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Explaining the Origin of Life is not Enough for a Definition of Life

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Abstract

The comments focus on a presumed circular reasoning in the operator hierarchy and the necessity of understanding life’s origin for defining life. Below it is shown that its layered structure prevents the operator hierarchy from circular definitions. It is argued that the origin of life is an insufficient basis for a definition of life that includes multicellular and neural network organisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alterra, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen, UR, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis

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  1. Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis
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Correspondence to Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis.

Additional information

This paper is a response to commentaries by van Straalen (2010) and Hengeveld (2010) on my (2010) paper.

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Jagers op Akkerhuis, G. Explaining the Origin of Life is not Enough for a Definition of Life. Found Sci 16, 327–329 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-010-9209-4

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