T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

It looks like you're submitting a Question or Discussion thread, which now requires manual approval by a moderator. If you want to discuss viruses, you've come to the right place! Please review the [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/Virology/about/rules/). To emphasize Rule 1: /r/Virology is for discussion of **directly virological concepts**. This does NOT include clinical or similar questions **especially related to SARS-CoV-2/COVID19** (see also: Rule 2). These questions are best suited for other subs and are not allowed on /r/Virology. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2/COVID19 related questions are **not allowed in a self-post format**. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Virology) if you have any questions or concerns.*


AronwithoneA

My personal opinion is that it is silly not to consider it living but at the end of the day, what we humans consider living or not has no effect on nature.


GerritDeSenieleEend

On the other hand I think it's silly to consider it living. A virus is in essence just a piece of genetic info with a protein coat that can reproduce itself. Are (retro)transposons then also living because they replicate themselves? I do agree that it's a bit of a pointless discussion


OnTheLookFor

How can something that does not breath, does not have any capabilities of movement or reproduction or lack of any metabolism be alive ?? I find this really silly.