Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Should Viruses be considered living or non-living?


Many scientists classify viruses as being living organisms, others do not.
1. Based on the characteristics of viruses you learned about in class, and the characteristics of living things, do you think viruses should be classified as living or non-living?
2. Support your opinion with reasons, include what characteristics you believe put viruses in the category you chose.
3. Make sure you write in complete sentences, in paragraph form.

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe that Viruses should be considered as non-living. Although they have some of the characteristics of living things, they are not able to live without infecting another thing. I believe that if viruses do not completely fit in the catergory of living things, then they should not be considered as such.

-Alison W. Block 1

Anonymous said...

WE believe that viruses should be considered as living organisms. Viruses have many qualities that could make them be considered to be non-living, but we think that the living qualities of viruses outweigh those non-living characteristics. Like living things, viruses contain genetic material. Virueses' genetic information can change and mutate over time. Also, viruses can reproduce. All these stated reasons are why we believe viruses are living things.
Lori A.
Amber S.
Kim S.
Sam S.
Block 1

Anonymous said...

We, group 8 of your BioH-1 class, believe that viruses are non-living because they lack the need to use energy. While they do have DNA/RNA and can die, they aren't exactly living in the first place as they do not develop or mature over time.
Tyler P.
Carla W.
Vivana A.
Morgan J.

Anonymous said...

I think that viruses are living because it has been proven to have living characteristics such as: 1. They contain genetic material. 2. Viruses Change over generations, which could be known as a genetic mutation. 3. They repoduce. The H1N1 virus mutated from animal form to a human form, I personally believe that a non-living virus could do that.
Jackie B, Matthew B, Brent C, Michael S. Advanced Biology 10-1

Anonymous said...

We belive that they should not be considered live because they do not move, eat, or breathe on their own. Livng organisms can breathe, eat, and move on their own.so Viruses should be classified as non-living.

James L.
Aaron G.
John N.
Connor N.
Biology Block One

Anonymous said...

We think the the virus should be classifed as living. There are many diffrrent charaistics to support this theory; for example they contain genetic material, the virus changes over generations, and it repoduces. These facts should be enough to prove the validlity of viruses being living organisims.

Madeline R, Robin R, Dainel K, Elizabeth C
Advandced biology 10-1 & 9-1

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses are living because they die, and something has to live beofre it can die. Also, viruses reproduce like all other living things, and they contain genetic material. Our last reason is because that viruse change over generations.
Michael Ab
Dani Paxton
Clayton Edens
Richard Mullins

Anonymous said...

Viruses are living species. They are able to reproduce and over take are cell. They are also able to die. As far as we consider your not able to die twice. The viruses also contain genetic material. There ability to over take a body is not something every non-living thing can do. Unlike, rock they are consider non-living which is true, but viruses can move and over take other living thing.


-Tiffanie, Abbi, Cristina,Chelsie

Anonymous said...

I do not believe that a virus should be classified as a living thing because they don't move by themselves but rely on the evironment to move them from place to place. A living has to be able to move that is what classifys it as a living organism. On top of that viruses can't reproduce by themselves either, and that is also a characteristic of life.

Emily C Block 1

Anonymous said...

I believe that a virus of anykind should be considered as a non-living organism. Although it does contain genetic material and overtime, genetic mutations of a virus can occur, they do not grow and develop, they don't respond to the environment other than becoming non-functional in the cold, they do not use enegry, they themselves do not reproduce, and they really aren't cells, so no, I do not believe that a virus should be considered a cell to scientists.

Joseph F. 1st Block

Anonymous said...

LIVING: If they can have babies, they're alive! I don't care if they're next to nothing laying on my desk. They make me sick.
Mr. Clifton

Anonymous said...

I think that viruses are living because they die, and something living dies. Viruses also reproduce like all other living things, and they contain genetic material. Viruses also change over generations.
Tyler C.
blcock 1

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses are living because first of all,they contain genetic material. Secondly Viruses Change over generations.Lastly They repoduce. The H1N1 virus mutated from animal form to a human form, we personally believe that a non-living virus could not do that.


Chelsee J.
Gabe C.
Sarah H. Block2

Anonymous said...

We don't think that viruses are alive because they don't change to survive in thier environment. In order to be a living thing they need to have the ability to adapt.
Whitney Surf.
JP T.
block2

Anonymous said...

