Define the term "life"

Originally posted by gendanken

True enough, comrade. But what about mostly dead? That implies slightly alive. All dead is something else entirely. There's only one thing you can do then. Know what it is?
Click to expand...

Go through their pockets and check for loose change??
 
Go through their pockets and check for loose change??
Click to expand...

MUHAHA......HHAHAHA....SNORT.....AND WHEEZE....AND LOL......AND TEE HEE.............


Another notch for the merry makers. This thread is complete.
 
what would you call a person w/ gangreen? they are alive, but some of their tissue isn't. are they alive? is their body alive?

The definition of life re: viruses warrents alterations. How can viruses only be considered alive while activly infecting a host cell? that makes no sense, but that's how it's done, or at least what I was taught. However, if you re-define to asusme viruses as alive, fire suddenly looks more and more alive.

"fire isn't alive, it's just a release of energy", well, what do you think moving your arm is? or thinking? it's just releasing energy in a pattern which allows for work to be done. Same deal with fire.
 
Last edited:
I don't know a virus can not self replicate, many claim it is not alive because it has no metabolism outside of its host cell. A virus can be looked at as only a packet of information rather then a living thing.
 
a cell can't replicate without the proper environment either. I don't see the difference. It just happens that a virus needs a cell to replicate. A microbe also needs proper conditions, a eukaryote cell also, a multicellular organism also.

therefore I wouldn't exclude a virus, since it is definately not dead.
 
A virus does not have any metabolic activities outside of a cell, its complete inert. All other life is capable of metabolic activity on its own.
 
metabolic activity is one of the characteristics of life, since virii don't have it they don’t fit all the criteria for being alive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top