What is abstract logical thinking. Abstract logical thinking

There is nothing unambiguous in the world. If you are guided by accurate knowledge, you can miss a lot. The world does not live exactly according to the instructions that are written by man. Much has not yet been explored.

When a person does not know something, he turns on abstract thinking, which helps him make guesses, make judgments, and reason. To understand what it is, you need to familiarize yourself with examples, forms and methods of its development.

What is Abstract Thinking?

What is it and why does the psychotherapeutic help site touch on the topic of abstract thinking? It is the ability to think in general that helps in finding a solution to an impasse, in the emergence of a different view of the world.

There is precise and generalized thinking. Accurate thinking is activated when a person has knowledge, information and a clear understanding of what is happening. Generalized thinking turns on when a person does not know the exact data, does not have specific information. He can guess, assume, draw general conclusions. Generalized thinking is abstract thinking in simple words.

The scientific language of abstract thinking is a type of cognitive activity when a person moves away from specific details and begins to reason in general. The picture is considered as a whole, without affecting the details, specifics, accuracy. This contributes to the departure from the rules and dogmas and consideration of the situation from different angles. When an event is considered in general, then there are various ways to solve it.

Usually a person proceeds from specific knowledge. For example, a man lies on the couch and watches TV. The thought arises: "He's a slacker." In this situation, the viewer proceeds from his own ideas about what is happening. What could actually be happening? The man lay down for 5 minutes to rest. He had already done everything around the house, so he allowed himself to watch TV. He got sick, so he lies on the couch. There can be many variations of what is happening here. If you ignore the specifics and look at the situation from different angles, then you can find out a lot of new and interesting things.

In abstract thinking, a person thinks approximately. There are no specifics or details here. Generalized words are used: “life”, “world”, “in general”, “by and large”.

Abstract thinking is useful in situations where a person cannot find a way out (intellectual impasse). Due to the lack of information or knowledge, he is forced to reason, guess. If we abstract from the situation with its specific details, then we can consider in it what was not noticed before.

Abstract logical thinking

In abstract-logical thinking, abstractions are used - units of certain patterns that have been isolated from the "abstract", "imaginary" qualities of an object, phenomenon. In other words, a person operates with phenomena that he cannot “touch with his hands”, “see with his eyes”, “smell”.

A very striking example of such thinking is mathematics, which explains phenomena that do not exist in physical nature. For example, there is no such thing as the number "2". The person understands that we are talking about two identical units. However, this figure was invented by people in order to simplify some phenomena.

The progress and development of mankind has forced people to use concepts that in fact do not exist. Another striking example would be the language a person uses. There are no letters, words, sentences in nature. Man invented the alphabet, words and expressions to simplify the expression of his thoughts, which he wants to convey to other people. This allowed people to find a common language, since everyone understands the meaning of the same word, recognizes letters, builds sentences.

Abstract-logical thinking becomes necessary in a situation where there is some certainty, which is not yet understood and known to man, and the emergence of an intellectual impasse. There is a need to identify what is in reality, to find a definition for it.

Abstraction is divided into types and purposes. Types of abstraction:

Primitive-sensual - highlighting some properties of an object, ignoring its other qualities. For example, considering the structure, but ignoring the form of the subject.
Generalizing - highlighting a common characteristic in one phenomenon, ignoring the presence of individual features.
Idealizing - replacing real properties with an ideal scheme that eliminates existing shortcomings.
Isolating - highlights the component on which attention is focused.
Actual infinity – infinite sets are defined as finite.
Constructivization - "coarseness", giving form to phenomena that have vague boundaries.

According to the goals of abstraction there are:

Formal (theoretical thinking), when a person considers objects according to their external manifestations. These qualities themselves do not exist on their own without these objects and phenomena.
Content, when a person can single out a property from an object or phenomenon that can exist on its own, be autonomous.

The development of abstract-logical thinking is important, since it was it that made it possible to isolate from the surrounding world that which cannot be recognized by the natural senses. Here, concepts (linguistic expressions) were formed that convey the general pattern of a particular phenomenon. Now each person does not have to identify this or that concept, since he learns about it in the process of learning at school, university, at home, etc. This brings us to the next topic about forms of abstract thinking.

Forms of abstract thinking

Since a person cannot “create a wheel” every time, he must systematize the knowledge gained. Many phenomena are not visible to the human eye, something does not exist at all, but all this is in human life, therefore it must have one form or another. In abstract thinking, there are 3 forms:

Concept.

