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One systemic definition of life is that living things are self-organizing and autopoietic (self-producing). Variations of this include Stuart Kauffman's definition as an autonomous agent or a multi-agent system capable of reproducing itself, and of completing at least one thermodynamic work cycle. [27]
Jainism divides the universe into living and non-living beings. Only when the living becomes attached to the non-living does suffering result. Therefore, happiness is the result of self-conquest and freedom from external objects. The meaning of life may then be said to be to use the physical body to achieve self-realization and bliss. [155]
Among the criteria that have been proposed for being an organism are: autonomous reproduction, growth, and metabolism [7] noncompartmentability – structure cannot be divided without losing functionality. [6] Richard Dawkins stated this as "the quality of being sufficiently heterogeneous in form to be rendered non-functional if cut in half". [8]
Living systems are life forms (or, more colloquially known as living things) treated as a system. They are said to be open self-organizing and said to interact with their environment. These systems are maintained by flows of information , energy and matter .
Sentient beings is a term used to designate the totality of living, conscious beings that constitute the object and audience of Buddhist teaching. Translating various Sanskrit terms ( jantu, bahu jana, jagat, sattva ), sentient beings conventionally refers to the mass of living things subject to illusion, suffering, and rebirth ( saṃsāra ).
A life form (also spelled life-form or lifeform) is an entity that is living, [1] [2] such as plants , animals , and fungi . It is estimated that more than 99% of all species that ever existed on Earth, amounting to over five billion species, [3] are extinct. [4] [5] Earth is the only celestial body known to harbor life forms. No form of ...
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Living Things may refer to: Life, all objects that have self-sustaining processes (biology) Organisms, contiguous living systems (such as animals, plants, fungi, or ...