Speaking or even defining criteria about life or non-life is very difficult, because it is about subjectivity among people. This is due to the different opinions existing in a population with habits, customs and experiences ranging from childhood creativity, youthful discoveries, maturity and adult responsibilities.
Thus, the act of tasting and enjoying a meal could set some conceptual value for distinction between Life and Non-Life, using, for example, a syllogism, we have: If to live is to taste treats; I live because I love chocolate.
Thus, it is impossible to define Life and establish the opposite for Non-Life.
Support for the projection of life.
However, for scientific and didactic criteria, we understand life as a well-organized chemical complex, having the cell as a basic and fundamental unit that characterizes a living being, being able to express its own reactions or stimuli of the quite.
If we analyze the chemical composition of a stone compared to a butterfly, we will notice the existence of similar elements or not (carbon, oxygen, iron...) in the structural arrangement of both. Therefore, the composition, proportion and organizational degree of chemical elements differentiate between animate and inanimate beings, each inserted in time and space.
Nutritional, locomotor, respiratory and reproductive actions of the simplest organisms (Unicellular: bacteria, fungi and protozoa), and the grander (Multicellular: gymnosperms, angiosperms, birds, mammals), are also determining criteria of the great abyss between Life and Non Life.
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Life manifests these actions, directly or indirectly coordinated by the expression of the DNA molecule – deoxyribonucleic acid. Pseudopod emission, organelle functioning, cellular respiration, predator sensitivity, transport of sap and other metabolic activities are governed by the synthesis of compounds from the DNA molecule supporting the Life.
By Krukemberghe Fonseca
Graduated in Biology
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
RIBEIRO, Krukemberghe Divine Kirk da Fonseca. "Life or Not Life?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/vida-ou-nao-vida.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
