasoning
Abstract Thinking
Abstraction
Aesthetics
Analogy
Analysis Paralysis
Analytical Thinking
Anomie
Argument
Argument From Silence
Arrow Of Time
Assertions
Automaticity
Backward Induction
Base Rate Fallacy
Benefit Of Doubt
Big Picture
Brainstorming
Call To Action
Catch 22
Causality
Choice Architecture
Circular Reasoning
Cognition
Cognitive Abilities
Cognitive Biases
Cold Logic
Collective Intelligence
Complexity Bias
Concept
Consciousness
Constructive Criticism
Convergent Thinking
Counterfactual Thinking
Creative Tension
Creeping Normality
Critical Thinking
Culture
Curse Of Knowledge
Decision Fatigue
Decision Framing
Decision Making
Defensive Pessimism
Design Thinking
Divergent Thinking
Educated Guess
Emotional Intelligence
Epic Meaning
Essential Complexity
Excluded Middle
Failure Of Imagination
Fallacies
Fallacy Fallacy
False Analogy
False Balance
False Dichotomy
False Equivalence
First Principles
Formal Logic
Four Causes
Fuzzy Logic
Gambler's Fallacy
Generalization
Golden Hammer
Good Judgement
Grey Area
Groupthink
Heuristics
Hindsight Bias
Hope
Idealism
Ideas
If-By-Whiskey
Illogical Success
Imagination
Independent Thinking
Inductive Reasoning
Inference
Influencing
Informal Logic
Information
Information Cascade
Introspection
Intuition
Inventive Step
Learning
Lifestyle
Logic
Logical Argument
Logical Thinking
Ludic Fallacy
Magical Thinking
Meaning
Mental Experiences
Mental State
Mindset
Misuse of Statistics
Motivated Reasoning
Natural Language
Nirvana Fallacy
Norms
Not Even Wrong
Objective Reason
Objectivity
Opinion
Overthinking
Perception
Personal Values
Perspective
Positive Thinking
Practical Thinking
Pragmatism
Premise
Problem Solving
Proof By Example
Propositional Logic
Prosecutor's Fallacy
Radical Chic
Rational Thought
Realism
Reality
Reason
Reasoning
Red Herring
Reflective Thinking
Reification
Relativism
Salience
Scarcity Mindset
Scientism
Selective Attention
Serendipity
Situational Awareness
Sour Grapes
State Of Mind
Storytelling
Subjectivity
Systems Thinking
Thinking
Thought Experiment
Unknown Unknowns
Visual Thinking
Want To Believe
Whataboutism
Win-Win Thinking
Wishful Thinking
Worldview
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Thinking

An overview of thinking with examples.

Introspection

The definition of introspection with examples.

Critical Thinking Examples

An overview of critical thinking with examples.

Skepticism

The definition of skepticism with examples.

Imagination

The definition of imagination with examples.

Visual Thinking

The definition of visual thinking with examples.

Abstract Concept

The definition of abstract concept with examples.

Realism

The definition of realism with examples.

Pragmatism

The definition of pragmatism with examples.

Rational Thought

The difference between rational thought and logic.

Benefit Of Doubt

The definition of benefit of doubt with examples.

Intrapersonal

The definition of intrapersonal with examples.

Paradox

The definition of paradox with examples.

Logical Argument

An overview of logical arguments with examples.

Rational Choice Theory

The definition of rational choice theory with examples.

Reflective Thinking

The definition of reflective thinking with examples.

Reason

The definition of reason with examples.
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