Well what do you think? I am tackling this as an essay question soon, anyone have any views or references?
I can imagine it's a difficult paper to write when you have none.
^ Lark finally posted something that made me laugh.
Glad I could inspire your latest signature though.
You're not funny, you're just rude.
And maybe your depression will kill you.
First of all, start off with a definition. I'd classify life as self-replicating and -regulating system, the structural complexity of which lends itself to an existence that is less directly subjugated by universal forces than inorganic matter.
After giving your definition, you could explain what characteristics life has in comparison with inanimate objects. What is consciousness? How was it formed? Talk about the life cycle as death. Is there an afterlife, do we have a spirit or essence, etc?
Maybe go on to say which conditions are needed (as currently known) for life to form, and speculate how the first cell on earth formed, or go down other routes instead, such as a religious one, talk about god and creation in that sense. Or explore both paths if you want.
Something to do with life's possible function in the universe, or the general effects life might have on it.
Perhaps talk about yourself and your experiences with being a member of the human race.
I don't know if this is helpful at all, but it's somewhat how I'd tackle it. There are so many different ways to interpret this.
NFs like you don't inspire me, Lark. Or my signatures.
Ah, there's that social worker attitude people seek!
a journey through contrast...in which makes us expand.
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One of the ways in which we expand is getting to know ourselves.
One of the ways in which we get to know ourselves is by how we are relative to others things. We're not a rock, tree, or remote, etc.
We can define ourselves (which is just one form of expansion in itself) by contrasting ourselves with others. Or seeing ourselves as one.
Either way it's still about expansion/growth.
I agree very much with this quote - the journey is an exploration of being, especially of its nature, depth, variety, and possibilities. The vision, inspired by poetic imagination and established in logic, was as if that of a new world!