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EvC Forum ⇒ Science Forums ⇒ Origin of Life ⇒

Is there a border dividing life from non-life?

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Author Topic:   Is there a border dividing life from non-life?
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4572 days)
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From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003

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Message 6 of 132 (104737)
05-02-2004 3:26 PM 		Reply to: Message 1 by sidelined
05-01-2004 11:47 PM

I have argued the same in the past, during abiogenesis discussions. To me, once you start looking for a boundary, things get too fuzzy to sustain the assertion that one thing is alive (or, similarly, "complex" or "intelligent") while another is not.
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Just take this lineup:
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self-replicating molecule -> prion -> virus -> bacterium -> slime mold -> mammal -> human
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Any attempt at drawing a boundary between two of those will find that they share enough characteristics to question the division. (IMHO)
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