| User | Post |
Grey the Stampede
Posts: 2645/3770 |
Nah, tigers are tough. You'd have some trouble killing it.
Of the seven signs of life, I can remember:
Cell structure
Reproduction
Respiration
Response to stimulus
Growth over time
If these are even correct, does anyone know the other two? Grey brain no work sleep well without. |
Dracoon
Posts: 3303/3727 |
The only thing that I can think of is... does it really matter what we consider them? We know what they are, why would it matter if they were alive. If a tiger was about to kill you and you have the means to kil you, and barring you being suicidal and a few other things, you'd kill it wouldn't you? |
||bass
Posts: 617/817 |
I would just like to point out that, while biologic viruses actually invade host cells and bla bla bla etc etc etc, a COMPUTER virus actually doesn't do anything. It's the computer that runs the code that creates the viral effects. It's a small dissimilarity that makes a HUGE difference. |
cowsruleusall
Posts: 48/50 |
Oooh, a great topic. I wrote a three-page essay on this for my final exam in Biology. Viruses are most definately not alive, nor are they biotic microorganisms. They are pathogens (pathogen refers to any infectious agent, be it bacteria, virus, fungi, or other parasite). To be alive, as one of the 7 characteristics of life, a living organism must be able to reproduce by itself. Viruses are only a protein coat surrounding genetic material. It is completely incapable of reproducing by itself. Viruses instead insert their genetic material into a living cell, taking over it. That cell then creates more viruses; the virus itself does not create more viruses. Also, metabolism, or some form of taking in energy to sustain a given state (excuse me if I'm not making sense, as I'm really tired) is not shown in viruses, and that is another one of the 7 characteristics of life. As part of cell theory, all living things are composed of one or more cells. Viruses do not have cells; therefore, they cannot be alive. If right now I could remember what else I wrote, I'd include it, but I deleted all of the remains of this school year from my computer. There is just absolutely no way a virus can be alive. |
alte Hexe
Posts: 4416/5458 |
Actually, that's fairly sound logic. What with him keeping it within the classification of a biotic organism. |
Alastor the Stylish
Posts: 6810/7620 |
That's stupid logic, though, because that's not what it means. Sure, you can take it to mean that, just as I can take "human" to mean "having characteristics of plants" but that doesn't make it so. |
Jagori
Posts: 228/267 |
A virus is a germ. "Germ" in that sense just means some sort of microorganism, usually a pathogen. I consider any biological organism to be alive, so yes in my opinion viruses are alive. They're not sentient, but they're alive. |
Vulkar
Posts: 25/61 |
Okay, this makes no sense to me, so I'll reply with as much sense as possible.
Biological viruses should not be considered alive in my opinion. They are like germs, only more effective, and more damaging.
Now, computer viruses(worms aren't a virus you should know.) are also not alive. |
neotransotaku
Posts: 3438/4016 |
Originally posted by Legion
Originally posted by Legault
Back on subject though. I see viruses as living because they eat cells and stuff like that.
No they don't.
viruses don't eat cells, they just simply take the cell over by hijacking the equipment that is there. to me, the defining point of a species to being alive is the ability to reproduce on their own. As far as I know, any species in the animal tree has the ability to reproduce on their own without the aid of another organism to do it for them. viruses are unable to do that because they are nothing more than protiens. |
Legion
Posts: 4511/5657 |
Originally posted by Legault
Back on subject though. I see viruses as living because they eat cells and stuff like that.
No they don't. |
Dei*
Posts: 246/412 |
Well, so they eat whatever they want...obeseity worms?  |
HyperLamer
Posts: 5425/8210 |
It wouldn't 'die' if its target vanished though. It would just sit there idle until another one appears. And corrupting a file isn't really the same as eating.
Also 99% of worms that corrupt files just pick random ones, not one specific thing.  |
Legault
Posts: 183/269 |
in a way some computer viruses require food. Like the worm virus. It can only stay alive as long as the program that it was sent after is still on the computer. Like in the book Digital Fortress.
Back on subject though. I see viruses as living because they eat cells and stuff like that. |
Maldrog
Posts: 7/8 |
Yupp computer viruses are just memory on a computer and nothing more... just 1s and 0s. |
Dei*
Posts: 231/412 |
Originally posted by HyperHacker
Computer programs don't require food. 
No because hackers dont put stomachs in. |
HyperLamer
Posts: 5395/8210 |
Computer programs don't require food. |
Kaioshin
Posts: 24/45 |
About the carbon-based ones, here's a wikipedia article about them with this topic mentioned. I'll quote it.
Viruses: non-living or alive?
A virus makes use of existing enzymes and other molecules of a host cell to create more virus particles. Viruses are neither unicellular nor multicellular organisms; they are somewhere between being living and non-living. Viruses have genes and show inheritance, but are reliant on host cells to produce new generations of viruses. Many viruses have similarities to complex molecules. Like DNA, viruses undergo molecular replication and they can often be crystallized. Because viruses are dependent on host cells for their replication they are generally not classified as "living". Whether or not they are "alive", they are obligate parasites, and have no form which can reproduce independently of their host. Like most parasites, they have a specific host range, sometimes specific to one species (or even limited cell types of one species) and sometimes more general.
Viruses form when molecules are assembled from organic compounds providing complex, microscopic structures which have the potential for self-assembly, and thusly they have large implications in the study of the origin of life. In the debate of whether viruses are alive or not, if the requirement for autonomous self-reproduction is abandoned, it can be strongly argued that viruses are indeed alive. Some small viruses are more efficient than most cellular life forms as their ratio of functions to working parts is so high. If viruses are alive then the prospect of creating artificial life is enhanced or at least the standards required to call something artificially alive are reduced.
However, one should note that no program can be considered alive. (As is the case with computer viruses.
Edit: Oh, and here is another interesting article about Life itself (in a biological sense) which might answer what the criteria for a thing being alive are supposed to be. |
Dei*
Posts: 207/412 |
I don't think viruses are alive, not fully anyway. Hmm...That IS a tough question. |
Legion
Posts: 4495/5657 |
Originally posted by The Wrong 'Un
What on earth are the 7 signs of life????
I was wondering myself. |
The Wrong 'Un
Posts: 58/64 |
What on earth are the 7 signs of life????
|
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