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Design Thinking

Why Abstract Ideas Fail

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Abstract ideas are any ideas that differ from concrete reality. They are a common aspect of thought. For example, everyday concepts such as "trust" are abstractions. Abstract thinking is considered a fundamental tool of business that is essential to things such as strategy and innovation. Nevertheless, there is some danger to being too abstract too often. For example:

Abstraction Is Boring

New abstract ideas are difficult to communicate and often require others to visualize the same things you're visualizing. This is a lot of work and can easily make people feel bored. As such, it can be difficult to sell abstract ideas.

Everyone Is Doing It

Most business buzzwords are overused abstractions. This is so common that some people will filter out abstractions as meaningless noise.

Distance From Action

Ideas that can easily and quickly be implemented often have more value to a business than a grand five year plan. It can be difficult to translate abstract ideas into immediate actions that have value to a business.

Out Of Touch

Remaining at the abstract level without ever dealing with concrete realities can cause an individual to become out of touch.
Overview: Abstract Ideas
Type
Definition
Ideas that differ from concrete reality.
Value
Strategy, problem solving, decision making
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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Logic

A few logic terms explained.

Law Of Excluded Middle

A classical law of logic first established by Aristotle.

Fuzzy Logic

Logic that allows for partial truths.

Logic vs Intelligence

The difference between logic and intelligence.

Causality

The definition of causality with examples.

Magical Thinking

The definition of magical thinking with examples.

Scientism

The definition of scientism with examples.

Fallacies

A list of logical fallacies.

Mutually Exclusive

The definition of mutually exclusive with examples.

False Balance

The definition of false balance with examples.

Thought Processes

A list of thinking approaches and types.

Cognitive Biases

A list of common cognitive biases explained.

Objective vs Subjective

The difference between objective and subjective.

Intellectual Diversity

A definition of intellectual diversity with examples.

Creative Value

The definition of creative value with examples.

Anecdotal Evidence

The definition of anecdotal evidence with examples.

Benefit Of Doubt

The definition of benefit of doubt with examples.

Pessimism

The definition of pessimism with examples.
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