Re: MD what is life?

From: Wim Nusselder (wim.nusselder@antenna.nl)
Date: Sun Nov 16 2003 - 21:34:43 GMT

  • Next message: Nathan Pila: "MD Pinker says.."

    Dear Nathan,

    You wrote 15 Nov 2003 21:51:42 -0500:
    'How would you ... define "life"? I am aware that I am not being fair here
    in that this question is easy to state and terribly difficult to answer.'

    Seems quite easy to me: patterns of matter that reproduce themselves
    (distinction from inorganic level) by means of 'hard-wired' (instinctual,
    hormones, nerves, enzymes etc. directed) behavior rather than by means of
    copied behavior (distinction from social level) or motivated behavior
    (distinction from intellectual level).

    David M.'s answer (16 Nov 2003 16:37:33 -0000) doesn't look like a
    definition to me. It describes some properties 'life' has, which dead matter
    has not (more complexity, more freedom, using energy to become more free
    rather than more determined), but these properties are a matter of degree,
    not fit for defining a precise distinction between dead and living matter.
    And they don't define the distinction between life and even higher levels of
    complexity and freedom.

    I haven't got the time to read and compare Magnus's take on life
    (www.moq.org/forum/magnus/magnus.html). Can someone please summarize it?

    With friendly greetings,

    Wim

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