viruse debate: Are they alive?

[Brick Ayola]

On 24 Jan 1995, Martin Hewlett wrote:

> 
> "Alive or dead is a stupid question, because it does not exhaust the possibilities.
> Our general notion of the universe leads us to expect that we shall meet with
> things that are not so alive as a sunflower, and not so dead as a brick."
> 
> (A.E. Boycott, "Transition from Live to Dead:  The Nature of
> Filterable Viruses,"  quoted in "Viral Infections of the Nervous
> System" by Richard T. Johnson.

After pondering the notion of whether or not computer viruses were alive 
(as well as chain letters -- thanks to Dr. Pennington). I am glad that Dr. 
Hewlett posted this quote. Now my mind can rest and plan the next experiment.
BTW - I AM alive!

Brick Ayola, Ph.D.
Tulane School of Medicine