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CreaturesLieHere t1_jbq7yb9 wrote

Reply to comment by Nietzschemouse in I just learned that the known shortest DNA in an “organism” is about 1700 base pairs in a certain virus. Is there a minimum amount of “code” required for an organism (or virus) to function in any capacity? by mcbergstedt

I think the answer lies in quantum physics, we may find some mechanism there that exists in typical life but doesn't exist in atypical thing like viruses and self-replicating RNA. Either that, or it lies in chemistry and we just haven't found the right experiment to make the discovery with. Because the line between "a mix of compounds/elements that can do complex things" and "life" has to be drawn somewhere right?

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TheNorthComesWithMe t1_jbqhi7s wrote

There doesn't have to be any fundamental measurable difference between something that is or is not life. Reality doesn't really care about our need to define things.

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Elladan71 t1_jbrmf6j wrote

This is undeniable. But when we're talking about definitions, aren't we talking about human constructs, attempts to approximate truth? Isn't it the same impulse that birthed the scientific method? Drawing lines between things is *useful!

Plus, anything that provides conversation like this thread is worth talking about, if you ask me.

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CreaturesLieHere t1_jbqo3rx wrote

There are several measurable differences between cells and viruses.

Defining what viruses are, and thus whether or not they're considered "life", is quite scientifically important. We need to define things based on what their uses and limitations are. Viruses are already known to have unique characteristics; if we further define those characteristics and are able to distinguish them from organisms, we can potentially discover new things about life, or new things about almost-life as a whole that fits certain parameters. We dont know what we don't know. Everyone freaking out over labels is missing the point, as usual.

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Nietzschemouse t1_jbq98ao wrote

I mean, sure. Maybe such a thing exists, but if we don't know of that, we're just making things up.

Not that it matters, but I don't personally draw a line between a bunch of molecules and an animal. Granted, that's not a common opinion

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