Reclassifying Viruses as Living?

[Thomas Lammers]

----- Original Message -----From: Robin Leech Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 3:15 pm
Subject: Reclassifying Viruses as Living?
To: TAXACOM at LISTSERV.NHM.KU.EDU>

>Hi Taxacomers, If an "thing" can replicate itself by some means, or if we can kill that "thing" by heat, pressure, chemical or oher means, then surely we have to classify that "thing" as a form of life?<

The later is only "killing" if we judge the thing to be "living."  Many things can be *destroyed* -- doesn't mean they are alive.  Don't get caught in semantic circularity.

I think a key criterion of life is metabolism and the ability to use energy.  Viruses can't do that.

Besides, they make problems for Cell Theory.

Nope.  To me, they'll always just be runamuck nucleic acids ...

Tom Lammers