This is a thought that conveys a common property that can be traced in different subjects. They may be different. However, their homogeneity and similarity allows a person to combine them into one group. So, for example, a chair. It can be with round handles or square seats. Different chairs have a different color, shape, composition. However, their common feature is that they have 4 legs and it is customary to sit on them. The same purpose of objects and their design allows a person to be combined into one group.

People teach these concepts to children from childhood. Speaking of "dog", we mean an animal that runs on 4 legs, barks, barks, etc. Dogs themselves come in different breeds. However, they all have the same characteristics, according to which they are combined into one common concept - "dog".

Judgment.

People use this form of abstraction when they want to confirm or refute something. Moreover, this verbal form is unambiguous. It comes in two forms: simple and complex. Simple - for example, a cat meows. It is short and clear. The second - "the garbage was thrown out, the bucket was empty." It is often expressed in whole sentences of narrative form.

The judgment may be true or false. A true judgment reflects the real state of affairs and is often based on the fact that a person does not show any relation to him, that is, he judges objectively. A judgment becomes false when a person is interested in it and is based on his own conclusions, and not on the real picture of what is happening.

Inference.

This is a thought that is formed on the basis of two or more judgments, from which a new judgment is formed. In every conclusion there are 3 components: premise (premise), conclusion and conclusion. The premise (premise) is the initial judgments. Inference is the process of logical thinking that leads to a conclusion - a new judgment.

Examples of Abstract Thinking

Having considered the theoretical part of abstract thinking, you should familiarize yourself with various examples. The most striking example of what an abstract judgment is is the exact sciences. Mathematics, physics, astronomy and other sciences are often based on abstract thinking. We do not see numbers as such, but we can count. We collect objects in a group and call their number.

The man talks about life. But what is it? This is the existence of a body in which a person moves, breathes, functions. It is impossible to give a clear definition of what life is. However, a person can unambiguously determine when someone lives and when they die.

Clearly abstract thinking manifests itself when a person thinks about the future. It is not known what will happen there, but everyone has goals, desires, plans. Without the ability to dream and imagine, a person would not be able to plan for the future. Now he seeks to realize these goals. His movement through life becomes more purposeful. Strategies and tactics are emerging that should lead to the desired future. This reality does not yet exist, but a person strives to form it the way he wants to see it.

Another common form of abstraction is idealization. People like to idealize others and the world in general. Women dream of princes from fairy tales, not noticing what men are in the real world. Men dream of obedient wives, ignoring the fact that only an unthinking being can be subordinate to another.

Many people use judgment. Often they are false. Thus, a woman may conclude that "all men are bad" after being betrayed by a single partner. Since she singles out a man as a single class, which is characterized by the same quality, she ascribes to everyone the quality that manifested itself in one person.

Often, wrong conclusions are made on the basis of false judgments. For example, “the neighbors are unfriendly”, “heating is not supplied”, “the wiring needs to be changed” means “the apartment is dysfunctional”. Based on the emotional discomfort that occurs under the circumstances, unambiguous judgments and conclusions are made that distort reality.

Development of abstract thinking

The most optimal age for the development of abstract thinking is the preschool period. As soon as the child begins to explore the world, he can be helped in the development of all kinds of thinking.

Toys are the most effective way of development. Through shapes, volumes, colors, etc., the child first begins to recognize the details, and then combine them into groups. You can give the child several toys of a square or round shape, so that he divides them into two piles according to the same characteristics.

As soon as a child learns to draw, sculpt, make with his own hands, he should be allowed to engage in such hobbies. This develops not only fine motor skills, but also contributes to the manifestation of creativity. We can say that abstract thinking is creativity that is not limited by frames, shapes, colors.

When a child learns to read, count, write and perceive words by sound, you can work with him to develop abstract-logical thinking. Riddles that should be solved are well suited here, puzzles where it is necessary to solve a question, exercises for ingenuity, where it is necessary to notice an error, an inaccuracy.

Since abstract thinking is not born with a person, but develops as he grows, various rebuses, crosswords, and puzzles will help here. There is a lot of literature on how to develop different kinds of thinking. It should be understood that some puzzles cannot develop only one type of thinking. All of them are partially or completely involved in the development of various types of cognitive activity.

