How Much Can We Abstract an Abstraction of an Abstract Concept? And Why I Hate Tomatoes

Some Notes on Abstraction and Tomatoes

The Tomato. A red fruit or vegetable, depending on one's perspective, is the epitome of the problem with categorisation. We impose categories on the natural world and yet the nature of these categories remain elusive to us. 

Botanically, tomatoes are classified as a fruit, a berry, to be precise. Yet, culturally and culinarily, it finds its home among vegetables. This dichotomy is where we will start our discussion on abstraction.

Clearly, tomato seems to have a natural fluidity to its identity. How can one object simultaneously exist in two categories that we've constructed to be distinct? To me, this challenges the foundations of classification, and makes me think about our methods of abstracting concepts. 

Each attempt to categorise the tomato, to place it neatly within our conceptual frameworks, only serves to highlight the limitations of those frameworks. Therefore, this ontological discussion about the tomato is really an attempt to grasp the essence of anything. In order to do so, I will engage in a process of continuous abstraction of the tomato and see how far I can get before things start to become too blurry. 

Artwork - Tomatoes

Abstraction on a Biological Level

So, we've touched on this idea of the tomato straddling worlds. Fruit and vegetable, yes, but let's dive deeper, past the labels, into its very essence. I'm now thinking about what actually makes a tomato, well, a tomato. 

A tomato, at its essence on a biological level, is a fruit of the Solanum lycopersicum plant, a member of the nightshade family, which includes species like potatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers. The classification of the tomato as a fruit stems from its botanical definition. It develops from the ovary after fertilisation and contains the seeds of the plant. This distinguishes it from vegetables, which are other plant parts such as roots, leaves, and stems.

The tomato plant exhibits a determinate or indeterminate growth habit. Determinate types grow to a certain height and then stop, focusing energy on fruit production all at once. Indeterminate types continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the growing season, until killed by frost or another external factor.

On a cellular level, the tomato is composed of cells with a typical plant structure, including a rigid cell wall made of cellulose, a large central vacuole that stores nutrients and water, and chloroplasts for photosynthesis. The vibrant red colour of ripe tomatoes is due to lycopene, a type of carotenoid pigment that is an antioxidant beneficial to human health.

So as you can see, a tomato can be classified into multiple categories, each taking a different direction in terms of further classification. 

In botany, the tomato is classified as a fruit because it develops from the ovary of a flower and contains seeds. In culinary contexts, the tomato is often treated as a vegetable due to its savoury flavour profile and usage in salads, sauces, and cooking, rather than as a sweet dessert or snack. 

Agriculturally, tomatoes are classified based on their growth habits (determinate vs. indeterminate), the shape and size of the fruit, and their suitability for various climates and soil types. From a nutritional standpoint, tomatoes are rich in vitamins (especially vitamin C and vitamin K), minerals, and antioxidants like lycopene. This makes the tomato an interesting subject for dietary studies and health-related classifications.

Abstraction on a Molecular & Atomic Level

Now, let’s further abstract the tomato down to the molecules and atoms. We've seen how the tomato's existence is a marvel of biology that can be abstracted in multiple directions. But what about the colours, flavours, and smells that define the very essence of what a tomato is to our senses? They're the product of molecular and atomic phenomena happening every second within its flesh.

The bulk of a tomato's weight is water, comprising about 95% of its mass. Water molecules (H₂O) are crucial for the tomato's structure and function, influencing its texture and juiciness. The remaining 5% consists of various organic compounds that contribute to the tomato's nutritional value, flavour, and colour. These include carbohydrates (such as glucose and fructose), proteins, vitamins (like vitamin C and vitamin K), and phytochemicals. 

One of the most notable molecules in tomatoes, as previously discussed, is lycopene, a bright red carotenoid pigment responsible for the tomato's red colour. Lycopene is an antioxidant, which means it helps neutralise free radicals, potentially reducing oxidative stress and lowering the risk of chronic diseases.

On a structural level, molecules like cellulose and pectin play critical roles. Cellulose, a polysaccharide, is a key component of the plant cell wall, providing structural support, while pectin, another polysaccharide, is crucial for the tomato's texture.

At the atomic level, a tomato is composed of a vast array of atoms such as hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and various minerals like potassium (K), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca). These atoms form the building blocks of the molecules mentioned above.

Atoms in the tomato are linked by chemical bonds (covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonds) that determine the structure and properties of molecules. For example, the covalent bonds in water molecules give water its unique properties, essential for the life processes of the tomato plant.

At an even deeper level, the interactions between these atoms and molecules, the transfer of electrons, and the formation and breaking of chemical bonds involve the transformation of energy via photosynthesis.

So on a molecular & atomic level, you can abstract a tomato in terms of its chemical composition, structural biology, nutritional biochemistry, molecular genetics, quantum chemistry (more on this in the next section), mineral, and elemental composition. Each abstraction takes us down a different abstractive path. 

Abstraction at the Quantum Level

Alright now let’s take a leap into the fundamental principles of physics and abstract a tomato on that level. Here, the distinctions between a tomato and other forms of matter become blurred, as we focus on the particles and forces that constitute all physical entities.

The tomato, like all matter, is composed of atoms, which in turn are made up of subatomic particles including protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons form the nucleus of atoms, while electrons orbit the nucleus in a cloud. However, in quantum mechanics, particles such as electrons are described not just as points in space but as wave functions, which represent probabilities of finding the particle in a certain location.

Through the principle of Wave-Particle Duality,  quantum mechanics suggests that subatomic particles, including those that make up the atoms in a tomato, exhibit both particle-like and wave-like properties. For example, electrons can be diffracted like waves and also hit targets like particles. This duality is a fundamental aspect of the quantum description of nature.

