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Alive ... what does 'being alive' mean?

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Crabtownboy, Feb 5, 2014.

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  1. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    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.
     
    #1 Crabtownboy, Feb 5, 2014
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  2. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    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.
     
    #2 Bro. Curtis, Feb 5, 2014
  3. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    "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 ?
     
    #3 Bro. Curtis, Feb 5, 2014
  4. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    If a person is growing in the womb or out they aint dead. You are either dead or alive. No in between.
     
    #4 Revmitchell, Feb 5, 2014
  5. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    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.
     
    #5 Bro. Curtis, Feb 5, 2014
  6. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Fetus is a term used by those who have no problem slaughtering babies. I despise it. It dehumanizes the child.
     
    #6 Revmitchell, Feb 5, 2014
  7. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    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.
     
    #7 Bro. Curtis, Feb 5, 2014
  8. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    I'll keep checking to see if C.T.Boy answers post #3.
     
    #8 Bro. Curtis, Feb 5, 2014
  9. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    If I follow you only that which has a spirit is alive.

    So, considering this:

    1. Is a grizzly bear alive
    2. Is a fish alive?
    3. Is a tree alive?
    4. Is a one celled amoebia alive?
    5. 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.
     
    #9 Crabtownboy, Feb 6, 2014
  10. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    I would say yes and no ... it depends on a case by case investigation. I have known people who seemingly had everything, wealth, material things, claimed to be Christian ... and yet from all appearances they were miserable. This would make them, IMHO, not very alive using your example above.

    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.
     
    #10 Crabtownboy, Feb 6, 2014
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  11. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    This isn't rational. I did not say everything has a spirit. You did not ask what "life" is. You asked what constitutes being "alive".
     
    #11 Bro. Curtis, Feb 6, 2014
  12. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    You have said yourself "where there is breath, there is life", and you have also argued that a baby who has not yet taken a breath is not alive so you must agree with me that a person on life support has life. A person in a vegetative coma is alive as long as there is breath. This is your position, correct ?
     
    #12 Bro. Curtis, Feb 6, 2014
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  13. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    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.
     
    #13 Bro. Curtis, Feb 6, 2014
  14. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Then no one who is dying be put on life support and sustained indefinitely? Is that your stance?

    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?
     
    #14 Crabtownboy, Feb 6, 2014
  15. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    Try wording your question again, with proper grammar.

    I gave you my definition. Why can't you give yours ? Are you trying to move the goal posts ?

    Already answered.

    What does being alive mean to you, C.T.Boy ?
     
    #15 Bro. Curtis, Feb 6, 2014
  16. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Should all people at the point of death be put on life support if they are where they can be hooked up. Is it murder not to do so?



    It depends on the context of the use of the word.

    "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?
     
    #16 Crabtownboy, Feb 6, 2014
  17. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    This question has no bearing on what the term "alive" means. Not going to answer it.




    Nope. I think you're playing games, and I'm bowing out, with the observation that you refuse to answer any questions, and seem to be only trying another "yea, hath God said…."

    I answered your question, you will not answer mine.

    Peace.
     
    #17 Bro. Curtis, Feb 6, 2014
  18. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    I was referring to your comment on being alive. The logical conclusion is that all should be kept going artificially as long as medical technology can keep us in a non-deteriorated vegetative state.

    You commented,
    I believe that some in a vegetative state do breath ... but I am not sure of this. There are those in such a state that do not and can not breath on their own. If there is no breath is there any life even if machines prevent them from deteriorating?






    No, I gave you my definitions. But you can bow out if you like. I still would like some rational discussion from others.

    I answered your question, you will not answer mine.

    Peace and happiness to you also.
     
    #18 Crabtownboy, Feb 6, 2014
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  19. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    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 ?
     
    #19 Bro. Curtis, Feb 6, 2014
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  20. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Being alive can be any of the three definitions I gave you. Life is not as simple as I feel you would like it to be. There are various types of being alive. For instance:

    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.




    OK -- I use the ' and the " for emphasis. Would you rather I bold or italicize or underline the words I want to emphasize?


    See above.
     
    #20 Crabtownboy, Feb 6, 2014
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