Board index ‹ Assorted Bible Questions

[Nicholas]

> I question your claim about space, time, and fundamental particles. We know of no DNA outside of the Earth. It's a function of life, not of space and time per se.

Do you think DNA is alive or just a collection of bonded atoms? The answer is the latter. Also, viruses have RNA, which acts nearly identically to DNA, but no life. Biological life isn't required of genetic code.

[jimwalton]

> Do you think DNA is alive or just a collection of bonded atoms?

How are you defining life? I'm not defining DNA as alive; it is a function of life, the informational system in life that is, as far as we know, necessary for life. So DNA is a necessary functional component of life systems. Is it "alive" all by itself? It depends how you are defining life. I've mentioned before that scientists struggle exactly how to define life (by definition? by characteristics? by essential components? by viability?). Astronomers seeking to discover life on other planets can only define life as we know it. Will they actually recognize life if it is completely different than our definitions, and how would they know?

I get it that you're trying hard to paint me into the corner of a box, but it's not so straightforward. Without DNA, there is no life, and I'm not sure DNA can survive by itself outside of a context, so I'm not at all convinced that "the answer is the latter."

>Also, viruses have RNA, which acts nearly identically to DNA, but no life.

RNA is not nearly identical to DNA. RNA are building blocks that turn into DNA, but let's not get the two confused. There are big gaps between them.

> Biological life isn't required of genetic code.

Biological life can't exist without genetic code, and genetic code can't exist without a biological component, so I think your definitions and premises are too squirrelly to help the discussion much.