Can anyone give a clear definition of life?

One definition I have come across, purely from a biological point of view is a cell's or organism's ability to reproduce or replicate itself. This applies to all organisms, but one grey area is viruses. There has been much debate as to whether these are "alive", as they rely on other organisms (ie the cell they have infected) to replicate them.

There are different definitions of life depending on how you look at it.That's why there isn't one sure definition of life.If,for example,you consider that whatever consists of cells is alive,then a salad is alive,even though the plants that were used to make it are dead.Appart from that,viruses are not considered alive this way,because they are not cells and can only be considered alive when they are in another being.That's why there's really no definition for life.

Life has many facets given the number of species. However. life is defined by:

a) organisation into cells;

b) metabolism - conversion on non-living matter into cellular matter and catalysis;

c) growth in all of its parts not just addition of matter;

d) adaptation to your environment;

e) response to stimuli

f) reproduction.

Life for an organism is the period between fertisation and death and at least one of these phenomena are present.

yeah, with modern medicine its really difficult to dry a line as to when someone is dead. use to just be if your heart stopped, but now people survive heart attacks or have their heart stopped during heart surgery all the time and survive. some people define it as an absence of brain activity, but people who are brain dead may have a living body. its pretty much impossible to draw the line as to where death is.

WELL, LIFE IN ITS TRUE SENSE IS ESSENTIALLY-"LIVING" . DONT TAKE LIFE AS IT COMES . ALL U HAVE TO DO IS LIVE LIFE . MAY GOODNESS BE WITH U.

SANTHI HEE

SAY THIS WHEN IN DOUBT.

asathoma sargamaya thamasoma jothirgamaya

<it's irish>

Life is what you make of it.