In common speech, the word individual most often refers to a person, or, by analogy, to any specific object in a group of things. For example, you the reader are an individual person, and a lawn is made of individual blades of grass. Originally, in the 15th century or earlier, the term meant "indivisible" as still used in statistics (see below), but from the seventeenth century on the term indicated separateness, as in individualism. (Abbs 1986, cited in Klein 2005, p.26-27)

In metaphysics and statistics, the word individual, while sometimes meaning "a person", more typically describes any numerically singular thing. Used in many contexts, both 'Socrates' and 'the Moon' denote individuals; 'grapefruit' and 'redness' (generally) do not. 'Individual' as a piece of philosophical jargon is much-bandied and often to be found in the company of particular -- indeed, often treated as synonymous with 'particular' (though one wonders if abstract particulars can count as individuals) -- and contrasted with 'universal'.

References

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• Gracia, Jorge J. E. (1988). Individuality: An Essay on the Foundations of Metaphysics. : State Univ of New York Pr.
• Klein, Anne Carolyn (1995). Meeting the Great Bliss Queen: Buddhists, Feminists, and the Art of the Self. ISBN 0807073067.

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@Alia_Uchiha there are some weird ppl in this world, but tht what makes us individuals right?, hee hee
teagh_weag_Naka (Naka) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:55:14 -0000
@Alia_Uchiha there are some weird ppl in this world, but tht what makes us individuals right?, hee hee
@majeedb: @NYCShopGuide:Peace of mind for individuals <~ can be taken wrongly by most Americans , could be considered opinion.
NYCShopGuide (NYC Shopping Guide) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:54:37 -0000
@majeedb: @NYCShopGuide:Peace of mind for individuals <~ can be taken wrongly by most Americans , could be considered opinion.
This world is madness intersected by a handful of sane, good individuals. Plz remember that what you say and do makes a sincere difference.
unfolding (Quantum Possibility) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:52:30 -0000
This world is madness intersected by a handful of sane, good individuals. Plz remember that what you say and do makes a sincere difference.
@danielspengies There are individuals from a certain point of view but it is often useful to consider the behaviour of the hive rather than
GreeGreece (Tony Thomas) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:52:10 -0000
@danielspengies There are individuals from a certain point of view but it is often useful to consider the behaviour of the hive rather than
The clients are drunk, now I'm on the phone with a bunch of individuals from ems and nypd trying 2 get them 2 take his drunk and bipolar
Wannie777 (wannie) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:50:51 -0000
The clients are drunk, now I'm on the phone with a bunch of individuals from ems and nypd trying 2 get them 2 take his drunk and bipolar
Good lord. RT @divadoll123 SEC. 501. TAX ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
GalThursday (Jenn S.) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:49:56 -0000
Good lord. RT @divadoll123 SEC. 501. TAX ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. <bend over Amerika

 

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