At the quantum level, particles can become entangled i.e., the state of one particle instantaneously influences the state of another, no matter the distance separating them. Particles, such as electrons in a tomato's atoms, can exist in multiple states simultaneously until measured or observed, a concept known as superposition. This principle is crucial for understanding the chemical bonding that holds the tomato's molecules together, as it involves electrons existing in a cloud of probabilities rather than fixed orbits.

The quantum mechanical model of the atom explains the discrete energy levels electrons can occupy and the transitions between these levels. In the context of a tomato, the absorption of light by pigments like lycopene involves electrons jumping to higher energy levels, and the colour we see is the result of specific wavelengths of light being absorbed and others being reflected.

The interactions that determine the structure, stability, and reactions of the molecules in a tomato, including those responsible for its taste, aroma, and nutritional properties are governed by the principles of quantum mechanics. Quantum chemistry explores these interactions, providing insights into the bonds between atoms and the transitions of electrons that determine molecular configurations.

Abstracting a tomato to the quantum level shows that the essence of what we perceive as a distinct, tangible object is, in its most elemental form, a collection of quantum events and probabilities. This opens up avenues to further abstract a tomato in multiple dimensions. It can be abstracted in terms of quantum chemistry, wave-particle duality, superposition, entanglement, tunnelling, quantization, decoherence, and so on.

Abstraction on a Metaphysical Level

Here, the tomato ceases to be an entity defined by particles and probabilities, transcending to become a pure idea, a concept unfettered by the constraints of physical form or scientific principle.

What is the essence of a tomato? This question probes the intrinsic nature of a tomato, what it means for a tomato to be. Is its essence tied to its physical properties, its genetic makeup, or something more intangible? This perspective examines the concept of "tomatoness," the qualities that define a tomato's existence beyond its physical components.

Beyond its physicality, a tomato carries cultural, historical, and symbolic meanings. It can represent fertility, earth, passion, or life itself in different contexts. This abstraction involves exploring how humans imbue the tomato with meanings that transcend its material existence, reflecting our own experiences, beliefs, and values.

How does the perception of a tomato alter its metaphysical reality? From this angle, the reality of a tomato is not fixed but is shaped by the sensory experiences and subjective interpretations of those who interact with it. This approach invites us to consider how our minds construct the reality of a tomato from its colour, taste, texture, and smell.

Another perspective on tomatoes is its existence in relation to other beings. It explores the interconnectedness of all things and the tomato's role in the web of life. How does a tomato's existence impact and reflect our own existence and our relationships with other forms of life?

We can also abstract the tomato to its idea, considering it not as a physical object but as a concept within human consciousness. This exploration involves understanding how the concept of a tomato exists within and influences our cognitive frameworks, our languages, and our systems of knowledge.

Deconstructing a tomato on a metaphysical level we can thus approach a tomato from multiple dimensions of abstraction. We can consider it as an ontological inquiry, symbolic interpretation, epistemological exploration, ethical or moral consideration, aesthetic reflection, phenomenological analysis, existential or even cosmological consideration. 

Abstraction at a Unitarian Level

In this abstraction, the tomato is no longer just a physical entity or a symbol. It goes beyond that and becomes a conduit to the fundamental truths of reality.

The tomato becomes a paradox of form, i.e., its colour, shape, taste, and texture, and formlessness, representing the idea that all forms emerge from and return to the formless. In this sense, the tomato mirrors the cycle of creation and dissolution reminding us of the transient nature of all forms and the eternal essence from which they arise.

The tomato symbolises both presence i.e., its tangible, sensory qualities that we can perceive, and absence, the ineffable, underlying reality that exists beyond sensory perception. This duality reflects the nature of existence, where what is manifest (presence) and what is unmanifest (absence) are intertwined, suggesting that true understanding encompasses both the seen and the unseen.

The tomato becomes the essence (the inherent nature of being) and the potential (the boundless potentiality from which all forms originate). This perspective acknowledges that at the core of existence is a Fundamental Existence filled with potential, from which the essence of all things emerges.

Through a tomato, we can perceive the unity underlying the apparent diversity of forms in the universe. Just as a tomato is one yet can manifest in various colours, shapes, and sizes, existence is a singular reality expressing itself in many forms.

The life cycle of a tomato plant, from seed to fruit to decay, serves as a potent symbol for the cycle of life and death that governs all living beings. This cycle, reflected in the tomato, speaks to the perpetual flow of existence, where death is not an end but a transformation, a return to the source, and the beginning of new forms.

We recognise the tomato’s immanence (its presence and manifestation in the world) and its transcendence (its partaking in a reality beyond the physical). This duality points to a vision of existence where the sacred is immanent in the mundane, where the Divine permeates every aspect of the world, including the simple tomato.

By contemplating a tomato on this level, we can engage in abstracting it in various dimensions. We can consider the tomato as an element in the interconnectedness of all life, a conduit for the cycle of life and death, a portal for understanding the Divine, as a paradox of unity and diversity, as a paradox of existence, as a microcosm of the universe, as a transcendental symbol, and so on. 

This might be a good place to stop. Things were blurry enough on the quantum level itself, but we managed to get much further than that. Lines only get blurrier still as we venture forward.  

Conclusion

So in conclusion, I hate tomatoes because I don’t like the taste.

Also, the process of abstracting a simple tomato into various conceptual realms suggests that there is potentially no end to abstraction. With each step deeper, new dimensions and perspectives emerge, indicating that abstraction is limited only by our imagination, curiosity, and the frameworks we use to understand the world.

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