Thursday, January 22, 2009
How do you know you're alive?
To me, being alive means being capable of functioning. I can see, touch, smell, taste and hear and I am capable of interacting with others who do these same things. The scientific definition of living is surviving and adapting to changes. I believe this definition of being alive is a great one. For example, my cat, that I've had for about a year and a half, sort of adopted my boyfriend and I. She is, what I like to say, a cat burglar. She literally broke into the house and has been here ever since. I would imagine that she broke into the house to survive, which she's doing quite well. This example would support the definition from scientists that living is surviving and adapting to changes. What do you guys think? Do you think living is merely breathing?
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Scientifically if you are breathing then you are alive. Many people do not have all have of the senses that you listed above. For example helen keler was deaf and blind but she learned how to live the best way that she could..very amazing story.
ReplyDeleteWhat about bacteria? Do they breathe?
ReplyDeleteFunny story about the cat. I have one that did the same thing. Two weeks after my wife and I moved into our house we could hear a faint meowing coming from the garage. I went out there one day and there was a little kitten freezing up in the rafters of the garage. He has never left. He adapted to our house just fine. He thinks he owns the place now.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny my cat did the same thing to us about 8 years ago. She showed up on our doorstep and just kind of made her way into our family! I never really thought of it as her adapting to our life for her survival!
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ReplyDeleteCats are the best survivors :) I too think of my senses when I think of being alive. What would life be like if we didn't have them? Pretty boring, huh? However boring it may be for those without senses, such as flowers, they still exude the qualities required for life; they are born, they need food and water (nourishment), they respond to sunlight (stimulation), they breathe, they reproduce and they die.
ReplyDeleteCats really are amazing animals. I also put down the sense about being alive. I think that they are a huge part of our lives and we could not be as advanced as we are without them.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Stephanie makes a good point about flowers. They are advanced in their own way without having all the qualities we possess. It is interesting to compare all living things.
I like how you incorporated the use of senses. While they aren't necessary to live, I do think they make you appreciate life more kind of making you more alive. The cat story was funny, that happened to us but it was a rabbit in our case.
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