by Gerhard Adam

Created on: August 30, 2008

One of the key problems in discussing biology is the need to avoid framing everything within the context of human experience. It is important to remember that a significant number of life forms are plants and single-celled organisms. In addition, we have to consider what we actually mean by the word "life" before we can create a useful picture of events.

To begin this exploration we need to consider what we mean by "life" and examine it from its most basic components. We think we know the difference between living and non-living, but it's harder to describe it than one might originally think. For our purposes we can use one particular characteristic to differentiate between the two states. Non-living things or inanimate objects are subject to the forces around them and are changed by them, such as erosion or material degradation. Living things are characterized by being able to acquire and use external energy to maintain an internal environment which sustains them.

However what is being sustained in this description? The simple answer is ultimately chemical reactions. These are molecules that form a variety of structures which are repeatable and can be used to extract the energy from external sources for internal exploitation. Once this mechanism has been achieved, there is a need to perpetuate the process (since no reactions can run infinitely) through reproduction.

While this description may sound quite cold or even "sterile", it is important to remember that every living thing is subject to its internal chemistry whether it be the ability to process food, reproduce, or generate the emotions it feels. These are ultimately chemical reactions.

If the chemistry is disrupted the organism will die. It is the chemistry that gives rise to the structures that define the living thing, it is the chemistry that will allow it to survive, and it is the chemistry that will determine how it reproduces and result in a new copy of itself.

Once we understand that the underlying chemistry is the driving force for all life, then all other manifestations must be interpreted from that perspective. However, instead of exploring every nook and cranny of life's diversity another simple principle can be taken from this to explain large scale behaviors, such as those present in sociobiology.

This principle is that because of how life operates, we cannot propose any process that requires intentional actions or consciousness in order to work. While there may be varying degrees by which such

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