Abstract Phenomena in Our Lives, Part I

By Robert Ringer

There has been a great deal of publicity lately about autism and autism-related disorders. Many researchers are convinced that early intervention can dramatically reduce autism’s crippling effects. The autism “umbrella” includes such conditions as Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning autism (a condition that many experts believe Bill Gates has), and Rett Syndrome.

Given the increase in the incidence of autism-spectrum disorders in recent years, it’s a good idea for all parents to have at least a cursory understanding of the symptoms. Often, it is not apparent that something is wrong until a child is in his teens.

Autism-spectrum disorders are a result of damage to certain cells in the right hemisphere of the brain. Among other things, such damage can cause difficulties in the processing of abstract thoughts and ideas. Which, in turn, can make life very frustrating for the afflicted individual.

Abstractions play such a major role in day-to-day life that this got me thinking about just how important they are for all of us when it comes to functioning in our modern world. Abstractions demonstrate the power of the mind. An abstract is theoretical in nature – i.e., it is not a tangible reality. It has no form or substance. Examples of abstractions include such concepts as time, infinity, negative numbers, zero, gravity, motivation, ideas, resourcefulness, determination, momentum, love, justice, fairness, dreams, intuition, common sense, conceptualization, and axioms.

Among the most interesting abstractions are axioms, because even though we rely heavily on them, an axiom cannot be proven. That’s right – an axiom is an unprovable, though self-evident, truth.

Negative numbers are also fascinating. A negative number is nothing more than a theoretical supposition – a presumption that it exists, but not in concrete form. (How can you have minus six oranges?)

One of the most difficult abstract notions to grasp is infinity. The way we throw the word around, you’d think we have a clear understanding of what it is. But can we really comprehend what infinity means? We know that space, time, and numbering are infinite … yet, at the same time, they are incomprehensible.

Entire phrases can also be abstract – “in the best interest of society,” “social consciousness,” and “the will of the people.” What in the world do these things mean? They are concepts that can only be defined subjectively, yet politicians and crusaders use them as though they were absolutes.

Finally, if you stop to think about it, life itself is abstract. This was driven home by the ancient Chinese philosopher Chuang-tzu when he described the following experience:

Once upon a time, I … dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of following my fancies as a butterfly, and was unconscious of my individuality as a man. Suddenly I awoke, and there I lay, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming that I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming that I am a man.

Or, as Woody Allen put it, “What if nothing exists and we’re all in somebody’s dream?”

What I’m driving at here is that we live in an abstract world, a world filled with abstract thought, existence, and causality. A world where time, being, and substance are not provable. Yet, through firsthand experience, we can be pretty certain that all of the phenomena mentioned in this article exist.

Which brings me to the phenomenon of the power that flows from thought. If, through our thoughts, we possess the power to influence the course of our lives, there are two questions that should be of utmost importance to us: (1) How much potential power do we have for altering events through our thoughts? and (2) How can we best tap into this reservoir of power?

In Part II of this article, in an effort to answer these two questions, I’m going to discuss the power of the mind, an abstraction that most people believe in, but few seem to utilize to any meaningful extent.

Abstract Phenomena in Our Lives, Part II