The ‘meaning’ of separation or distinction is unique in every context… for it has many streams and modulates with the character and moment of those involved. All words and ideas are like this to some extent; their meanings are usually precisely stipulated only in rarefied contexts such as science and philosophy. Yet, they also have generalized meanings.

But if one thinks carefully about separation (and unity), it becomes apparent that this specific polarity is profoundly unique within our lexicons. Without it, we cannot have words, numbers, ideas, or lexicons. Thus the ideas and models associated with separation and unity cast their shadow into the entirety of our cognitive activity.

So it turns out that this specific polarity is an accessible ‘back door’ to the processes that comprise our representational intelligence. The opportunity to improve our understanding of these matters and our facility with this polarity comprise a foothold on a position from which we might pursue the optimization and repair of our own relationships with language and knowledge.

There is a tree of elemental concepts that underlies our language, and in order to be fluent with language, we must recover access to this tree; and this is the polarity at its base, from which all other branches arise.