The word "reduction" has several lexical meanings. Let's try to identify them, analyze the features.
The first definition (in society)
This term is understood to mean the concrete being of the human individual, as well as the objects that make up a social society. The lexical meaning of the word “reduction” in this case involves an example of research and action, a real process that reduces individual qualities to the totality of their interaction. Reduction is characteristic of human activity, it is interconnected with labor. This concept is implemented in practice in individual statements and actions regarding norms of behavior and language.
What is reduction? This process, which is important for scientific research, helps to reduce complex tasks to simple actions. This concept is important for normal human relations in a social society, acts as a connecting link between various social processes and phenomena, and has a significant impact on social development.
Second definition
There is another lexical meaning of the word “reduction”, according to which, we are talking about simplification, weakening, reduction, the transition from complex moments to simple actions. This interpretation of this concept is used in biological and sociological studies.
Third meaning (in mathematics)
There is another interpretation of the word "reduction". The meaning of this term, denoting processes or actions, is reduced to methodological techniques that make it possible to simplify the structure of a particular object. In this context, translated from Latin, “reduction” sounds like a return, a push back.
This methodological technique, which implies bringing some procedures, tasks, rules, results into a form convenient for their detailed study, analysis, restoration of the initial state, is actively used in biology, mathematics, and also in linguistics. Absolute reduction creates a concept that allows you to get complete information about a particular mathematical object. There is a reductionism in the desire of specialists to analyze the mental state of a person, to explain the features of his behavior in society.
The biological meaning of the term
Let's try to understand what reduction is from a biological point of view. This is the process that occurs when female and male germ cells mature. It boils down to the fact that the number of elements of the staining component located in the nucleus of the reproductive cell will be reduced by half.
Long ago, scientists noted that in the process of maturation, two small bodies are formed on its surface, and one of them will be divided into two halves. So what is reduction? This is the process of dividing one cell into parts, as a result of which a new cell can nucleate.
The medical meaning of the term
Arguing over what reduction is, we turn to medicine. Currently, as a result of a course of treatment of infertility with special hormonal agents, a multiple pregnancy occurs. Despite the joy of potential parents, physicians have a negative attitude to the possibility of developing several living fruits at once. In order to reduce various complications, increase the chances of having a healthy baby, they offer the expectant mother to carry out the reduction of embryos. What is meant by this medical term?
Reduction involves a special procedure, which is aimed at killing and removing one or more living embryos from the uterine cavity. Such a process is recommended in those cases when a multiple pregnancy seriously threatens not only the lives of the babies, but also the health of the mother herself. As soon as the reduction procedure is completed, the embryo tissue remaining inside the uterus will gradually dissolve.
Reduction in medicine was first carried out at the end of the last century. It was recommended for patients in whom serious abnormalities in embryo development were identified. As a result, thousands of women got the opportunity to bear children and give birth to healthy babies. Gradually, reduction began to be used to remove excess viable embryos from the uterus that were implanted into the woman as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Doctors reduced the risk of various complications, prevented the occurrence of premature birth, and reduced the mortality of embryos. The reduction procedure is carried out only if there are special indications, for example, if more than three live embryos are detected in the uterus.
Conclusion
The lexical meaning of the word "reduction" is multifaceted. This term is widely used in various fields of science and technology. Despite such versatility, its essence remains unchanged. Thinking about what reduction is, it can be argued that we are talking about the transition from a complex object to a simple object.