Objective vs. Abstract — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 5, 2024
Objective describes something not influenced by personal feelings or opinions, focusing on factual accuracy, while abstract pertains to ideas or concepts not based on physical realities, often complex and theoretical.
Difference Between Objective and Abstract
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Objective information or analysis is based on observable phenomena and is verifiable through evidence and facts. It strives for impartiality, aiming to represent truth as accurately as possible, free from personal bias or subjective interpretation. In contrast, abstract thinking involves concepts and ideas that are often intangible and not directly tied to physical objects or specific instances, focusing on the underlying essence or themes rather than concrete details.
In the realm of art, an objective representation aims to realistically depict subjects as they appear in real life, emphasizing detail and accuracy. Abstract art, however, seeks to break away from traditional representation, using shapes, colors, and forms to convey emotions and concepts without necessarily depicting real-world objects accurately or recognizably.
In academic and scientific research, objectivity is crucial for maintaining the integrity and reliability of findings. Researchers are expected to present their observations and results without personal bias, allowing the data to speak for itself. Abstract concepts, while often integral to theoretical frameworks and hypotheses, require a level of interpretation and conceptual thinking that goes beyond the tangible and observable.
The language used in objective writing is clear, precise, and straightforward, designed to communicate information unambiguously. Abstract language, however, can be open to interpretation, using metaphors, analogies, and a broader vocabulary to explore ideas and concepts that may not have direct physical counterparts.
Objective knowledge is often seen as universal, holding true regardless of individual perspectives or experiences. Abstract ideas, on the other hand, can vary greatly in interpretation and significance from one person to another, reflecting the diversity of thought and experience.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Basis
Facts and evidence.
Ideas and concepts.
Focus
Observable phenomena.
Underlying essence or themes.
Art Representation
Realistic and detailed.
Emotion and concept over physical accuracy.
Research Importance
Integrity and reliability of findings.
Theoretical frameworks and interpretation.
Language
Clear and precise.
Open to interpretation.
Universality
Generally considered universal.
Subject to individual interpretation.
Compare with Definitions
Objective
Based on observable phenomena and verified by evidence.
Scientists aim to provide objective analyses in their research.
Abstract
Concerned with ideas and concepts rather than physical realities.
The philosopher’s work delves into abstract concepts of justice and morality.
Objective
Aimed at achieving factual accuracy and impartiality.
Objective journalism is vital for informed citizenship.
Abstract
Art that uses forms and colors to express emotional or conceptual content.
Her abstract paintings evoke a sense of calm and introspection.
Objective
Realistic representation in art or literature.
The documentary offered an objective look at urban life.
Abstract
Theoretical and not related to concrete objects or events.
Abstract mathematics explores concepts beyond physical quantities.
Objective
Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices.
The judge was commended for his objective decision-making.
Abstract
Ideas that are complex and not easily grasped through direct observation.
The concept of infinity is an abstract idea challenging to visualize.
Objective
Clear, unambiguous language intended to convey information.
The instructions were written in an objective and concise manner.
Abstract
Language that is symbolic and open to interpretation.
The poem used abstract language to convey the complexity of love.
Objective
Existing independent of or external to the mind; actual or real
Objective reality.
Abstract
Considered apart from concrete existence
An abstract concept.
Objective
Based on observable phenomena; empirical
Objective facts.
Abstract
Not applied or practical; theoretical.
Objective
Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices
An objective critic.
Abstract
Difficult to understand; abstruse
Abstract philosophical problems.
Objective
A thing or group of things existing independent of the mind.
Abstract
Denoting something that is immaterial, conceptual, or nonspecific, as an idea or quality
Abstract words like truth and justice.
Objective
The objective case.
Abstract
Impersonal, as in attitude or views.
Objective
A noun or pronoun in the objective case.
Abstract
Having an intellectual and affective artistic content that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than on narrative content or pictorial representation
Abstract painting and sculpture.
Objective
The primary optical element, such as a lens or mirror, in a microscope, camera, telescope, or other optical instrument, that first receives light rays from the object and forms the image. Also called object glass, objective lens, object lens.
Abstract
A statement summarizing the important points of a text.
Objective
Of or relating to a material object, actual existence or reality.
Abstract
Something abstract.
Objective
Not influenced by the emotions or prejudices.
Abstract
An abstract of title.
Objective
Based on observed facts; without subjective assessment.
Abstract
To take away; remove
Abstract the most important data from a set of records.
Objective
(grammar) Of, or relating to a noun or pronoun used as the object of a verb.
Abstract
To remove without permission; steal
A painting that was abstracted from the museum.
Objective
Of, or relating to verbal conjugation that indicates the object (patient) of an action. In linguistic descriptions of Tundra Nenets, among others.
Abstract
To consider (an idea, for example) as separate from particular examples or objects
Abstract a principle of arrangement from a series of items.
Objective
A material object that physically exists.
Abstract
(ăbstrăkt′) To write a summary of; summarize
Abstract a long article in a paragraph.
Objective
A goal that is striven for.
