THE ABSTRACT AND THE GENERAL. G7 



abstract biology and concrete biology. He says: 

 &quot;II faut distinguer, par rapport a tous les ordres de 

 phenomenes, deux genres de sciences naturelles: les 

 unes abstraites, generales, ont pour objet la decouvertc 

 des lois qui regissent les diverses classes de pheno 

 menes, en considerant tons les cas qu on pent con- 

 cevior j les autres concretes, particulieres, descriptives, 

 et qu on designe quelquefois sous le nom de sciences 

 naturelles proprement dites, consistent dans Papplica- 

 tioii de ces lois a 1 histoire effective de differens etres 

 cxistans.&quot; And to illustrate the distinction, he names 

 general physiology as abstract, and zoology and botany 

 as concrete. Here it is manifest that the words 

 abstract and general are used as synonymous. They 

 have, however, different meanings ; and confusion 

 results from not distinguishing their meanings. Ab- 

 stractness means detachment from the incidents of parti 

 cular cases. Generality means manifestation in numerous 

 cases. On the one hand, the essential nature of sonic 

 phenomenon is considered, apart from disguising phe 

 nomena. On the other hand, the frequency of the 

 phenomenon, with or without disguising phenomena, 

 is the thing considered. Among the ideal relations of 

 numbers the two coincide ; but excluding these, an 

 abstract truth is not realizable to perception in any 

 case in which it is asserted, whereas a general truth is 

 realizable to perception in every case of which it is 

 asserted. Some illustrations will make the distinction 

 clear. Thus it is an abstract truth that the angle contained 



