• flora_explora@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      6 months ago

      They actually don’t have a metabolism, that’s why they don’t fall into the definition of life in the first place.

      Source Wikipedia: “Although they have genes, they do not have a cellular structure, which is often seen as the basic unit of life. Viruses do not have their own metabolism and require a host cell to make new products. They therefore cannot naturally reproduce outside a host cell”

      • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        6 months ago

        Man, all these biologists going on about cell structure are in for a rude awakening when we run into silicon based life forms. Or even Commander Data

          • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            Why can’t they be fascinated and produce a universalisable definition now? How am I supposed to trust their opinion of whether a virus is alive if they can’t even get Commander Data right? Commander Data is way easier to philosophically understand than a virus.

            • flora_explora@beehaw.org
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              6 months ago

              Sorry, I’m unfortunately too much of a literal, analytical thinker to continue this line of joking. Maybe I don’t even fall into the definition of life myself, who knows…

              • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                6 months ago

                I’m not joking, I genuinely disagree with the mainstream classification of viruses and Commander Data is genuinely an important cultural symbol for these issues.

                • flora_explora@beehaw.org
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  6 months ago

                  Ah OK, I couldn’t tell. So what would you say would be a better definition and what would you like to see included? I’m not really familiar with Data, maybe some background would be helpful…