Particularly effective are various life situations in which the child must find a way out of the situation. A simple task to take out the garbage will force the child to first think about how to dress and what to wear in order to leave the house and carry the garbage bag to the bin. If the garbage can is far from home, then it will be forced to predict its route in advance. Forecasting the future is another way to develop abstract thinking. Children have a good imagination, which should not be oppressed.

Outcome

The result of abstract thinking is that a person is able to find solutions in any situation. He thinks creatively, flexibly, outside the box. Not always accurate knowledge is objective and able to help in any situation. Circumstances happen different, which makes a person think, reason, predict.

Psychologists note the negative consequences if parents do not engage in the development of this thinking in their child. Firstly, the baby will not learn to distinguish the general from the details and, conversely, move from the general to the details. Secondly, he will not be able to show flexibility of thinking in situations in which he does not know a way out. Thirdly, he will be deprived of the ability to predict the future of his actions.

Abstract thinking differs from linear thinking in that a person does not think in terms of cause and effect. He abstracts from the details and begins to reason in general. The most remarkable thing here is that only after a general vision of affairs can a person move on to the details that are important in a situation. And when the details do not help in solving the problem, then there is a need to abstract, to go beyond what is happening.

Abstract thinking allows you to find something new, to create, to create. If a person were deprived of such thinking, then he would not be able to create a wheel, a car, an airplane and other technologies that many people use now. There would be no progress that arises first from the ability of a person to imagine, dream, go beyond the accepted and reasonable. These skills are also useful in everyday life, when a person is faced with different characters and behaviors of people whom he has never met before. The ability to quickly rebuild and adapt to unchanging circumstances is due to abstract thinking.

Abstract thinking is one that allows you to abstract from small details and look at the situation as a whole. This type of thinking allows you to step beyond the boundaries of norms and rules and make new discoveries. The development of abstract thinking in a person from childhood should occupy an important place, because this approach makes it easier to find unexpected solutions and new ways out of the situation.

Basic forms of abstract thinking

A feature of abstract thinking is that it has three different forms - concepts, judgments and conclusions. Without understanding their specifics, it is difficult to sink into the concept of "abstract thinking".

1. Concept

The concept is a form of thinking in which an object or group of objects is reflected as one or more features. Each of these signs must be significant! The concept can be expressed both in one word and in a phrase - for example, the concepts of "cat", "leaves", "student of a humanitarian university", "green-eyed girl".

2. Judgment

Judgment is a form of thinking in which any phrase describing the world around, objects, relationships and patterns is denied or approved. In turn, judgments are divided into two types - complex and simple. A simple proposition may sound like, for example, "the cat eats sour cream." A complex proposition expresses the meaning in a slightly different form: "The bus started moving, the stop was empty." A complex proposition usually takes the form of a declarative sentence.

3. Inference

Inference is a form of thinking in which, from one or a group of related propositions, a conclusion is drawn, which is a new proposition. This is the basis of abstract-logical thinking. Judgments that precede the formation of the final version are called prerequisites, and the final judgment is called the "conclusion". For example: “All birds fly. Sparrow flies. Sparrow is a bird.

The abstract type of thinking involves the free operation of concepts, judgments and conclusions - such categories that do not make sense without correlation with our everyday life.

How to develop abstract thinking?

Needless to say, the ability for abstract thinking is different for everyone? Some people are given to draw beautifully, others to write poetry, and others to think abstractly. However, the formation of abstract thinking is possible, and for this it is necessary to give the brain a reason for reflection from early childhood.

Currently, there are a lot of printed publications that provide food for thought - all kinds of collections, puzzles and the like. If you want to engage in the development of abstract thinking in yourself or your child, it is enough to find only 30-60 minutes twice a week to immerse yourself in solving such tasks. The effect will not keep you waiting. It is noticed that at an early age the brain is easier to decide this kind of problem, but the more training he gets, the better the results.

The complete absence of abstract thinking can give rise not only to many problems with creative activities, but also with the study of those disciplines in which most of the key concepts are abstract. That is why it is important to pay much attention to this topic.

Properly developed abstract thinking allows you to know what has not yet been known by anyone before, to discover various secrets of nature, to distinguish truth from lies. In addition, this method of cognition differs from others in that it does not require direct contact with the object being studied and allows you to remotely draw important conclusions and conclusions.

