Quote:

Originally Posted by marsbug ...I propose that the qualities we associate with life can arise in any complex system, and that different qualities require greater or lesser degrees of complexity.

Well, "any complex system" is pretty broad. This idea is a bit reminiscent of Stuart Kauffman's ideas put forward in At Home in the Universe, but his complex systems are limited to chemical or molecular systems with a certain level of diversity - systems where an independent part has the possibility of interacting with another part. In Kauffman's case, the interaction was catalysis, especially auto-catalysis, which eventually led to primitive life on Earth. Unproven conjecture, yet based in chemistry, biology, and logic, and very compelling.