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i haven't thought about it enough to even speculate, but one criteria would be the ability to make decisions, however simple. viruses are entirely passive in t
by clairity 7y ago
i haven't thought about it enough to even speculate, but one criteria would be the ability to make decisions, however simple.
viruses are entirely passive in their action. they're exquisitely complex structures (for what they are) existing entirely by chance that happen to have the property of self-replicating in the presence of the right cellular machinery. they don't decide to do anything, they just are, and therefore don't have agency.
- tsimionescu 7y agoUnfortunately, by your definition, computer programs are closer to being an individual than viruses. I am assuming that is not intended, so probably the idea needs more refinement. I also think this is a weakness of the original article: a lot of things we probably shouldn't consider individual life forms would probably fit the definition (nations, for example).
- clairity 7y agoyes, good point. some autonomy and skin-in-the-game is probably required too. the article seems to have sparked some good conversation, so it's been useful, if not as strong as it might be.