具体 and 抽象: Specific Information and Abstract Representation
Compare a request for specific figures with a painting without concrete forms. Read the purpose of making a proposal concrete separately from the difficulty of an abstract explanation.
具体 (ぐたい): Figures and a purpose
「説明には具体的な数字を入れてください。」 — “Please include specific figures in the explanation.” The sentence requests specific figures in an explanation. It does not report that those figures have already been supplied.
「提案を具体化するため担当者を決めた。」 — “We assigned a person in charge to make the proposal more concrete.” A person in charge was assigned to make a proposal concrete. The assignment is the completed action; making the proposal concrete is its purpose.
抽象 (ちゅうしょう): An artwork and an explanation
「この絵は具体的な形を描かない抽象作品です。」 — “This painting is an abstract work without concrete forms.” The painting is described as an abstract work without concrete forms. The sentence does not call that artwork difficult to understand or valueless.
「抽象的な説明だけでは内容を理解しにくいです。」 — “The content is difficult to understand from abstract explanations alone.” Understanding the content from abstract explanations alone is difficult. The difficulty concerns relying on that explanation alone.
Specificity apart from artistic value
具体的な数字 concerns specific information requested in an explanation; 抽象作品 concerns the character of artistic representation. Do not rank the request and the artwork on one scale of value.
The difficulty of an abstract explanation is also separate from an evaluation of abstract art. Do not add those figures or that artwork to the proposal whose responsible person was assigned.
What is identified in the request for 具体的な数字 and the description 抽象作品?
Show the answer and why
The first identifies specific figures requested for an explanation; the second identifies the character of the artwork. The abstract artwork itself is not called incomprehensible or valueless.