I don't know what "in the abstract" means in this case, but I do know that claiming to "know" something without having actual proof is what's called a conjectur

I don't know what "in the abstract" means in this case, but I do know that claiming to "know" something without having actual proof is what's called a conjecture: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conjecture http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conjecture A conjecture is not the same as knowledge, "in the abstract" or otherwise.