Abstract thinking is a type of thinking in which it is possible, abstracting from small details, to look at the situation as a whole. This property allows you to cross the border of rules and norms to some extent and make new discoveries. In childhood, the development of this ability should be given enough time, because such an approach in the future will help to quickly find non-standard solutions and the most optimal ways out of the current situation. Very often, when hiring, employers test abstract thinking in potential employees. The test helps assess coping with problems, finding solutions, and processing unfamiliar information.

Forms

Features of abstract thinking are its various forms: concept, judgment, conclusion. For a correct perception of the term under consideration, it is very important to understand the specifics of each of these definitions.

concept

This is one in which one or more items are perceived as one or more features, each of which must be significant. Both one word and a phrase can define a concept, for example, “chair”, “grass”, “math teacher”, “tall man”.

Judgment

This is a form in which there is a denial or affirmation of a phrase that describes objects, the world around us, patterns and relationships. Judgment, in turn, is of two types: simple and complex. A simple proposition, for example, might sound like this: "a boy is drawing a house." A complex proposition is expressed in a different form, for example, "the train started moving, the platform was empty."

inference

This is a form of thinking in which a conclusion is drawn from one judgment (or several), which is a new judgment. The sources that help form the final version are the prerequisites, and the result is the conclusion. For example: “All birds can fly. The tit flies. The tit is a bird."

Abstract thinking is a process in which a person is able to freely operate with a concept, judgment, conclusion, that is, categories, the meaning of which can only be understood in relation to everyday life.

Development of abstract thinking

Naturally, this ability is developed differently for everyone. Some people draw beautifully, others write poetry, others can think abstractly. However, it is quite possible to form it; for this purpose, already in early childhood, the brain should be given reasons for reflection.

Today, there are a huge number of different specialized printed publications that train the mind: puzzles, collections of tasks for logic, and so on. To develop abstract thinking in your child or in yourself, you need to devote only 30-50 minutes to such activities twice a week. The effect of such exercises will not be long in coming. It has been proven that at an early age it is much easier for the brain to cope with this kind of tasks. The more training there is, the faster the result will appear.

In the complete absence of the skills to think in general, it is difficult for a person not only to realize himself in creative ones. Also, problems may arise with the study of disciplines in which there are a lot of abstract key concepts. Properly developed abstract thinking is an opportunity to discover the unsolved mysteries of nature, to know what no one has known before, to distinguish lies from truth. In addition, a distinctive feature of this is that it does not require direct contact with the object under study, and important conclusions and conclusions can be made remotely.

Psychology: thinking, types of thinking

In the thought process, the ratio of the word, image, action can be different. Depending on this, some types are distinguished.

Thinking in the process of historical development

Initially, the formation of human intellect was directly influenced by practical activities. So, empirically, people learned to measure land. On this basis, the formation of a special theoretical science - geometry.

The earliest type of mental activity, from a genetic point of view, is practical-effective thinking, the primary role in it is played by actions with objects (in animals, this ability is observed in its infancy). It becomes clear that this type of cognition of oneself and the world around is the basis of the visual-figurative process. Its characteristic feature is the operation of visual images in the mind.

The highest level is abstract thinking. However, here, too, brain activity is inseparable from practice.

Depending on the content, mental activity can be practical, artistic and scientific. Action is a structural unit of a practical-effective way of cognition, an image is an artistic one, a concept is a scientific one.

All three types are closely related. Many people have equally developed ability to act, and abstract perception. However, depending on the nature of the tasks to be solved, one type comes to the fore, then it is replaced by another, after - the third. For example, practical and effective thinking is required to solve everyday issues, and abstract thinking is required for a scientific report.

Types of cognition by the nature of the tasks set

The tasks assigned to a person can be standard and non-standard, depending on this, as well as on operational procedures, the following types of thinking are distinguished.

Algorithmic. Based on pre-established rules, a generally accepted sequence of actions that are required to solve typical problems.

heuristic. Productive, aimed at solving non-standard tasks.

Discursive. Based on a set of interrelated inferences.

Creative. It helps a person to make discoveries, to achieve fundamentally new results.

Productive. Leads to new cognitive results.

Reproductive. With the help of this type, a person reproduces the results obtained earlier. In this case, thinking and memory are inseparable.

Abstract thinking is the most important tool in human hands, which makes it possible to comprehend the deepest layers of truth, to know the unknown, to make a great discovery, to create a work of art.

