Virus's: Life or non life?

Discussion in 'Biology & Genetics' started by paddoboy, May 20, 2020.

  1. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    In my opinion viruses (spores) are the first system the first primitiv cells used "to" replicate and spread their genome.
     
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  3. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    Can you please provide a (your) definition of LIFE

    Readers Digest version ie very brief

    Like - LIFE is - dar de dar de dar ......

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    Last edited: Jun 13, 2022
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  5. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    A spore is not remotely the same thing as a virus.

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  7. wegs Matter and Pixie Dust Valued Senior Member

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    If viruses need living cells to replicate, does this mean they're alive? Is something only ''living'' if it doesn't require a host to keep it alive, and can't live independently? It seems like viruses fit into a grey area.
     
  8. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    LIFE is a PROCESS

    Add to that LIFE is a bunch of chemicals able to SELF REPLICATE

    Add to that LIFE does not come from dead material

    So what if a virus hijacks a cell, able to reproduce itself, and changes the cells ability to make itself into a cell which produces hijackers cells

    Since the virus is able to accomplish said hijacking and changing only if alive, not so if dead

    Conclusion - viruses are alive

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  9. Write4U Valued Senior Member

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    Yes, but if they do not meet all the standards of a "living organism", I would place them at the level of an intermediate stage, part biochemical, part alive.

    It may even be used as one proof of "abiogenesis".
     
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  10. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    465
    Life has the ability to maintain his entropic state above those of his environment.
     
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  11. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    465
    The replcation is not necessary to say something is alife
    Steril beings are alive.

    Conclusion, as no biochemical process occur in virus, virus is not alive.
    There is not even water in virus, how could they do any biochemestry ?
    Therefore VIRUS act like a SPORE, waiting to land on some substrat that will permit the STARTING of LIFE.
     
  12. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    465
    At some point.
    A spore can lead to life, but it is not alife.
     
  13. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    465
    But it behave the same.
     
  14. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    Are you serious?

    Sure someone born with a DEFECT of sterility is alive

    But we are talking about FUNDIMENTIAL LIFE not a individual life

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  15. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    What a joke is that ?
    You are not alive because you do not fit the "fundamental" life concept ???!!!

    No.
    You can be alive for some short period of time.
    It is not necessary to have a lineage to be considered alife !

    Or what ?
    There a dead and alive crows ? Nobody knows it before they have some descendants.
    The one who will not have a lineage is a dead crow and the other is alife ?
    What a joke !
     
  16. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    This is a category error.
    The definition of "life" applies at the species or phylogeny level. It is not applied to individuals.

    Humans - the species - reproduce; therefore humans are living creatures.
    It does not say anything about an individual person.

    You are making a fool of yourself.
     
  17. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    That is NOT what I put forward

    As DaveC426913 stated you have made a category error
    Anything after the No in your post is nonsense

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  18. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    Very amusing.
    You are now "studying the concept" and dont care about the individuals (the real facts)
    Are you sure you are not a philosopher instead of a scientist ???
     
  19. Dicart Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    465
    More amusing.
    If you stay at the conceptual level of life, you can choose freely (per example you could say it is because it is blue) what ever property you want to fit to your believe (sounds like some religious tought).
    If something/someone that is indeed part of the group the life concept apply, do not fit your freely choosen property, no problem for you : You can say that you are dealing at a more conceptual level of thinking (looks smart for some but not sufficient for me, sorry).

    Could you please explain us how you do the measurement of your "conceptual value" using experimentation, please ?
     
  20. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    This is the only explanation you will receive to the posted twaddle above

    Your post above is twaddle

    ,

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  21. Dicart Registered Senior Member

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    Ok then.
    You dont understand that "life" is a concept used in philosphy and "life" is also an "operational concept" used in science.
    So you are neither a philosoph or a scientist.
     

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