Gabriel said to his son, "I can tell you are getting smarter because you can talk about things like democracy and freedom in a more philosophical way." basically, Gabriel is saying his son is capable of: abstract thinking. Abstract thinking focuses on reflecting events and ideas, and attributes and relationships separate from the objects that have those attributes or share those relationships.
Cultural particularity is a trait or feature of culture that is not generalized or widespread; rather, it is confined to a single place, culture, or society.
