Abstraction, derived from the Latin "abstrahere" (to draw away), is an important aspect of human mental activity. This process makes it possible to isolate and transform various aspects, characteristics, elements, or states of objects into independent entities for the purpose of deeper analysis. The capacity for abstraction allows a person to focus on specific aspects, which is key in problem-solving and is related to the process of attention.
Abstraction plays an important role in the formation of generalizations and the creation of concepts. There are two main types of abstraction: formal and substantive.
Formal abstraction consists in isolating properties or aspects of objects that do not exist independently of the objects themselves and can exist only in the mental sphere. An example of formal abstraction is isolating the geometric shape of an object, which does not exist apart from the object itself. Formal abstraction makes it possible to identify common features of many objects and use them for subsequent comparison and classification.
Substantive abstraction isolates those aspects of objects that possess relative independence and can be considered separate entities. This type of abstraction reflects the process of isolating individual characteristics of objects as independent entities.
Abstraction helps a person simplify the analysis and understanding of complex objects and processes, and also contributes to the formation of concepts and models for a deeper understanding of the surrounding world.
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