MD Life is ....

From: Nathan Pila (pila@sympatico.ca)
Date: Mon Nov 17 2003 - 00:09:44 GMT

  • Next message: Richard Loggins: "Re: MD out of our depth"

    Trivik,

    I think you make some good points. I am waiting for the objections to your
    comments from the others. The problem is to create a definition that is not
    too wide so that things that are clearly not alive are not defined as alive
    and yet not to restrictive so that things that we want to call living are
    included in the definition.

    Good counter examples you came up with.

    Regards, Nathan

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Trivik" <trivik@stwing.upenn.edu>
    To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 6:17 PM
    Subject: Re: MD what is life?

    >
    >
    > > 'How would you ... define "life"?
    > > 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).
    >
    >
    > well inorganic crystals fit your description. they reproduce themselves ny
    > means of....
    >
    > as do genes themselves, but you may say that they are alive - how about a
    > virus - fits your description, though it is not alive.
    >
    > you have not said how it reproduces itself - presumably it is aloud some
    > interaction with paterns outside of itself. and sometimes, life can only
    > exist with special neighbourhood patterns. say you had an infinite line of
    > dominos. you (god) drops the first one - this falling domino is our
    > pattern - partway through it reproduces itself, i.e. another falling
    > domino. ergo falling dominos are alive ? (no motivation what soever
    > involved once the correct enviroment has been set up - remove enviroment
    > or take a man to pluto to stay withouth further changes in neigh patt,
    > and life simply dies)
    >
    >
    > MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
    > Mail Archives:
    > Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
    > Nov '02 Onward -
    http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html
    > MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
    >
    > To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
    > http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
    >
    >

    MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
    Mail Archives:
    Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
    Nov '02 Onward - http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html
    MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net

    To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
    http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html

    This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Nov 17 2003 - 00:10:19 GMT