A variety of information about the outside world enters our brain through the senses in the form of sounds, smells, tactile sensations, visual images, nuances of taste. But this is raw information that still needs to be processed. This requires mental activity and its highest form - abstract thinking. It is it that allows not only to make a detailed analysis of the signals entering the brain, but also to generalize, systematize, categorize them and develop an optimal behavior strategy.

- the result of a long evolution, in its development it has gone through several stages. Abstract thinking is today considered its highest form. Perhaps this is not the last step in the development of human cognitive processes, but so far other, more advanced forms of mental activity are unknown.

Three stages in the development of thinking

The formation of abstract thinking is a process of development and complication of cognitive activity. Its main regularities are characteristic of both anthropogenesis (the development of mankind) and ontogenesis (the development of a child). In both cases, thinking goes through three stages, increasingly increasing the degree of abstractness or abstraction.

This form of cognitive processes begins its path with visual-effective thinking. It is concrete in nature and is associated with objective activity. In fact, it is carried out only in the process of manipulating objects, and abstract reflections are impossible for him.
The second stage of development is figurative thinking, which is characterized by operations with sensory images. It can already be abstract and is the basis of the process of creating new images, that is, imagination. At this stage, both generalization and systematization appear, but still figurative thinking is limited to direct, concrete experience.
The possibility of overcoming the framework of concreteness appears only at the stage of abstract thinking. It is this type of mental activity that makes it possible to achieve a high level of generalization and operate not with images, but with abstract signs - concepts. Therefore, abstract thinking is also called conceptual.

Figurative thinking wears, that is, it resembles circles diverging in different directions from a stone thrown into the lake - the central image. It is quite chaotic, the images intertwine, interact, evoke. In contrast, abstract thinking is linear, thoughts in it line up in a certain sequence, subject to strict laws. The laws of abstract thinking were discovered in the era of Antiquity and combined into a special field of knowledge called logic. Therefore, abstract thinking is also called logical.

Abstract Thinking Tools

If figurative thinking operates with images, then abstract thinking operates with concepts. Words are his main tool, and this type of thinking exists in speech form. It is the speech formulations of thoughts that allow you to build them logically and sequentially.

Words organize and facilitate thinking. If something is not clear to you, try to talk about this problem, or even better, explain it to someone. And believe me, in the process of this explanation, you yourself will understand even a very difficult issue. And if there are no people willing to listen to your reasoning, then explain to your reflection in the mirror. This is even better and more efficient, since the reflection does not interrupt, and you can also feel free to express yourself in expressions.

The clarity and clarity of speech directly affects mental activity and vice versa - a well-formulated statement requires its comprehension and internal study. Therefore, abstract thinking is sometimes called inner speech, which, although it also uses words, is still different from ordinary, sound:

it consists not only of words, but also includes images and emotions;
inner speech is more chaotic and broken, especially if a person does not try to specially organize his thinking;
it has a convoluted character, when some of the words are skipped and attention is focused on key, significant concepts.

Inner speech resembles the statements of a small child 2-3 years old. Children at this age also designate only key concepts, everything else in their head is occupied by images that they have not yet learned to call words. For example, only a baby who has just woken up exclaims joyfully: "Bye-bye - a woman!" Translated into "adult" language, this means: "It's great that while I was sleeping, my grandmother came to us."

Fragmentation and conciseness of inner speech is one of the obstacles to the clarity of abstract-logical thinking. Therefore, it is necessary to train not only external, but also internal speech, achieving the most accurate mental formulations in the process of solving complex problems. Such an ordered inner speech is also called inner pronunciation.

The use of words in thinking is a manifestation of the sign function of consciousness - what distinguishes it from the primitive thinking of animals. Each word is a sign, that is, an abstraction associated with a real object or phenomenon by meaning. Marshak has a poem "Cat's House", and there is such a phrase: "This is a chair - they sit on it, this is a table - they eat at it." This is a very good illustration of meanings - the connection of a word with an object. This connection exists only in a person’s head; in reality, the combination of sounds “table” has nothing to do with a real object. In another language, a completely different combination of sounds is endowed with such a meaning.

The establishment of such connections, and even more so the operation in the mind not with specific images, but with abstract signs, words, numbers, formulas, is a very complex mental process. Therefore, people gradually master it up to adolescence, and even then not all and not fully.

Logic is the science of conceptual thinking

Logic, as the science of thinking, was born more than 2 thousand years ago in Ancient Greece. At the same time, the main types of logical thinking were described and the laws of logic were formulated, which remain unshakable to this day.

