Sooo -- are viruses alive?

[RestlessSoul]

You think you are. But if the consciousness is no more than an emergent product of dead matter, then are you?

Clearly there is a consciousness. Within that consciousness, there is that which calls itself I. This may be where the confusion begins; in the division between “I” and that which is, or is perceived to be, other.

And if it’s all a dream, there has to be a dreamer, no?

 

[Thief]

Are viruses alive?

I say....YES.....they are

 

[blü 2]

Some say yes, some say no. This is a precursor to other questions. But what do you think, based on your "scientific" knowledge? Are viruses alive?

The question boils down to, "What is the definition of alive?"

And my own suspicion is that the question doesn't have a clean answer, that there is not a particular gap in the spectrum from chemistry to biology, that no theory says we can't in future find a bio-ish thing between, say, a prion and a virus, or a virus and a prokaryote.

 

[Suave]

Some say yes, some say no. This is a precursor to other questions. But what do you think, based on your "scientific" knowledge? Are viruses alive?

I would consider a living being as having metabolical processes enabling the organism to reproduce, grow, and respond to external stimuli. Viruses do make copies of themselves, but can't reproduce without a host organism. Because SARS-CoV2 requires a host organism, that being hunans, I would consider C. O. V. I. D. -19 itself to be lifeless.

 

[Suave]

I say....YES.....they are

In the absence of a host organism, I say No!

 

[Thief]

In the absence of a host organism, I say No!

ALL organisms are dependent on another organism

see......Kiss the Ground
Netflix

likely the most important doc you will see......ever

 

[Suave]

ALL organisms are dependent on another organism

see......Kiss the Ground
Netflix

likely the most important doc you will see......ever

I suppose this is somewhat true, we all began our lives as parasites forming in our mother's wombs.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Some say yes, some say no. This is a precursor to other questions. But what do you think, based on your "scientific" knowledge? Are viruses alive?

Depends how you define "life".

In most common biological definitions, the answer would be "no".

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Yes, those should be included. They have genetics. But they do not have *both* DNA and RNA. Viruses have one or the other. Also, they do not have ribosomes to translate the genetic material into proteins. The host system does that.

And it is for that last reason that I place viruses in the not-alive category, along with the others mentioned in your first post. Also, I take very slight issue with your suggestion that they reproduce, in that they cannot do this without the machinery and metabolism of a living host cell.

 

[We Never Know]

Yes, those should be included. They have genetics. But they do not have *both* DNA and RNA. Viruses have one or the other. Also, they do not have ribosomes to translate the genetic material into proteins. The host system does that.

Didn't first/early life not have DNA, but only RNA and was considered life?

It now seems that RNA was the first molecule of heredity, so it evolved all the essential methods for storing and expressing genetic information before DNA.

The RNA World and the Origins of Life - Molecular Biology of the Cell - NCBI Bookshelf.

 

[Tiberius]

Some say yes, some say no. This is a precursor to other questions. But what do you think, based on your "scientific" knowledge? Are viruses alive?

What criteria need to be met in order for something to be classified as "alive"?

Do viruses meet those criteria?

 

[YoursTrue]

I say....YES.....they are

Since this is more or less a scientific question, how come the jury of scientists does not agree? Are viruses alive? | Microbiology Societylet'
Why do you say they are alive? And...would you say they stay viruses, or do they morph (evolve, perhaps?) into a rather different form, thus no longer a virus.

 

[YoursTrue]

What criteria need to be met in order for something to be classified as "alive"?

Do viruses meet those criteria?

Good question. It is examined here: Are viruses alive? | Microbiology Society
Some say yes, they are alive, others say no, they're not alive. Two microbiologists argue from opposing stances. See what you think.

 

[YoursTrue]

And it is for that last reason that I place viruses in the not-alive category, along with the others mentioned in your first post. Also, I take very slight issue with your suggestion that they reproduce, in that they cannot do this without the machinery and metabolism of a living host cell.

That is what I am learning. Viruses need a host to replicate. The entire question is both philosophical (as to what is alive), and kind of interesting. But -- here's the extension I think about -- do viruses remain viruses when they morph (change form), or can it be said they move into another form of -- what? life? non-life?
Alright -- or do they become eventually a cow?

 

[We Never Know]

Since this is more or less a scientific question, how come the jury of scientists does not agree? Are viruses alive? | Microbiology Societylet'
Why do you say they are alive? And...would you say they stay viruses, or do they morph (evolve, perhaps?) into a rather different form, thus no longer a virus.

Here's an interesting article that goes over both, they are alive and they aren't alive.

Are viruses alive?

 

[YoursTrue]

Everything in the Universe is alive - because it’s all one.

Does a virus have a consciousness? Almost certainly not. Does a tree?

Some people would argue a tree has consciousness. I don't. But I do think trees react to -- the rain -- the soil -- a dry spell -- and possibly, even birds singing. (I haven't asked a tree lately, or ever. And I have no intention of doing so.) So now we get into another philosophical question. OK, here I go off into the deep-er end. Cows. What do cows do mostly all day? They spend much of their time grazing. They look up sometimes when someone comes by. They go to the barn. They make milk. Calves. And other things. But they don't write poems. Or anything. They virtually eat grass most of the day. While it may be cute when they look up as a person draws near, that's what they do all day.

 

[YoursTrue]

Here's an interesting article that goes over both, they are alive and they aren't alive.

Are viruses alive?

Yes, I looked at the scientific little controversy. Problem is: do they stay in the form of a virus, or do they morph into something else? Yes, as evolution teaches. But then we can figure either they are alive, or they're not. Hmmm, what a dilemma. But not really. The more I look at it, the more I see the push against evolution, the theory of.

 

[YoursTrue]

Huh?



It seems you have a poor understanding about what evolution is about and what the theory of evolution actually says.

There we go again, Polymath257. Are viruses alive? What do scientists say? Do viruses evolve into something else? I can only imagine some might say yes, if they think they're alive. But then the question comes in, what if they're not alive? Do they evolve, live or not alive? What do you think?

 

[We Never Know]

Yes, I looked at the scientific little controversy. Problem is: do they stay in the form of a virus, or do they morph into something else? Yes, as evolution teaches. But then we can figure either they are alive, or they're not. Hmmm, what a dilemma. But not really. The more I look at it, the more I see the push against evolution, the theory of.

The link I posted makes arguements for both.

Plus from the link I posted...
"It is estimated that there are 10^31 virus particles in the oceans – they vastly outnumber all other organisms on the planet. Alive or not, viruses are doing rather well!"

 

[RestlessSoul]

Some people would argue a tree has consciousness. I don't. But I do think trees react to -- the rain -- the soil -- a dry spell -- and possibly, even birds singing. (I haven't asked a tree lately, or ever. And I have no intention of doing so.) So now we get into another philosophical question. OK, here I go off into the deep-er end. Cows. What do cows do mostly all day? They spend much of their time grazing. They look up sometimes when someone comes by. They go to the barn. They make milk. Calves. And other things. But they don't write poems. Or anything. They virtually eat grass most of the day. While it may be cute when they look up as a person draws near, that's what they do all day.

You’re asking if cows have consciousness at all, given that they have so little to think about, and no language with which to frame any thoughts they might have?

This raises several interesting questions about the nature of consciousness, thought, and language. Language, for humans, certainly frames and facilitates thought, but what does it do for consciousness? Most meditation practices involve the practitioner letting go of thought, in order to attain an elevated state of consciousness. Maybe then, cows have attained a higher form of consciousness than humans. If consciousness can be measured or defined in terms of “higher” or “lower”.