According to our study guide, there are six characteristics of life:
1. Cells - All living things are composed of one or more cells. While it's weird to think of us as multi cellular beings, and not one unifiable "self," that odd feeling should go away after a few hours.
2. Organization - Everything from the small - cells - to the large - social and cultural themes.
3. Energy use - Metabolic use of energy.
4. Homeostasis - An internal stabilization. This includes our body temperature, heart pressure, PH, energy balance, etc. We use a certain level of energy (see above) to maintain homeostasis.
5. Growth - Cells (genetic code) divide and change. We have measurable development.
6. Reproduction - the propagation of genetic information, sexual or asexual. Some types of animals cannot reproduce, though other members of their species can.
As this is the used definition for "what is life" I think I can safely say I am alive. I'm not looking at anything outside of this definition. For example, I recently read an article in Scientific American about us being 3D holograms produced on the edge of the universe by energy waves against 2D forms. While interesting, I think it's a bit silly to ponder life for too long, knowing full well I will not come up with the perfect philosophical solution to my ideas.
No comments:
Post a Comment