Two kinds of thinking: deduction and induction

The elementary unit of abstract-logical thinking is a concept. Several concepts combined into a coherent thought is a judgment. They are affirmative and negative. For example:

“In autumn, leaves fall from the trees” - affirmative.
“In winter, there are no leaves on the trees” - negative.

Judgments are either true or false. Thus, the proposition “In winter, young leaves grow on trees” is false.

From two or more judgments, one can draw a conclusion or conclusion, and this whole construction is called a syllogism. For example:

1st premise (judgment): "In autumn, leaves fall from the trees."
2nd premise (judgment): "Now the leaves have begun to fly around the trees."
Conclusion (syllogism): "Autumn has come."

Depending on the method on the basis of which the conclusion is made, there are two types of thinking: deductive and inductive.

Method of induction. From several particular judgments, a general conclusion is drawn. For example: “schoolboy Vasya does not study in the summer”, “schoolchild Petya does not study in the summer”, “schoolgirls Masha and Olya also do not study in the summer”. Consequently, "schoolchildren do not study in the summer." Induction is not a very reliable method, since an absolutely correct conclusion can be drawn only if all special cases are taken into account, and this is difficult, and sometimes impossible.

deduction method. In this case, reasoning is built on the basis of general premises and information given in the judgments. That is, the ideal option: one general judgment, one particular judgment, and the conclusion is also a particular judgment. Example:

“All schoolchildren have holidays in the summer.”
"Vasya is a schoolboy."
"Vasya has a vacation in the summer."

This is how the most elementary conclusions in logical thinking look like. True, in order to draw correct conclusions, certain conditions or laws must be observed.

Laws of logic

There are four basic laws, and three of them were formulated by Aristotle:

The law of identity. According to him, any thought expressed within the framework of logical reasoning must be identical to itself, that is, remain unchanged throughout the entire reasoning or dispute.
The law of contradiction. If two statements (judgments) contradict each other, then one of them is necessarily false.
Law of the excluded middle. Any statement can be either false or true, something else is impossible.

In the 17th century, the philosopher Leibniz supplemented these three with a fourth law of "sufficient reason." The proof of the truth of any idea or judgment is possible only on the basis of the use of reliable arguments.

It is believed that it is enough to follow these laws, to be able to correctly form judgments and draw conclusions, and any most difficult task can be solved. But now it has been proven that logical thinking is limited and often faltering, especially when a serious problem arises that does not have one single correct solution. Abstract-logical thinking is too straightforward and inflexible.

The limitations of logic were proved already in the era of Antiquity with the help of the so-called paradoxes - logical problems that have no solution. And the simplest of them is the "liar's paradox", which refutes the inviolability of the third law of logic. In the IV century BC. e. the ancient Greek philosopher Eubulides shocked the supporters of logic with one phrase: "I lie." Is this a true or false proposition? It cannot be true, since the author himself claims that he is lying. But if the phrase "I'm lying" is false, then in this way the proposition becomes true. And logic cannot overcome this vicious circle.

But abstract-logical thinking, despite its limitations and inflexibility, is best controlled and itself very well "organizes the brain", makes us adhere to strict rules in the thought process. In addition, the abstract form of thinking continues to be the highest form of cognitive activity. Therefore, the development of abstract thinking is relevant not only in childhood, but also in adults.

Exercises for the development of abstract thinking

Think about what shapes can be made from these details.

The development of this type of thinking is closely related to speech activity, including the richness of vocabulary, the correct construction of sentences and the ability to analyze information.

Exercise "Prove the contrary"

This exercise is best done in writing. In addition to convenience, written speech has another important advantage over oral speech - it is more strictly organized, streamlined and linear. Here is the task itself.

Choose one of the relatively simple, and most importantly, consistent statements. For example: "A seaside vacation is very attractive."

Now find arguments that prove the opposite - the more rebuttals, the better. Write them down in a column, admire and find a rebuttal to each of these arguments. That is, again prove the truth of the first judgment.

Abbreviations exercise

This exercise is good to do in a company, it is not only useful for thinking, but it can also entertain you, for example, during a long journey, or brighten up the wait.

You need to take several arbitrary combinations of 3-4 letters. For example: UPC, UOSK, NALI, etc.

