ABSTRACTION is that intellectual process by which the mind withdraws (abAtraho) sonic of the attributes of objects from the others, and thinks of them to the exclusion of the rest. The abstract is opposed to the concrete. John, William, my brother, form concrete images in my mind, each with a multitude of attributes peculiar to himself. But they have also certain attributes common to them and to all individuals of the race; I can overlook the others and attend to these, and thus form a notion or conception which is called a man. Nan is, therefore, an abstract notion, the word connoting, 118 it is called, a certain though not very well-defined number of attributes. With the excep tion of proper names, all nouns are thus abstract. There are degrees, however, in abstraction. The abstract notion animal rises above that of man, embracing all men and innumerable organized beings besides. An organized being, again, is a still higher stage, and embraces both animals and plants. Being, time, space, are among the
highest abstractions. The higher abstractions rise, the fewer attributes are implied or connoted in the name; hence the propriety of the phrase, empty abstractions. On the other hand, the number of objects to which the name is applicable increases; and thus reasoning in abstract terms has the advantage of being general, or extensive in its appli cation. But such reasoning is apt to become vague and fallacious, unless constant regard is had to concrete instances. Abstract language is best adapted for selentifiz exposition; concrete for graphic and poetical in Arith. is applied to numbers considered in themselves, and without reference to any objects numbered; thus 7, 20, are abstract numbers; but 7 ft., 20 horses, are concrete numbers.