Life, The Multiverse And Everything: An Introduction To The Ideas Of Humberto Maturana Interpreting Maturana / quote 9 of 50
Distinction
Any operation that we may enact which results in the separation of an entity from a background, i.e. which simultaneously distinguishes a unity in its domain of existence. Thus we see that the existence of all phenomena is brought forth through making the appropriate operations of distinction. For example, I may bring forth a chair by making the operation of distinction of 'sitting-down'. To give another example, if we want to know how many people there are in a room we will make the operation of distinction of counting them.