--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We lay down a fundamental principle of…" description: "\"We lay down a fundamental principle of generalization by abstraction: The existence of analogies between central features of various theories implies t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/e-h-moore-234275_abstraction_we-lay-down-a-fundamental-principle-of-g_768277.jpg" --- # We lay down a fundamental principle of generalization by… ![“We lay down a fundamental principle of generalization by abstraction: The existence of analogies between central features of various theories implies the existence of a general theory which underlies the particular theories and unifies them with respect to those central features.” quote by E. H. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/e-h-moore-234275_abstraction_we-lay-down-a-fundamental-principle-of-g_768277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/e-h-moore-234275_abstraction_we-lay-down-a-fundamental-principle-of-g_768277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/e-h-moore-234275_abstraction_we-lay-down-a-fundamental-principle-of-g_768277.jpg) > “We lay down a fundamental principle of generalization by abstraction: The existence of analogies between central features of various theories implies the existence of a general theory which underlies the particular theories and unifies them with respect to those central features.” [E. H. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-h-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Analogies among central features of theories suggest a unifying general theory that underlies specific theories. **In simple terms:** Common features imply a deeper, unifying theory. Key Takeaway Seek underlying principles across fields. Themes theory analogy unification abstraction science Mood analytical inquisitive Type academic theoretical When to use this quote - research - education - interdisciplinary work Key Concepts philosophy of science epistemology systematic thinking Questions to Reflect On - What central features link diverse theories? - When does abstraction hinder detail? A Different Perspective Analogy may oversimplify distinct domains. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstraction/) [Abstraction Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstraction-existence-5943673/) [Analogies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analogies/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Features](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/features/) [Fundamental principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-principles/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [General Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-theory-1836098/) [Generalization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalization/) [Generalization Abstraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalization-abstraction-5943671/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematical/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Principle Generalization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-generalization-5943672/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) ## Related quotes > [The world is too complex for subsumption under any general theory of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-is-too-complex-for-subsumption-under-any-general-theory-of/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“However we select from nature a complex (of phenomena) using the criterion of simplicity, in no case will its theoretical treatment turn out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/however-we-select-from-nature-a-complex-of-phenomena-using-the-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is the theory that all the living forms in the world have arisen from a single source which itself came from an inorganic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-a-kerkut/there-is-the-theory-that-all-the-living-forms-in-the-world-have/) [Gerald A. 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