RE: MD What is a living being?

From: Jonathan B. Marder (jonathan.marder@newmail.net)
Date: Wed Apr 30 2003 - 17:52:29 BST

  • Next message: Valence: "Re: MD What is a living being?"

    Hi Platt, Phyllis and all,

    PLATT asks:
    Has anyone ever witnessed a new species being created?

    My stock answer is that new species are created regularly and typically it
    happens at scientific conference, or in the publication of a scientific
    paper!!!!

    Biological evolution proceeds in small increments. It is humans who decide
    when the accumulated increments add up to a species difference.

    Re: the subject thread, I think we all know the "qualities" that make
    something alive, but it is difficult to decide if things like viruses and
    prions have these qualities. It all gets fuzzy at the borders.

    I would also like to add that "patterns" are defined by both static and
    dynamic quality. The "static" part is made up of the constraints required to
    define the pattern. The dynamic part is the allowable variation (all the
    non-defined part). You CAN step into the same river twice, because the
    particular water-molecules that flow by are not part of the static
    definition. (I hope that is not too cryptic).

    Jonathan

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