Legal Definitions - abstraction

Definition: Abstraction is the mental process of thinking about something without referring to a specific example. It can also refer to a theoretical idea that is not applied to any particular instance. Abstraction can also mean summarizing and recording a legal instrument in public records. Lastly, it can refer to the act of taking something with the intent to injure or defraud.

• When we talk about the concept of "love," we are talking about an abstraction because we are not referring to any specific instance of love.
• The idea of a perfect society is an abstraction because it is a theoretical idea that has not been applied to any particular instance.
• After a court case, the judgment is recorded in public records through a process called abstraction.
• Stealing money with the intent to harm someone is an example of abstraction as an act of taking something with the intent to injure or defraud.

These examples illustrate how abstraction can refer to different things, from a mental process to a legal procedure to a criminal act.