Layers of abstraction
This is also another form of the idea that Definitions are clouds in concept-space, as a definition allows us to go up a layer of abstraction, and then create new definitions using other definitions. Layers of abstraction exist as layers of Concept-space.
↑ 4 References
“can intuitively visualize that a hand is made of fingers (and thumb and palm). To ask whether it’s really our hand that picks something up, or merely our fingers, thumb, and palm, is transparently a wrong question. But the gap between physics and cognition cannot be crossed by direct visualization. No one can visualize atoms making up a person, the way they can see fingers making up a hand. And so it requires constant vigilance to maintain your perception of yourself as an entity within physics.” (Eliezer Yudkowsky, Rationality)
^6d72d6
“can intuitively visualize that a hand is made of fingers (and thumb and palm). To ask whether it’s really our hand that picks something up, or merely our fingers, thumb, and palm, is transparently a wrong question. But the gap between physics and cognition cannot be crossed by direct visualization. No one can visualize atoms making up a person, the way they can see fingers making up a hand. And so it requires constant vigilance to maintain your perception of yourself as an entity within physics.” (Eliezer Yudkowsky, Rationality)
^6d72d6