Abstract thought

Abstract thought is the opposite of logic, and can also mean creativity. However, all people 'run' on abstract thoughts ("I need to go to the shops", "Is Mr Smith alive?", "What's on TV?"), whereas they may not 'run' on creativity.

Having said that the thoughts above may not be abstract-who can say? On the way to the shops you may go past Smith's which will lead you to wonder whether he's still alive. And Mr Smith is was/is a tv actor leading you to wonder if he's still alive.

Sometimes when someone is heard thinking out loud, the strangeness of abstract thought can be observed. It is very much a mishmash: first one idea, then another, and the second idea bears little relation to the first idea. The strongest form of abstract thought can be seen in dreams, although these tend to follow a story.

Psychoanalysis uses this idea in word association. This is to the get to the root of the problem. However the belief of word association is that there is no abstract thought-all thoughts are linked.

Mind maps[?], although seen as creative, are not in fact abstract thought as they relate to a particular theme.

So is there abstract thought or not?