Abstractions

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In simple terms, "abstraction" is looking at similarities and ignoring differences. The Latin word "abstractus" ≈ "take away from".

Sometimes there appear to be no similarities, only differences.

Sometimes there appear to be no similarities between viewpoints.

Henry Kissinger (1923-2023) would try to get two parties to agree on something, often to agree that they disagreed. This is a self-referential paradox that was used to get the two sides talking.

Idea put into action: "A peace without victory is a victory for peace".

Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) [1816 Year without a summer]
Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919)

Henry Kissinger did his undergraduate thesis (as told by his roommate at a talk in the late 1970's) and made the following observations.

After the Congress of Vienna after the Napoleonic wars, things were put back in place and changes allowed to happen naturally. A hundred years of relative peace in Europe ensued.
After the Treaty of Versailles after World War I, the Allies exacted huge reparations from Wiemar Germany to pay for the war, which led to World War II. The Marshall Plan after the war, for Germany and Japan, was, in part, a return to the strategy of the Congress of Vienna.

One idea Henry Kissinger took from this was that, paraphrased is, "A peace without victory is a victory for peace".

He used this idea in the Middle East. This strategy would appear to works with kids too.

To abstract is to take away from the essentials and thereby to ignore certain differences.
The similarity is what is the same. The difference is what is different.

Human brains are built for complex abstraction.

The Latin word "abstractus" ≈ "take away from". In abstract art, something is taken away, something remains, one needs to then interpret what is meant or intended.

More: Abstraction

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. [kjv]

εκαστος δε πειραζεται υπο της ιδιας επιθυμιας εξελκομενος και δελεαζομενος [gnt]

… abstractus … [v]

The Latin word "abstractus" ≈ "take away from"and is from the Latin word "abstraho" ≈ "draw away" which is from two Latin words.

The Latin prefix "abs" ≈ "away" as in "absolute", "abstain", etc.
The Latin word "traho" ≈ "pull, draw".

James 1:14

All

KJV: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Greek: εκαστος δε πειραζεται υπο της ιδιας επιθυμιας εξελκομενος και δελεαζομενος

Latin: unusquisque vero temptatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus et inlectus

The modern Greek word is similar. The modern Greek word "εξελκομένος" (eh-ksehl-ko-MEH-nos) ≈ "drawn away".

The modern Greek word "εξ" (ehks) ≈ "out of, away from".
The modern Greek word "έλκω" (EHL-ko) ≈ "draw, pull".

The modern Greek word "αφηρημένος" (a-fee-ree-MEH-nos) ≈ "abstract".

Proverbs 7:25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. [kjv]

μη εκκλινατω εις τας οδους αυτης η καρδια σου [lxx]

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways: [bs3]

… abstrahatur … viis … [v]

Proverbs 7:25

All

KJV: Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

Hebrew: אל ישט אל דרכיה לבך אל תתע בנתיבותיה׃

Greek: μη εκκλινατω εις τας οδους αυτης η καρδια σου

Brenton: Let not your heart turn aside to her ways:

Latin: ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua neque decipiaris semitis eius