Definition of Living Thing ?

[Alex/Mugaaz]

I thought I read before that silicon based life was theoretically possible.

Yeah silicon based life is theoritically possible, since it ressemble carbon in many ways...however it has some problem maintaining double and triple bonds hence it could be hard to have an advanced form of life...but who knows what is out there. One problem though, oxidation of C is a gaz, CO2...oxidation of Si is a solid...which further limit the possibilities of advanced life form developing from it.

If you like StarTrek, I think they have some sort of thing that is silicon based and alife...don'T know it's name I'm not a big fan myself.

[RainDog]

I will venture to say that every "thing" is "living" under my definition of the term. But then to define the term is to answer the question no?

Everything is connected and is at all times interacting or at least capable of interacting with all other "things". So I rather prefer to view it as one living entity (perhaps even God) of which we are all part.

Don't agree? You obviously haven't done enough drugs.

"And what if all of animated nature
Be but organic Harps diversely fram'd,
That tremble into thought, as o'er them sweeps
Plastic and vast, one intellectual breeze,
At once the Soul of each, and God of all?"

[laurentia]

Here is an introduction to chemoton theory with comparison to other definitions of life:

http://home.wxs.nl/~gkorthof/korthof66.htm