>[!abstract] >The map–territory relation is the relationship between an object and a representation of that object, as in the relation between a geographical territory and a map of it. Mistaking the map for the territory is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone confuses the semantics of a term with what it represents. The relationship has also been expressed in other terms, such as "the model is not the data", "all models are wrong", and Alan Watts's "The menu is not the meal." The concept is thus quite relevant throughout ontology. The point is not that all maps are useless; rather, the point is simply to maintain critical thinking about the discrepancies: whether or not they are either negligible or significant in each context, how to reduce them. ("The map is not the territory", 2025). ## References - The map is not the territory. (2025, February 14). In *Wikipedia*. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Map%E2%80%93territory_relation&oldid=1270677547 ## Related - [[Reification]]