Distinctiveness In Defining What Something Is

2023-8-20

#absurd-abstractions

If we want to comprehend "something" especially in a very specific context with multiple related concepts often we can extract its essence by contrasting that "something" with everything else in its context or domain, carefully tracing along the edges. We essentially define everything the concept is not (like negative space) until the complimentary space falls into place on its own. So a good way to make something memorable or easy to remember is often not about describing it in great detail but instead to clearly define the boundaries to other things. I think this is also the key principle to making mind maps. Which I love by the way. This should not come as a surprise to nobody! In mind maps we group things based on a more abstract or broader scope into topic families, however with every branch we actively put the emphasis on their separation, and therefore Distinction.

This is a concept I come to appreciate even more after dealing a lot with Abstraction and Language. When viewing objects inside of a level of abstraction common features blur into one general definition, so here distinguishing features become even more valuable as they become the most expressive feature of something.

Take Away

Next time you familiarize yourself with a new domain. Try to accept most concepts as related or even overlapping. Try to focus simply on where they differ. Like this relationships form organically and levels of abstraction form intuitively.