What Constitutes Life?, or what does living mean...

[Shadows]

I have been a scientist all my adult life, I have my beliefs of what life is and what it is not.


I do not see life supported existence for those with no hope as life...

I do not see keeping alive infants that would stand no chance in the natural world as life...

I do not see "man" as the one to define life...

I do see life in everything around me and how it interacts with the "life" around it.

Life is a fleeting thing to be cherished, shared, and let go when the time comes.
It is not something to be extended by those who can not cope, understand , nor want to let go...

Science has made many advances to help improve the "quality" of life but it also has made steps backwards in allowing life to end.

[Shadows]

I see no one wants to answer my question...
nor refute my position.

Life... is it just breathing, having a heart beat, existing at the whim of doctors and family that can't cope with loss...

or is it more... being aware of what is going on around you ( well that does leave some folks out ) , participating in your existance, relating to your surroundings, having some quality to your life besides laying on your back with machines and tubes being the only thing between you and eternity.

I think the creator had more in mind when he gave life then the modern medical, and now seems, political world have as their agenda.

If you can't enjoy or even comprehend what is happening to you, how can it be called life?

Death is part of life!

[MDF3530]

Here's what I think constitutes life: experiences.

Allow me to elaborate. Every day, we experience something, good or bad. Some are memorable, some are mundane. About a year ago, I had the memorable experience of watching my niece Amy take her first steps. The only way I can describe the feeling I got from that experience is sheer and utter joy.

I have told everyone I know that I do not want to be kept alive by any artificial means. If I am not able to experience any of the highs and lows that life has to offer, like the example I cited above, then I would rather be dead.

[reddrake79]

If man does not define life, then how is life to be defined?

I agree with some of what has been said. Life is about experiences. Every day brings new ones. As a scientist myself I have to aknowledge that there is a part of me science cannot define, MY MIND. I do not mean the physical thing that is my brain but what makes me, me. Not just me experiences, although they help define who I am, but I am not "the sum total of my experiences." Meaning that my experiences are not the ONLY thing to define who I am.
I find it alarming to say that we should not keep alive " infants that would stand no chance in the natural world as life..." Infants by their very nature do not stand a chance at life. What about the mentally retarded, autistic or elderly, should they not be kept alive because they would not survive on their own? That is what Hitler thought. Before the Jews and Gypsy's were massacred, the mentaly ill were. Any family that has an autistic or mentaly retarded member will tell you that it is difficult to live with them but there are blessings to be had as well.
However, I do not think that the family should be making a huge fuss, involving the government and courts, about the Florida Woman. She has been in a comatose state for about 15 years. Is this living? I would say no. She is not interacting with those around her. She cannot experience nor can she bring experiences to others, either by sharing in them or by relating past ones. The only way to make a decision about life is to make a moral one. Science can only tell us what we observe. She is breathing, her body is processing food, there may even be some brain waves. These are all signs of life. If we found something in space that gave off brain waves it would be hailed as signs of life in outer space. But is it? What if it cannot interact with us no matter how hard we tried, would we still consider it to be alive? Is her mind still there? science cannot answer that question. There is a point when life ends and those around us need to accept when our life ends. The desire is strong to not loose a loved one, but it happens. I take comfort in my beliefs about what happens after death, something else science cannot explain, I am a Christian and believe that all who are saved will be in heaven. I take comfort from the fact that i will see many of my loved ones in heaven when I die. I have that comfort, many people find comfort in their religion about death, others have no comfort because they don't believe in anything after death.
What is life? A functioning body and the ability to appreciate things around you.

[Annabelle]

I highly value life. I would have a difficult time deciding to pull the plug on someone or cut off their life support. I do believe if a person is dying why not make them as comfortable as possible til it's over. The point of cutting this ladies fluids is cruel. It actually delays the process making the end longer to get to which is just cruel torture to me.

I just hope my end is painless and quick.

[reddrake79]

I highly value life also. I believe that we are all created in the image of God and as such every human has value. That being said though, which is more cruel?

pulling the plug so that she passes on sooner, or leaving the plug in for the next several years, which she wont experience, until she is 75 and dies of old age Causing even more heartache and trouble for the family during that time. She has already been on life support for around 15 years.

[Celtic cat]

I knew I shouldn't have come in here, but here I am. The lady in florida issue...plain and simple I don't know the truth about what is really happening there, and would only know if I was in their position. To answer the life question, well life is here and eternal, in my humble opinion. We should live life to our fullest on earth, try to make last what God gave us in every sence. After we die, which we should eventually, life might be what is was always meant to be. *celtic cat steps down from soap box*

[CelticCoalition]

I think the problem I have with this topic, and the question, is it seems one thing is being asked, and a different answer is expected.

People try to define things so that it makes sense to them. The woman discussed in this forum, whether or not she was alive was not the question. I think the question is what is meaningful life. Where is the line between a human and a body. People tried to see her as dead before they pulled to plug in order to feel better about letting her go. They didn't want her to fit their definition of life, because they didn't want to end life.

Life might be precious, but not at all costs. I do not believe that life is so precious that we must have artificial life. A body with no mind is not life, it's artificial. It's a husk. When the soul is gone, life is gone.

[Shadows]

I am sorry if those reading this "question" think it pertains to one individual... it was not asked in that venue....

My question remains the same and is only asked to understand what others feel is life.

[CelticCoalition]

Let me clarify my objection to the question. It isn't a huge objection, or an angry one. I think it is simply a clarification.

Is the question what is life? Or what is living?

Are you asking, what is life in general? Or what defines a humans life?

[Shadows]

I want that to remain open for discussion...

How do you interpret my question?

I do not see anger nor objection in your questions, they are valid!

[CelticCoalition]

Well, I suppose sometimes it's easier to describe what life is, by stating what it isn't.

Life isn't an unconcious body, with no mind left, being kept functional by machines.

That's about all I know.

As I've heard before...I might not be able to define life, but I know it when I see it. At least for me.

[sorbus]

Life is
Something
That Man Legislates upon at His Peril
The First Thing Thing The Good Doctor Says
Is That We Know almost Nothing
The Scientist with all His Arts
Has But barely scraped The Ancient Dust off
The Book of Life
What we can but admit is Our Ignorance