Is exploration a form of gameplay?

[F0X]

Boutros said:

I seriously wouln't consider something like Dear Esther to be a game. Really the only thing you do is walk around. And the path is pretty straightforward. Same thing for Thirty Flights of Loving.

Maybe an interactive novel.

Then we have different standards. When something has a game mechanic in it, even if it's  merely one, I'm inclined to call it a game. Am I wrong? Is advancing through a digital world no different than turning the page of a book? Is exploration a form of gameplay? You didn't really answer my question, cy the way. You restated the kind of argument I'm addressing in the OP.