Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion How do you define abstract concepts?

If your child asks you what a ruler is, you can show him, same with an apple etc. My DS6 continously asks for definitions to abstract concepts. You know all of those things that you know but are almost impossible to put into words?

I have done my best to explain honesty, respect, loyalty etc. But the questions keep coming. We are currently working on a unit on holy wars. He asked me to define religion. Not heaven and hell, but the concept of religion as a whole. I admit it, I'm stumped. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I don't think I'd try to define it as much as I'd try to explain it. I'd give examples, talk about how religion functions for people in terms of sociology, discuss belief and why people have beliefs, and finally (if he was still interested) I'd talk about my own religious views.

With DS7, this has been more than one conversation. I never hesitate to say "That's not a simple question."

Give him The God Delusion to read and then discuss with you? ;-> But seriously... If asked "what's religion?" I'd say "for example, Christianity, Islam, .... are religions". If asked literally to define religion, I'd say "well, it's difficult to define, but it's when people believe in one or more gods". You probably then get "what's a god?" and "what do you believe?" and away you go... I think provided you don't feel as though you have to encapsulate the whole concept, so that there's no more to be said, in a few words, you'll be OK! With DS5, I do not (consciously) attempt to simplify such things: I just explain to the best of my ability, using the same words I'd use to an adult. Seems to work in the sense that he learns some things and it satisfies him, although it can happen that he returns to a subject the next day too.

(In conversation with DS5 this afternoon, it emerged that he thought that if someone was Christian it followed that they didn't think natural selection worked. Don't know whether he's encountered someone who really didn't or merely inferred it from what David Attenborough said on some DVD about the early effect of Darwin's ideas! But cue earnest conversation, as I think his assuming that every Christian he meets in his Christian-foundation school is a creationist could get him into serious trouble!)

I often skim 'wikipedia' on a tough topic and then pick out a few sentences that I think might interest DS12. Sometimes I say: Wait a minute while I talk aloud, but don't believe anything I say just yet.

Sometimes I use the word in a few sentences.
example: 'She loved her religion because it helped her feel calmer when she was frightened, and helped her see her life as having a purpose.'

Those kinds of sentences seem to help DS quite a bit, and I worry less that I'll get him in trouble for giving him wrong info.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

I often haul out the dictionary. It seems to sum up some of these big concepts in broad enough terms that I don't feel like he'll be limited by my perspective on stuff (and lack of knowledge).
I did this for 'parallel' the other night. Really, I should know that one, but my explanation was just not getting it done. And from the teacher ds had gleaned that parallel meant 'the same'. (??)
We found in the dictionary the other part of the sentence: moving in the same direction and never getting any closer. This really clicked for him. Whew.
(again wondering about the 'hearing' but that is another topic...)