Courtney R
Josh K.
Block 2

We think that viruses are non-living. Even though they do have some similar characteristics as living things, I don't think that we should fully put them under a category that doesn't describe them fully. They do have characteristics for both living and non-living, but I see more under non-living that living. Even though niether of them fully discribe them, the one with more wins my vote. Sorry Mr. Clifton! :]

Anonymous said...

Well, Why Can't The Viruses Be Both Living And Non-Living?, A Sort Of Inbetween. If They Reproduce, But Have No Cells Or Growth And Development, Isn't That Impossible? So If They're Living And Yet Non-Living That would Make Them Something Else, Sort Of Like The Zombie Factor. Then Everyone Arguing Would Be Wrong.

Hunter E.
Bethany R.
December D.
Kyle M.
2nd Block

Anonymous said...

We believe that viruses should be classified as non-living. The reasons we think this are that the viruses do not use energy. Also, they do not grow and all living things develop and grow. Lastly, all living things have to be able to respond to their environment. If they are not able to do this they will eventually die off.

Olivia M. Trevor N. Whitney Sub. Block-2

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses should be considered living organisms because they reproduce. They also contain their own genetic material, and they mutate overtime. All of these characteristics contribute to living organisms.


Cody w
Alex n
block 2

Anonymous said...

I really dont know what to tihnk; except I do think that viruses exist. I think they exist because things cant reproduce if they are not alive. I mean, rocks cannot have babies. So, my group personnally believes that viruses are alive.

Zach W.
Robert P.
Josh M.

Anonymous said...

Viruses should be considered living things, they can have babies. They also would have to be living things becauuse they can be killed. They also can change over generation.

Jamie H.
Hannah M.
Cassie A.
2nd block.

Anonymous said...

Viruses should be considered living because they have mutated over generations. They can reproduce and be killed. They also contain genetic material.

Madison M.
Kaytlin G.
Dylan S.
Block 2

sciteach79 said...

I love all the great thinking all of you did regarding this question.

Personally, I believe that viruses are living things because they contain genetic information, reproduce, and can mutate. The protein making up their capsid is also an organic molecule associated with living things.

Ms. Ricker

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses are living because first of all,they contain genetic material. Secondly Viruses Change over generations.Lastly They repoduce. The H1N1 virus mutated from animal form to a human form, we personally believe that a non-living virus could not do that.
Josh.B son
give me an A! uh son, im the man

Anonymous said...

Well, i belive that viruses should be considered living things, because they are on everything and they cause people to get sick. They share characteristics of living things as well this is why i believe they should be considered living if they werent living then i dont believe i would be getting sick!

Alex L. Block 2

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses are living because first of all,they contain genetic material. Secondly Viruses Change over generations.Lastly They repoduce. The H1N1 virus mutated from animal form to a human form, we personally believe that a non-living virus could not do that.

Lexi L.

Anonymous said...

I think viruses are living because they operate by living off and reproducing through other things.
Josh M block2

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses are living because first of all,they contain genetic material. Secondly Viruses Change over generations.Lastly They repoduce. The H1N1 virus mutated from animal form to a human form, we personally believe that a non-living virus could not do that.

Alyssa Allen

Emily N said...

I think they should be considered living things they move throuhgout your body. They spread so yes they should be living things.

Anonymous said...

We believe Viruses should be considered living and there are many reasons to back up our opinion. One is they can reproduce. Two is the contain genetic material. Finally,three is they can mutate and adapt.

Tiffany S.
John D. > Block 2
Zach M.

Anonymous said...

We believe viruses should be considered as non-living because they cannot make their own choices and reproduce on their own. They don't have cells in them because they would just infect themselves unike other living oprganisms. So we beleive that they are non-living.

-
Michael F.
Mariah C.
Larry (Austin) S.
Block 2

Anonymous said...

i think viruses should be considered living because they can reproduce. Viruses Change over generations, which could be known as a genetic mutation.


joey f
sam t
sam s
charlton g
brooke a
AKA VANDALS!!!!!!!!!!! nrma

Anonymous said...

My group believes that viruses should be living because they have their own impact on the environemnt as do all living things. They have the qualities of a non-living organism but they reproduce even though don't do it themselves.

