What is meant by alive?
That is a hard one.
Are sperm alive?
Is a non-fertilized egg alive?
What is meant by being alive?
Is the zygote alive?
Is the fetus alive prior to being mature enough to live outside the mother's body?
Is life and being alive the same thing or are there shades of both?
What is the difference between being alive and having a quality of life?
I expect volumes could be written on the philosophy of what does being alive mean. Is it just physical? Is it more than just physical?
Note: This is not a discussion about when does life start. It is about the attributes that constitute life and being alive.
Alive ... what does 'being alive' mean?
Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Crabtownboy, Feb 5, 2014.
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
You begin to grow in mind, body, and spirit, from the moment of conception. That is what being alive is. If you are not conceived, you are not alive. Eggs and sperm have no spirit, so they cannot be considered alive. The moment of conception, they are both transformed, begin to experience new things, and begin to grow. Also, the bible tells us the unborn have souls.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
"what does it mean to be alive" ?
Some would say the person skiing in Aspen is more "alive" than the mother of three working 4 or 5 jobs. The master is more "alive" than the slave. That there has to be a certain amount of joy and adventure assigned to life to be truly "alive". Is this your take ? -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
If a person is growing in the womb or out they aint dead. You are either dead or alive. No in between.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
Perhaps the abortionists feel they are doing the fetus a favor by rescuing it from what they see as a future life that is less "alive", as deemed by their "philosophical" definition.
That's where I see this one ending. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Fetus is a term used by those who have no problem slaughtering babies. I despise it. It dehumanizes the child.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
Well, I'm using their terms to describe their apparent attitude. Fetus was a term long before abortion came into the picture. I don't know why you are arguing with me.
I encourage people to vote libertarian, to get some good, constitution-loving judges on the federal benches, and try to at least Roe v. Wade overturned, and get abortion turned back over to the states. I don't see it ending any other way. -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
I'll keep checking to see if C.T.Boy answers post #3.
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
So, considering this:
- Is a grizzly bear alive
- Is a fish alive?
- Is a tree alive?
- Is a one celled amoebia alive?
- Is a tree or a clump of grass alive?
What is it that makes life - life?
I am not arguing, just attempting to discuss and clarify.
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
On the reverse side I have know people who had very little, hardly any material things but were living joyfully. These folk, then, would be more alive.
Right?
What part does awareness come into play in being alive?
Is a person in a vegetative state coma and life support alive?
Given that this person would die if taken off life support, do they have life?
Again, I am not arguing. I am trying to reason this out in my own mind and want good input to consider as I think this over. -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
It's very simple.
"Alive", to me, means "conceived, but not yet dead".
What does it mean to you ? Your answer shouldn't depend on mine. -
Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
That is my question, are they alive? Is a person alive when there is no heart beat, no brainwave, no response to any stimuli, no breathing except for the machine, where nutrients are fed via fluids through a tube directly into the bloodstream?
And are the trees, bears, one celled amoebas, etc. alive ... do they have life?
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
What does being alive mean to you, C.T.Boy ? -
Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
"He is alive."
This can mean he is not dead.
or it can mean that he is very active ... as in He is alive with joy.
The word 'alive' can also be used as an intensive following the noun as in "She is the proudest girl alive."
Do you agree? -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
This question has no bearing on what the term "alive" means. Not going to answer it.
I answered your question, you will not answer mine.
Peace. -
Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
You commented,
I answered your question, you will not answer mine.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
Nope. You asked what constitutes being "alive", yet you won't give your own answer. There can be no wiggle room, in my answer, you cannot get it to say something it doesn't, so you are trying to change the subject to something completely different.
Also, besides your atrocious grammar problems, you cannot use the quote function properly, so you have my words down as yours. You are extremely difficult person in with which to attempt to have a "rational" conversation.
Tell us what you consider to be "alive", if you truly wish to have this "rational" conversation. Lead by example.
I say you are alive between conception, and death.
What say you ? -
Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
A tree is alive, but not in the same way you and I are alive. I believe you would agree that a tree is alive. In this regard there are untold numbers of way 'being alive' can be said to exist. Your comment on being alive must be a being that has a soul. I do not agree ... but agree there is a difference in the life of the two forms, those with a soul and those without a soul.
I am not looking for pat, black and white answers as I do not believe they exist. I am looking for the philosophical aspect of 'life' and 'being alive'. That is often what I am looking for with comments here, but seldom receive any meaningful reply.
See above.
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