Anything that does not require a host to live.
Quote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 01:50:40 AMAnything that does not require a host to carry out cellular functions.You're using your term in the definition of the term
Anything that does not require a host to carry out cellular functions.
Something which is able to reproduce.That is the one trait all forms of life on Earth share, and it stands to good reason that even alien life would have to reproduce.
Order: Molecules in living things are arranged in specific structures.Reproduction: Living things have the ability to reproduce their own kind. Simple life forms, such as bacteria, reproduce by dividing and making almost exact replicas of themselves. More complex organisms reproduce sexually, so that their offspring have genetic material from two individuals. Offspring with traits from both parents have a greater chance of survival because they are better able to adapt.Growth and Development: Living organisms grow and develop in patterns determined by heredity, the traits passed to offspring by parents.Energy Utilization: Living things need to capture and use energy, a process known as metabolism. An example of such a process is photosynthesis, whereby plants convert sunlight into energy.Response to Stimuli: Living organisms respond to changes in their environment.Evolutionary Adaptation: Living things evolve in such a way that future generations are adapted to unique situations in their surroundings. For example, the hammerhead shark, considered to be perhaps the most highly evolved species of shark, has superior vision and sensory perception due to its hammer-shaped head. Organisms that cannot adapt to a changing environment decline or become extinct.
Quote from: Bacon on November 19, 2015, 01:55:16 AMSomething which is able to reproduce.That is the one trait all forms of life on Earth share, and it stands to good reason that even alien life would have to reproduce.But what about a virus. Its reproduction is done by cells it infects. Changes the protein assembler or dna and has the cell start making other viruses.What about machines that can create themselves. Or self programming codes.
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/mars141_content.phpOrder: Molecules in living things are arranged in specific structures.Reproduction: Living things have the ability to reproduce their own kind. Simple life forms, such as bacteria, reproduce by dividing and making almost exact replicas of themselves. More complex organisms reproduce sexually, so that their offspring have genetic material from two individuals. Offspring with traits from both parents have a greater chance of survival because they are better able to adapt.Growth and Development: Living organisms grow and develop in patterns determined by heredity, the traits passed to offspring by parents.Energy Utilization: Living things need to capture and use energy, a process known as metabolism. An example of such a process is photosynthesis, whereby plants convert sunlight into energy.Response to Stimuli: Living organisms respond to changes in their environment.Evolutionary Adaptation: Living things evolve in such a way that future generations are adapted to unique situations in their surroundings. For example, the hammerhead shark, considered to be perhaps the most highly evolved species of shark, has superior vision and sensory perception due to its hammer-shaped head. Organisms that cannot adapt to a changing environment decline or become extinct.
But viruses do not replicate. Example is the HIV virus which basically repeograms wbite blood cells to create more HIV viruses.Is that virus considered a living being?
Quote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 01:50:40 AMAnything that does not require a host to live.Your body is a host.
Quote from: Verbatim on November 19, 2015, 02:07:20 AMQuote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 01:50:40 AMAnything that does not require a host to live.Your body is a host.Yes it is.Which is why any viruses that survive off of me aren't living.
Quote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 02:11:03 AMQuote from: Verbatim on November 19, 2015, 02:07:20 AMQuote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 01:50:40 AMAnything that does not require a host to live.Your body is a host.Yes it is.Which is why any viruses that survive off of me aren't living.But are YOU living? You can't survive without your host body, so...
Quote from: Verbatim on November 19, 2015, 02:13:21 AMQuote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 02:11:03 AMQuote from: Verbatim on November 19, 2015, 02:07:20 AMQuote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 01:50:40 AMAnything that does not require a host to live.Your body is a host.Yes it is.Which is why any viruses that survive off of me aren't living.But are YOU living? You can't survive without your host body, so...What do you define as YOU. My brain? My brain isn't an organism, it doesn't fall under the same rules as bacteria, animals, etc.
Quote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 02:14:58 AMQuote from: Verbatim on November 19, 2015, 02:13:21 AMQuote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 02:11:03 AMQuote from: Verbatim on November 19, 2015, 02:07:20 AMQuote from: Septy on November 19, 2015, 01:50:40 AMAnything that does not require a host to live.Your body is a host.Yes it is.Which is why any viruses that survive off of me aren't living.But are YOU living? You can't survive without your host body, so...What do you define as YOU. My brain? My brain isn't an organism, it doesn't fall under the same rules as bacteria, animals, etc.Viruses aren't organisms either--so your brain is like a virus?I just don't know where you're getting this idea from.You're obviously alive, yet you require a host to live. That seems to contradict your first post.
My brain is an organ. It is made up of living tissues and not a living organism.My body is made of mutiple organ systems that all work together to stay alive. Together they make up me as an organism. You're going to have to clarify if you still don't understand what you mean by "me" living off my host body. My body and I are the same.
What constitutes a living being.