Abstract
To create artistic abstractions of (something else, such as a concrete object or another style)
"The Bauhaus Functionalists were ... busy unornamenting and abstracting modern architecture, painting and design" (John Barth).
Objective
(grammar) The objective case.
Abstract
An abridgement or summary of a longer publication.
Objective
(grammar) a noun or pronoun in the objective case.
Abstract
Something that concentrates in itself the qualities of a larger item, or multiple items.
Objective
The lens or lenses of a camera, microscope, or other optical device closest to the object being examined.
Abstract
Concentrated essence of a product.
Objective
Of or pertaining to an object.
Abstract
(medicine) A powdered solid extract of a medicinal substance mixed with lactose.
Objective
Of or pertaining to an object; contained in, or having the nature or position of, an object; outward; external; extrinsic; - an epithet applied to whatever is exterior to the mind, or which is simply an object of thought or feeling, as opposed to being related to thoughts of feelings, and opposed to subjective.
In the Middle Ages, subject meant substance, and has this sense in Descartes and Spinoza: sometimes, also, in Reid. Subjective is used by William of Occam to denote that which exists independent of mind; objective, what is formed by the mind. This shows what is meant by realitas objectiva in Descartes. Kant and Fichte have inverted the meanings. Subject, with them, is the mind which knows; object, that which is known; subjective, the varying conditions of the knowing mind; objective, that which is in the constant nature of the thing known.
Objective has come to mean that which has independent existence or authority, apart from our experience or thought. Thus, moral law is said to have objective authority, that is, authority belonging to itself, and not drawn from anything in our nature.
Abstract
An abstraction; an abstract term; that which is abstract.
Objective
Unbiased; unprejudiced; fair; uninfluenced by personal feelings or personal interests; considering only the facts of a situation unrelated to the observer; - of judgments, opinions, evaluations, conclusions, reasoning processes.
Objective means that which belongs to, or proceeds from, the object known, and not from the subject knowing, and thus denotes what is real, in opposition to that which is ideal - what exists in nature, in contrast to what exists merely in the thought of the individual.
Abstract
The theoretical way of looking at things; something that exists only in idealized form.
Objective
The objective case.
Abstract
(arts) An abstract work of art.
Objective
The goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable);
The sole object of her trip was to see her children
Abstract
(real estate) A summary title of the key points detailing a tract of land, for ownership; abstract of title.
Objective
The lens or system of lenses nearest the object being viewed
Abstract
(obsolete) Derived; extracted.
Objective
Undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena;
An objective appraisal
Objective evidence
Abstract
Drawn away; removed from; apart from; separate.
Objective
Serving as or indicating the object of a verb or of certain prepositions and used for certain other purposes;
Objective case
Accusative endings
Abstract
Not concrete: conceptual, ideal.
Her new film is an abstract piece, combining elements of magic realism, flashbacks, and animation but with very little in terms of plot construction.
Objective
Emphasizing or expressing things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings or interpretation;
Objective art
Abstract
Insufficiently factual.
Objective
Belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events;
Concrete benefits
A concrete example
There is no objective evidence of anything of the kind
Abstract
Apart from practice or reality; vague; theoretical; impersonal; not applied.
Abstract
(grammar) As a noun, denoting a concept or intangible as opposed to an object, place, or person.
Abstract
Difficult to understand; abstruse; hard to conceptualize.
The politician gave a somewhat abstract answer when asked about their plans to cut spending.
Abstract
Separately expressing a property or attribute of an object that is considered to be inherent to that object: attributive, ascriptive.
Abstract
Pertaining comprehensively to, or representing, a class or group of objects, as opposed to any specific object; considered apart from any application to a particular object: general, generic, nonspecific; representational.
Abstract
(archaic) Absent-minded.
Abstract
(arts) Pertaining to the formal aspect of art, such as the lines, colors, shapes, and the relationships among them.
Abstract
Free from representational qualities, in particular the non-representational styles of the 20th century.
Abstract
(music) Absolute.
Abstract
(dance) Lacking a story.
Abstract
Being a partial basis for subclasses rather than a complete template for objects.
Abstract
(transitive) To separate; to disengage.
Abstract
(transitive) To remove; to take away; withdraw.
Abstract
To steal; to take away; to remove without permission.
Abstract
(transitive) To summarize; to abridge; to epitomize.
Abstract
To conceptualize an ideal subgroup by means of the generalization of an attribute, as follows: by apprehending an attribute inherent to one individual, then separating that attribute and contemplating it by itself, then conceiving of that attribute as a general quality, then despecifying that conceived quality with respect to several or many individuals, and by then ideating a group composed of those individuals perceived to possess said quality.
Abstract
To extract by means of distillation.
Abstract
(transitive) To consider abstractly; to contemplate separately or by itself; to consider theoretically; to look at as a general quality.
Abstract
To withdraw oneself; to retire.
Abstract
(transitive) To draw off (interest or attention).
He was wholly abstracted by other objects.
Abstract
To perform the process of abstraction.
Abstract
To create abstractions.
Abstract
To produce an abstraction, usually by refactoring existing code. Generally used with "out".
He abstracted out the square root function.
