What is life ?

Life is process of constant changes, thanks which is Universe dynamic, I perceive life as a one living organism, though it sometimes looks
that we live separate lives.
In fact there aren´t any thing which exist independently of the rest. This idea is greatly explained in IP - mindwalk and also in Buddhism.
Also each elements (fire, water, earth, air) can not exist independently.
About life I would say that it´s game of shadows and lights. I think that this is one of the main concepts what makes life. life of itself.
I couldn´t imagine life without its opposite, I think it would be rather dying than life.

With all due respect, what I said above and in the other thread is my opinion. However that thread was locked because of a quote mine and I wonder how long until this thread suffers that same fate because I would like to address one issue. Namely that quote mine of BR John,

fyxe wrote: Characteristics for life is simply complexity.

john wrote: That's a breathtakingly stupid thing to say.

The characteristics of life are:

Living things are made of cells.
Living things obtain and use energy.
Living things grow and develop.
Living things reproduce.
Living things respond and may adapt to their environment.

If something follows one or just a few of the characteristics listed above, it does not necessarily mean that it is living.

You, Fyxe, keep throwing anything out there and coming up with ad hoc nonsense. There are all sorts of complex things that are not alive I can think of some math equations and spacecraft, even some recipes.

This is not the place for you. I recommend Quora.com

What I actually said was -

Characteristics for life is simply complexity. life is not an event or a thing. it is a process of complexity. it is an organization of elements that give rise to awareness.

as a result I got called stupid and invited to leave this temple.
I find one valid characteristic when it comes to life. A process of interactions and chemicals that give rise to awareness. Take the water out of my body and I die. Take the water from this planet and it dies. take the blood from my body and it dies as well. is the blood alive? no, is it necessary for life? Yes. thats what I actually said. so thank you.

Cells are not required for life.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/non-cellular-life-definition-examples.html

Autotrophs dont obtain energy. Instead they obtain inorganic materials and convert it.
https://www.ck12.org/book/ck-12-human-biology/section/4.9/

Plenty of non-living things grow and develop as well.
https://sciencing.com/nonliving-things-grow-8349728.html

Mules are alive but cant reproduce
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule

The only universal attribute of life seems to be that it is aware. My point not "ad hoc nonsense".

What is aware.... central processing or just direct linear reaction?

Adder wrote: What is aware.... central processing or just direct linear reaction?

No organic life.

Fyxe wrote:

Adder wrote: What is aware.... central processing or just direct linear reaction?

No organic life.

I ask because things like plants don't appear to have central processing, rather just linearish cascades of reactions locally but plants exhibit quite complex aware type behaviour.

Are plants not alive? Plants respond to their environment but they dont "central process" whatever that means. They are not computers.

Fyxe wrote: Are plants not alive? Plants respond to their environment but they dont "central process" whatever that means. They are not computers.

Animals seem to have central processing, so I was exploring your distinction between alive and aware. Linear direct reactions are undertaken by simple chemicals as well but what is alive vs reactive. For most folk a distinction seems to be made at some point to signify the differences.

Things that respond to environment because of the environment conditions are alive. Chemicals respond as reactions not responses, meaning they have no self interest in the reaction. Plants will turn leaves to the sun and go dormant in the cold. A chemical could care less because they are incapable of caring

https://youtu.be/s5BJXwNeKsQ