Editing Generalization (section)

{{Short description|Form of abstraction}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Wiktionary|generalization}}

A '''generalization''' is a form of [[abstraction]] whereby common properties of specific instances are formulated as general concepts or claims.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/generalization|title=Definition of generalization {{!}} Dictionary.com|website=www.dictionary.com|language=en|access-date=30 November 2019}}</ref> Generalizations posit the existence of a domain or [[set theory|set]] of elements, as well as one or more common characteristics shared by those elements (thus creating a [[conceptual model]]). As such, they are the essential basis of all valid [[deductive]] inferences (particularly in [[logic]], mathematics and science), where the process of [[falsifiability|verification]] is necessary to determine whether a generalization holds true for any given situation.

Generalization can also be used to refer to the process of identifying the parts of a whole, as belonging to the whole. The parts, which might be unrelated when left on their own, may be brought together as a group, hence belonging to the whole by establishing a common relation between them.

However, the parts cannot be generalized into a whole—until a common relation is established among ''all'' parts. This does not mean that the parts are unrelated, only that no common relation has been established yet for the generalization.

The concept of generalization has broad application in many connected disciplines, and might sometimes have a more specific meaning in a specialized context (e.g. generalization in psychology, [[Generalization (learning)|generalization in learning]]).<ref name=":1" /> 

In general, given two related concepts ''A'' and ''B,'' ''A'' is a "generalization" of ''B'' (equiv., ''B'' is a [[special case]] of ''A'') if and only if both of the following hold:

* Every instance of concept ''B'' is also an instance of concept ''A.''
* There are instances of concept ''A'' which are not instances of concept ''B''.

For example, the concept ''animal'' is a generalization of the concept ''bird'', since every bird is an animal, but not all animals are birds (dogs, for instance). For more, see [[Specialisation (biology)]].