Abstract
Withdraw; separate.
The more abstract . . . we are from the body.
Abstract
Considered apart from any application to a particular object; separated from matter; existing in the mind only; as, abstract truth, abstract numbers. Hence: ideal; abstruse; difficult.
Abstract
Expressing a particular property of an object viewed apart from the other properties which constitute it; - opposed to concrete; as, honesty is an abstract word.
A concrete name is a name which stands for a thing; an abstract name which stands for an attribute of a thing. A practice has grown up in more modern times, which, if not introduced by Locke, has gained currency from his example, of applying the expression "abstract name" to all names which are the result of abstraction and generalization, and consequently to all general names, instead of confining it to the names of attributes.
Abstract
Abstracted; absent in mind.
Abstract
To withdraw; to separate; to take away.
He was incapable of forming any opinion or resolution abstracted from his own prejudices.
Abstract
To draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his was wholly abstracted by other objects.
The young stranger had been abstracted and silent.
Abstract
To separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a quality or attribute.
Abstract
To epitomize; to abridge.
Abstract
To take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till.
Von Rosen had quietly abstracted the bearing-reins from the harness.
Abstract
To separate, as the more volatile or soluble parts of a substance, by distillation or other chemical processes. In this sense extract is now more generally used.
Abstract
To perform the process of abstraction.
I own myself able to abstract in one sense.
Abstract
That which comprises or concentrates in itself the essential qualities of a larger thing or of several things. Specifically: A summary or an epitome, as of a treatise or book, or of a statement; a brief.
An abstract of every treatise he had read.
Man, the abstractOf all perfection, which the workmanshipOf Heaven hath modeled.
Abstract
A state of separation from other things; as, to consider a subject in the abstract, or apart from other associated things.
Abstract
An abstract term.
The concretes "father" and "son" have, or might have, the abstracts "paternity" and "filiety."
Abstract
A powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance mixed with sugar of milk in such proportion that one part of the abstract represents two parts of the original substance.
Abstract
A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance;
He loved her only in the abstract--not in person
Abstract
A sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory
Abstract
Consider a concept without thinking of a specific example; consider abstractly or theoretically
Abstract
Make off with belongings of others
Abstract
Consider apart from a particular case or instance;
Let's abstract away from this particular example
Abstract
Give an abstract (of)
Abstract
Existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment;
Abstract words like `truth' and `justice'
Abstract
Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature;
A large abstract painting
Abstract
Based on specialized theory;
A theoretical analysis
Abstract
Dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical purpose or intention;
Abstract reasoning
Abstract science
Common Curiosities
How do objective and abstract views differ in science?
Objective views in science focus on empirical evidence and verifiable data, while abstract views pertain to theoretical frameworks and interpretations not directly observable.
Why is objectivity important in journalism?
Objectivity in journalism ensures that information is presented fairly and accurately, allowing readers to form their own opinions based on facts rather than biased reporting.
Can art be both objective and abstract?
Art can incorporate both objective and abstract elements, such as realistically depicting a subject with abstract themes or emotions underlying the representation.
Can a person's views be both objective and abstract?
A person’s views can be objective when discussing facts and abstract when exploring theoretical or conceptual ideas, reflecting a balance between concrete evidence and conceptual thinking.
What makes a statement objective?
A statement is objective when it is based on facts and evidence, free from personal feelings or biases.
Can abstract concepts be objective?
Abstract concepts can be discussed objectively when their analysis is rooted in logic and universally accepted definitions, though the concepts themselves are not objective.
How do objective and abstract approaches impact decision-making?
Objective approaches lead to decisions based on factual data and logical analysis, while abstract approaches allow for creativity and innovation by considering broader concepts and possibilities.
Is it possible to objectively analyze abstract art?
Yes, abstract art can be analyzed objectively in terms of technique, color theory, and historical context, even though its interpretation is subjective.
What role do objective and abstract thinking play in education?
Both play vital roles: objective thinking fosters critical analysis and evidence-based understanding, while abstract thinking encourages conceptual understanding and innovative problem-solving.
Can feelings or emotions be objective?
Feelings and emotions are inherently subjective, though one can objectively acknowledge their presence and impact.
How does language reflect objective vs. abstract ideas?
Objective language is direct and factual, minimizing ambiguity, while abstract language employs metaphorical and nuanced expressions to convey broader concepts.
Why is abstract thinking important?
Abstract thinking is important for innovation, problem-solving, and understanding complex ideas that go beyond immediate physical experiences.
How do people perceive objective vs. abstract information differently?
People may find objective information easier to agree upon due to its factual basis, while abstract information can lead to varied interpretations and personal insights.
What challenges arise when trying to communicate abstract ideas objectively?
Communicating abstract ideas objectively can be challenging due to their complexity and the potential for varied interpretations, requiring clear definitions and examples to bridge understanding.
How do objective facts influence abstract concepts?
Objective facts can provide a foundation for exploring abstract concepts, grounding theoretical discussions in observable reality.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Trident vs. Fork
Next Comparison
Soil vs. EarthAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
