Abstracta
as 'drawn away from'
Morphological Analysis
- Etymon: Latin abstrahō: 'draw away from'
- Morpheme breakdown: abs: 'away from' + tract: 'draw' + -a (plural suffix) → 'draws away from'
Essential Definition
Abstracta are conceptual entities drawn away from concrete particulars, serving as non-material tools for explanation, structure, and navigation of reality.
Semantic Context
- Conventional sense: an idea or way of thinking based on general ideas rather than on real things and events. (Note: Semantic drift from essential meaning)
- Essential meaning (my usage): drawn away from
Philosophical Significance
Abstracta do not exist in the world like physical objects, yet they are indispensable for explaining and navigating reality, functioning as a map to the terrain of existence. They reveal the conditions and relationships that make existence intelligible, acting as invariant constants within processes like the conference of difference.
Usage in This Lexicon
When I use the word abstracta in my work, I mean exactly 'drawn away from'. Abstracta:
- Enable Explanation and Understanding: Abstracta serve as conceptual tools that allow us to explain, predict, and map reality, making existence intelligible without being part of it.
- Provide Invariant Structure: They act as constant, unchanging relations (like numbers) that reveal deterministic truths and coherence within systems, independent of physical variation.
- Facilitate Navigation of Reality: Abstracta function as a 'map' to the 'terrain' of existence, helping us model, quantify, and interpret the world without themselves being material or existent.
Related Terms
Sources
This definition follows morphological essentialism principles. See [[Methodology]] for details.