# distinct (attribute)

a thing is not the same as another thing

- Computed level: L3 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: everyday  ·  Arena: EmergenceLexicon

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [difference](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-difference.relation), [others](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-others.distinct-entities)

**Through:** the difference relation between others makes a thing be not same as another

**Novel properties:**
- separate identity
- recognizable difference

## Examples
- The proton and electron in a hydrogen atom have distinct masses, charges, and quantum roles. *(physics)*
- The 2020 U.S. Census counted 331 million people, each assigned a distinct identification number. *(institutions)*
- In Python, each key in a dictionary must be distinct; duplicate keys cause data to be overwritten. *(computing)*

## Used by
- [corporation](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-corporation.business) (L11)
- [danger](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-danger.condition) (L19)
- [digital](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-digital.electrical) (L7)
- [entities](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-entities.object) (L4)
- [features](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-features.attribute) (L5)
- [individual](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-individual.entity) (L5)
- [items](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-items.object) (L4)
- [network](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-network.system) (L9)
- [number](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-number.quantity) (L6)
- [people](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-people.social) (L6)
- [personal](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-personal.self) (L7)
- [quality](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-quality.value) (L4)
- [rock](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-rock.material) (L14)
- [says](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-says.speech) (L8)
- [self](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-self.personal) (L7)
- [style](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-style.fashion) (L6)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-distinct.attribute*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-distinct.attribute.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*