What is Abstraction anyway: Part One

1. An example from real life

Once, while I was running, it occurred to me that I might take a picture of a leaf against the sunlight. So I did — and this is what I got:

2. Maybe another one?

If you look carefully, you will notice that although we used a different leaf each time, we ended up with strikingly similar pictures — and we used the same method to create them.

3. What is this called?

When we use the same method to handle different objects and obtain similar results, that is almost what we call abstraction. But why?

4. When using this method, be careful about boundaries

The method above works well for thin leaves, but it won't work for a cactus.

5. Results

We extract the same method from different operations — this is what we call abstraction. The payoff: we can use it again and again.

If you think abstraction belongs only to mathematics and science, you are wrong. It comes from our normal life — any time, anywhere.

Think about it: can you find another example like this?