Map–territory relation

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/map-territory-relation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the core principle?The map (representation) is fundamentally different from the territory (reality)
2. What is the originator of phrase?Alfred Korzybski
3. What does "the map is not the territory" mean?A map is a simplified picture of a place, not the real place itself. It shows only some details and leaves out many others.
4. Why do maps sometimes look wrong?Because maps simplify and change shapes to fit on paper or screens, so they can’t show every detail exactly.

Semiotics: The study of signs, symbols, and their interpretation.
Referent: The actual object or concept that a sign refers to.
Abstraction: The process of simplifying complex reality by focusing on essential features.