Stephanie G.
alex R.
kendall B.
saraya C.

Anonymous said...

I think viruses are living because they spread, and they grow. They also feed off of our cells, and multiply. If they spread, grow, feed of our cells, and multiply, they have living characteristics so i think they are living.

Damia M.
Courtney S. Block 2

Anonymous said...

We think that viruses should be non-living. They should be non-living because to be living you have to have growth and development, and use engery. Viruses do not do either of these. Also the defintion of living things says all living things are made up of cells, viruses have no cells.
Alexxus W.
Brooke R.
2nd Block

Anonymous said...

Yes we believe that viruses are alive because they can "think" for themselves. They also "know" how to copy themselves to other cells and they could not do this if they were non living.
Melissa Gandee
Jessica Fitzwater
Amber Townsend
10-3

Sarah S. [: said...

Viruses should continue to be labeled as non-living. They are not able to grow and develop, they do not have cells, and they have no way to use energy. The principles of living things would be misconstruded if viruses were considered living organisms.

Anonymous said...

I myself believe that viruses are living. I know that they don't use energy and they don't grow or develople, but they do have genetic material and can reproduce. I would have to say that viruses are living things.

john m. 3rd block sucka

Anonymous said...

Bethany H.
Annie D.
Ivy R.
Zach W.

Block - 3

We think viruses should be non-living. Although, it can reproduce itself using host cells it still lacks the characteristics of living things such as cells, energy use, and no growth.

Anonymous said...

We believe that viruses should not be considered living, as they cannot perform any life function without the aide of another organism. They must take over a cell to reproduce, and cannot metabolize. All of the energy used is that of the host cell. Finally, their only mode of transportation is passive, being moved by other objects they come into contact with.

Matthew H.
Sandi R.
Daniel D.
Biology 3

Anonymous said...

I believe virii should be considered living organisms purely by their parasitic behavior. Parasites live soley off other organisms. It must have some type of intelligence (albeit, very little) to be able to reproduce and adapt. I don't see rocks that feed off other inanimate objects.

Also, their energy usage might be so insignificant that they might obtain it through inertia or from biproducts of the host.

There's a lot we do not know about our world, and I suggest we open all possibilities.

-Walter Ferrell, Block 3

Anonymous said...

We believe that viruses should not be considered living because like us humans it does reproduce, it does have DNA, and can die. But the thing that doesnt make it a living thing is that it does not use energy. As humans we do breath, we do use energy and are alive!
Tyler B.
Chasity S.
3rd block

Anonymous said...

I believe viruses are non-living because even thought they have genetic material they can't reproduce on their own like most species. Whether through asexual reproduction or with a parterner (sexual reprodution). To prove my point you could stick one virus in a petri dish by it's self and it would not multiply proving it is not asexual. If you put two of the same or exact same viruses in petri dish together they would still not reproduce proving they are nto sexual reproduction. Showing that technically that they CANNOT reproduce like any other living thing. They also do not use energy or feed unlike any living thing. So in conclusion THEY ARE NON-LIVING.

Jared Roush
Casey Ballard
Corey Johnson
Jacob Russell
David Williams

Anonymous said...

I think that viruses should be considered non-living things. They contain genetic information and that genetic information can mutate over time. Also, they can reproduce. However, the only way they can reproduce is by infecting a cell. Also, they cannot produce energy and do not develop or mature.
Sarah S.
Block 2

Anonymous said...

We don't believe that viruses are living because they don't have their own metabolism and have to have a host cell in order to evolve. They don't possess the characteristics of a living organism and do not have a cellular structure.

Laura Hedrick
Tammie Harsh
Jessica Yoak
Alexa Pozzi
Block 3

Anonymous said...

I believe that viruses should not be considered living because like us humans it does reproduce, it does have DNA, and can die. But the thing that doesnt make it a living thing is that it does not use energy. As humans we do breath, we do use energy and are alive!

Carter Block 3

Anonymous said...

They can be crystalize like non living material. They are inert like chemical outside the host. Cell wall and cell membranes are absent. Protoplasm is also absent. They do not have any functional anatomy. They can not multiply without host nuclear machinsery.


However, in order to be qualified to be a living organism, it must be able to show all of the characteristics of life, therefore viruses are not living.

Jaimmy W. Block 2

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