difference

Set of properties by which one entity is distinguished from another

Entityphilosophical concept criterion type of relationQ10862449

Also known as departure · deviation · divergence · different · different meaning

Instance of: philosophical concept
, criterion
, type of relation
Subclass of: relation
Part of: class

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Difference is a key concept of philosophy, denoting the process or set of properties by which one entity is distinguished from another within a relational field or a given conceptual system. In the Western philosophical system, difference is traditionally viewed as being opposed to identity, following the Principles of Leibniz, and in particular, his Law of the identity of indiscernibles. In structuralist and poststructuralist accounts, however, difference is understood to be constitutive of both meaning and identity. In other words, because identity is viewed in non-essentialist terms as a construct, and because constructs only produce meaning through the interplay of differences, it is the case that for both structuralism and poststructuralism, identity cannot be said to exist without difference.

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All data

28 statements · 7% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

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10 identifiers linking difference across the web's reference databases

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externally sourced

Source last edited September 5, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). difference (Q10862449). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/difference-Q10862449