Ontological, methodological, and theory reductionism

2. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avoid_Shift_Improve_-
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SUPERINTELLIGENCE
Reductionism as a Thinking Strategy
Ontological, methodological, and theory reductionism
Lorenz Duremdes, Polymath
Apr 7 · 2 min read
am currently reading a book:
The 5 Elements of E ective Thinking
This brief, highly readable book challenges readers on several fronts,
and includes several good quotes: Picasso: I…
I

3. www.goodreads.com
And the first chapter made me think of how I can apply the 3 main types of
reductionism to improve my thinking:
Ontological reductionism: a belief that the whole of reality consists of a
minimal number of parts.
Methodological reductionism: the scientific attempt to provide
explanation in terms of ever smaller entities.
Theory reductionism: the suggestion that a newer theory does not replace
or absorb an older one, but reduces it to more basic terms. Theory
reduction itself is divisible into three parts: translation, derivation and
explanation.[3]
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductionism
Ontological Reductionism
hat I essentially can do with this one, is by what the book calls
“clear the cutter” i.e. removing unnecessary parts while still
achieving a particular goal.
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4. A simple example is that planes don’t have to flap their wings to fly, unlike
birds. So by removing the component “flapping” we are achieving the same
goal “flying” with a lower quantity of parts.
An important requirement for ontological reductionism seems to be having
a top-down approach i.e. a goal, which, one its own, already “clears the
cutter”.
Methodological Reductionism
his one is best explained by a quote I read in that book:
“If you can’t solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find
it.” — George Pólya
…And then slowly work your way toward the actual problem you couldn’t
solve in the first place.
Theory Reductionism
n terms of thinking, this one is mostly synonymous to chunking. When
chunking different things, you also indirectly can apply ontological
reductionism i.e. you have less parts that you have to move and connect
like a jigsaw puzzle.
. . .
T
I

5. Related article:
Try to Think of Elements That Lead to the Highest Activation of
Concepts
Elements = e.g. questions
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