Thinking About Scientific Abstraction Through Maps

Mustafa Efe Ateş

Article Details

Thinking About Scientific Abstraction Through Maps

Authors:

Mustafa Efe Ateş

Publisher:

Mersin University

Main Topics:

Bilim Felsefesi

Journal:

Kilikya Felsefe Dergisi Issue 2, pp.121-135

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001330322

pISSN:

2148-9327

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Abstraction in science is a process that allows scientists to omit some features of their specific target, which they aim to represent. All representations, by definition, consist of abstractions. This is because there are many factors that exist in the target systems which are appropriate to omit. The idea that abstraction is indispensable for scientific research is an indisputable truth. However, we do not have such a truth when it comes to the nature of abstraction. In this article, first, I will review some of the standard interpretations of abstraction in philosophical literature. Then, I will analyze a more refined approach to abstraction with respect to these standard interpretations. Lastly, using the example of cartographic maps, I will present reasons why this refined approach is also problematic in a theoretical manner.

 Abstraction in science is a process that allows scientists to omit some features of their specific target, which they aim to represent. All representations, by definition, consist of abstractions. This is because there are many factors that exist in the target systems which are appropriate to omit. The idea that abstraction is indispensable for scientific research is an indisputable truth. However, we do not have such a truth when it comes to the nature of abstraction. In this article, first, I will review some of the standard interpretations of abstraction in philosophical literature. Then, I will analyze a more refined approach to abstraction with respect to these standard interpretations. Lastly, using the example of cartographic maps, I will present reasons why this refined approach is also problematic in a theoretical manner.

 Abstraction in science is a process that allows scientists to omit some features of their specific target, which they aim to represent. All representations, by definition, consist of abstractions. This is because there are many factors that exist in the target systems which are appropriate to omit. The idea that abstraction is indispensable for scientific research is an indisputable truth. However, we do not have such a truth when it comes to the nature of abstraction. In this article, first, I will review some of the standard interpretations of abstraction in philosophical literature. Then, I will analyze a more refined approach to abstraction with respect to these standard interpretations. Lastly, using the example of cartographic maps, I will present reasons why this refined approach is also problematic in a theoretical manner.

 Bilimsel soyutlama temsil edilecek belirli bir hedefin sahip olduğu bazı özelliklerin ihmal edilmesi işlemidir. Her temsil tanım gereği soyutlama içermektedir. Nitekim temsili yapılacak ya da modellenecek hedef sistemde ihmal edilmesi uygun görülen birçok faktör bulunmaktadır. Soyutlamanın bilimsel araştırma için vazgeçilmez bir unsur olduğu fikri tartışma götürmeyecek düzeyde bir hakikat olarak görülmektedir. Ne var ki temsile ilişkin bu işlemin doğası hususunda böylesi tartışmasız bir hakikate sahip değiliz. Bu makalede, ilk olarak, soyutlamaya ait felsefi literatürde yer alan kimi standart görüşleri ele alıyorum. Daha sonra standart görüşlere göre soyutlamanın çok daha rafine versiyonu detaylı olarak analiz edip bu görüşün, bilimde görsel temsillerden biri olan kartografik haritalar için yeterli bir kuramsal zemin sağlamadığını ileri sürüyorum.

Article Details

Thinking About Scientific Abstraction Through Maps

Authors:

Mustafa Efe Ateş

Publisher:

Mersin University

Main Topics:

Bilim Felsefesi

Journal:

Kilikya Felsefe Dergisi Issue 2, pp.121-135

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001330322

pISSN:

2148-9327

Abstraction

abstractness

representation

model

cartographic mapsSoyutlama

soyutluk

temsil

model

kartografik haritalar

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mustafa Efe Ateş

Publisher: Mersin University

Main Topics: Bilim Felsefesi

Journal: Kilikya Felsefe Dergisi Issue 2, pp.121-135

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 10/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001330322

pISSN: 2148-9327

Issues

Authors:

Mustafa Efe Ateş

Publisher:

Mersin University

Main Topics:

Bilim Felsefesi

Journal:

Kilikya Felsefe Dergisi Issue 2, pp.121-135

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

10/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001330322

pISSN:

2148-9327