Next, imagine that these are not just combinations of letters, but abbreviations, and try to decipher them. Perhaps something humorous will turn out - it's not worse. contributes to the development of thinking. I can offer the following options: SKP - "Council of Creative Writers" or "Union of Krivorukov Producers". UOSK - "Management of individual social conflicts", etc.

If you are doing the task in a team, compete on who has the most original name and what such an organization can do.

Exercise "Working with concepts"

Exercises with concepts, more precisely with abstract categories, which have no analogues in the material world, develop abstract thinking well and establish a connection between thought processes of different levels. As a rule, such categories reflect the qualities, properties of objects, their interdependence or contradictions. There are many such categories, but for the exercise you can take even the simplest ones, such as “beauty”, “fame”, “hatred”.

Having chosen one of the concepts, try to explain as simply as possible (in your own words) what it is. Just avoid explaining through examples (“this is when ...), they even scold you for this at school.
Pick up synonyms for this concept and try to determine if there are any differences, nuances between the main word and the synonym.
Come up with a symbol of this concept, it can be both abstract and concrete, expressed in words or in a graphic image.

After you have worked with simple concepts, you can move on to complex ones. For example, such: “congruence”, “victimity”, “resistance”, etc. If you do not know what it is, then it is permissible to look at the definitions of these words, but you will still explain them in your own words.

The benefit of developing abstract thinking is not only in learning to solve logical problems. Without it, success in the exact sciences is impossible, it is difficult to understand many economic and social laws. In addition, and not least, this thinking will make speech more correct and clear, teach you to prove your point of view on the basis of strict laws of logic, and not because “I think so”.

) - mental distraction, isolation from certain aspects, properties or relationships of objects or phenomena to highlight essential features.

The word "Abstraction" is used in two senses:

Abstraction process, same as abstraction»
Abstraction - « abstract concept», « abstract”, the result of abstraction.

An abstract concept is a mental construction that is a concept or an idea that can personify certain objects or phenomena of the real world, but at the same time abstracted from their specific incarnations. Abstract constructions may not have direct analogues in the physical world, which is typical, for example, for mathematics (in general, probably the most abstract science).

The need for abstraction is determined by the situation when the differences between the nature of the intellectual problem and the being of the object in its concreteness become apparent. In such a situation, a person uses, for example, the possibility of perceiving and describing a mountain as a geometric shape, and a moving person as a certain set of mechanical levers.

Some types of abstraction, by types of non-essential:

general abstraction- gives a generalized picture of the phenomenon, abstracted from particular deviations. As a result of such abstraction, a common property of the objects or phenomena under study is singled out. This type of abstraction is considered the main one in mathematics and mathematical logic.
idealization- replacement of a real empirical phenomenon with an idealized scheme, abstracted from real shortcomings. As a result, the concepts of idealized (ideal) objects are formed (“ideal gas”, “absolutely black body”, “straight”, “spherical horse in a vacuum” (from a joke about idealization), etc.)
isolating abstraction- isolation of the phenomenon under study from a certain integrity, distraction from options that are not of interest.
abstraction of actual infinity- a distraction from the fundamental impossibility to fix each element of an infinite set, that is, infinite sets are considered as finite.
constructivization- distraction from the uncertainty of the boundaries of real objects, their "roughening".

By goals:

formal abstraction- isolation of properties important for theoretical analysis;
meaningful abstraction- isolation of properties of practical importance.

The concept of "abstract" is opposed to the concrete (concrete thinking - abstract thinking).

See the epistemological law "Ascent from the abstract to the concrete".

Abstract thinking implies operating with abstractions (“man in general”, “number three”, “tree”, etc.), which can be considered a more developed level of mental activity compared to concrete thinking, which always deals with specific objects and processes ( "brother Vasya", "three bananas", "oak in the yard", etc.). The ability for abstract thinking is one of the distinguishing features of a person, which, apparently, was formed simultaneously with language skills and largely thanks to language (for example, one could not even mentally operate with the number “three in general” without having a specific language sign for it - “three”, because in the world around us such an abstract, unattached concept simply does not exist: it is always “three people”, “three trees”, “three bananas”, etc.).

In software engineering, abstraction refers to an algorithm and method of simplifying and separating details to focus on some concepts at the same time.

Portal for the student. Self-training

What is abstract logical thinking. Abstract logical thinking

What is Abstract Thinking?

Abstract logical thinking

Forms of abstract thinking

Examples of Abstract Thinking

Development of abstract thinking