Living things grow and develop Living things develop offspring Living things require energy for daily activities Living things respond to stimuli Living things have levels of organization (for some) ;+
Brain activity. This one is really weird because most of the time, a person's brain shuts down before the other organs. That makes sense- the brain stops functioning and the rest of the body quits with it because there's nothing telling the body to breathe and pump blood. But, sometimes, the brain keeps going, even when there is no blood and oxygen going to it. Meaning, a person can be "dead," but still have a functioning brain for 30 minutes or so after death. Electrical impulses are also seen in the brains of babies as early as 5-6 weeks in development- yup- when a woman is less than two months pregnant. They say it's not consciousness or awareness, but it's not really explained what it is or what causes it. We only know that, in both these cases, the brain is doing something. It poses HUGE ethical considerations in terms of abortion legality, organ donation, and when to "shut off the machines" at someone's end of life.
Yes. Those answers to those questions are more than too much for a q & a site unless we care to add Quora Bag to the list of Mugger Accomplishments. You brought up a lot of information. I do think that we are always aware and present. I think we can see everything when we are not in this body. The more physical our being becomes as it develops, the more attached they become to the physical.
Therefore, when a young infant is born, they are ready to connect with other beings in this guise of human being. But it also allows for the idea that abortion is not the evil curse that those who are against it may think. I don't know how the unseen works, of course, but it stands to some reason that they can come back again. If they are not allowed to be born in this lifetime, maybe that is part of their karma and the karma of the parents. It is not an excuse to stop a life at all, but I think it is reasonable to consider this idea.
Ive heard that talking can be a signs of life with exceptions of course of ventriloquists dummies ,or when such ventriloquist has a saw froat ........:(
Most life-forms don't have brains or don't breathe and don't have hearts. They must consume some form of energy producing substance. Many do not grow or develop, but reproduce by splitting. All have DNA. I'm talking about Bacteria of course.
This post was edited by Element 99 at August 30, 2017 2:23 PM MDT