On Individuation

by Maria Odete Madeira

Individuation is a philosophical term that designates the intrinsic, constitutive, genetic and autopoietic event of separation of each individual within a same species.

It is a systemic principle of separation that operates from the first causes and the first principles that were involved in the genesis of each individual, be these principles entities, situations, processes or events.

In methodological terms, it constitutes an ontological principle used as a classificative criterion of identity.