The term individual is often used synonymously with person.
Individual is a term originating from the Latin individuus and referring to what cannot be divided . It is, therefore, an independent unit (in relation to other units ) or an elementary unit (in relation to a larger system ).
The concept involves various considerations in the field of logic and philosophy . An individual is one versus a plurality (many individuals). The individual, therefore, has an individual referent, although it may also be an indeterminate individual of a certain class.
For example: a trio of friends walking down the street is made up of three individuals. Each of them has a name ( Juan , Ricardo and Pedro ) but, for those who do not know their identities, they are just three individuals. This group, however, can be considered as one against other groups of people. Thus, depending on the context, one could speak of an individual group among a multitude of groups.
Respect for the individual
The individuality of each living being can be analyzed from different points of view; The most widely accepted conception associates it with the unique and unrepeatable traits of each individual, and from this way of understanding it, two possible assessments emerge: that each individual is indispensable, since there is no way to replace it with another; that only certain individuals are important, and the reasons to decide who are important are found in the characteristics of each one.
Every movement in favor of the rights of living beings is based on the fact that each individual is valuable and must be respected, so that no form of discrimination can be accepted to decide who can live; Speciesism is one of the worst combinations of misunderstandings and contradictions, since it grants certain species the right to be loved and protected, and others the condemnation of being exploited and killed, but it also establishes a hierarchy between their respective individuals.
It is interesting to emphasize that we do not usually encounter individuals who are not part of a group: both beings that belong to the same species , as well as those that share their roots or beliefs, start from a common origin to make the distinction of indivisible entities . Therefore, there is a nuance that links the quality of uniqueness and independence to the position within a larger system, in which no individual is alone.
Many individuals can form a group.
The concept in colloquial language
Philosophical issues aside, in colloquial language the notion of individual is used to name any person whose name and condition are unknown: «Four individuals entered for the purpose of robbery and were repelled by the police authority, immediately fleeing. » .
In everyday speech, the use of the term individual to refer to a person is not common, as it can have derogatory and offensive overtones. On the other hand, in areas such as the police or scientific fields, its use is normal, to completely distance oneself from any subjective connotation and be able to observe a situation or phenomenon with the technical tools specific to each field.
Within the family of this word is the adjective "individual", which also has various uses, some more technical than others. Individual rights are called, for example, those that each individual enjoys and that no ruler can restrict, which makes them immanent, imprescriptible and inalienable.
Other uses of the notion of individual
Each animal or plant being organized with respect to the species to which it belongs is also called an individual: "It is an individual of the same race, although smaller in size."
Another use of the term is linked to the person belonging to a corporation or class: "An individual from the Uruguayan Academy of Dance was distinguished in an international competition."