Do things have to be different to be similar? Do things have to be similar to be different?

Answer 1

Similarity requires at least two "things", it is not applicable to say that one thing is "similar" to itself. So yes, things have to be different to be similar.

For "things" to be different, they must be similar in a very minor respect. One could say that at the very least the things in question have two similarities: They are both "things", and they are both being considered in this question. If you would count "thingness" as a similarity (and it seems reasonable to do so), then the answer to your question is...

Yes!

Answer 2

Yes things have to be different to be similar or else they would be the same
No things don't have to be similar to be different because if they are similar they are already different but difference itself can exist without similarity.
We are all similar yet distinctly different

Answer 3

It's like trying to define what is normal and what is weird...I guess it depends on an individual's life world... which grounds his/her expectations and assuptions of the world and its content...thus certain things would be experienced as normal and others as weird by the individual...but the same experiences could be experieced contrastingly by other individuals...As my Visual Communication professor would say: "In the post modern world everything goes...as long as you can motivate why..."

Answer 4

Twins

Answer 5

Yes, without contrast nothing can be distinguished as unique and valued. It is true of the cliche variety is the spice of life... such a cliche's continued existence justifies its continued existence in my opinion.

Answer 6

screaming can things...not do...nothing much is new these days...and with logic like yours everything goes....talking oranges and figs you are....we can find something similar in everything if we look hard enough if we are open enough

Answer 7

yes and yes if they weren't, they would be the same